Monday 19/4/2010: walked along the fairly quiet B road to the well which is clearly signposted. Stopped of at the site of a cairn en route – we entered by a wooden gate and were dismayed at the sight that lay before us. Like other parts of the country, West Penwith has a policy of rhododendron clearance and what lay before us was acres of rhododendron stumps – probably necessary though not an attractive sight. i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm200/TJJackson66/046-2.jpg
The wooded walk to the well was lovely; the low growing trees not yet in leaf and the lichen covered branches gave them a silvery quality. Spent a bit of time at the cloutie tree – I did a few jumps across onto some moss covered boulders to get a better feel of the place. I understand this is not the source the well and I have to admit I didn’t get a sense of it being a ‘holy’ or mystical place. On to to the Baptistry where we sat for a bit before continuing the walk along the wooded path to a field before retracing our steps. I have since read the wellspring is hidden a bit away from the path – this I can believe as I came away feeling I had missed something.
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Does anyone know what the tree is that the 'clouties' are hung from which overhangs the spring?
That's a very good question Gill. I'm sorry I don't know, it was spring when I visited so the trees weren't yet in leaf. They all had a knarled, silvery appearance, quite hard to say what they were though. From some of the photos I've seen it looks as though it might be hazel but can't be certain - perhaps someone else knows.
The photo here
angandrich.co.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/fairytree.jpg
makes it look as though it could be grey willow? which would possibly make sense as I imagine the ground to be quite soggy (I don't think hazels like sogginess so much)
Ah yes, indeed - haven't come across a grey willow before but that would make sense. Thanks.