Wide shot of the NE stone with one of the many massive recumbent stones in close proximity. Was there ever another structure here as there are a lot of massive stones close by in the hedgerow which have gradually been cleared?
Image credit: A R Cane
A R Cane
NE stone with SW stone just visible on the hedge line and in alignment with the Merry Maidens just down the road.
Image credit: A R Cane
One of the outliers, the other being practically submerged on the other side of the footpath.
Image credit: A R Cane
The South West quadrant. There’s a slight dip on the inside of the circle (seen here by the darker green line) which was either in existence from the beginning or is the result of people walking the circle for hundreds, maybe thousands, of years.
Image credit: A R Cane
Panorama of the whole circle looking South West with the main road and Tregiffian monument off to the right.
Image credit: A R Cane
Charming, but a shame to discover that the decorated stone is only a replica.
Image credit: A R Cane
I have to concur with Carl on this one, it really was a trial to find. This was however confounded by a really thick mist that had been hanging around the peninsular for two days (in late July!) and I think if I hadn’t had an OS map I might never have found it. Starting from the car park at Zennor I crossed the main road near the telephone box and took the footpath that runs along the bottom of the hill and I remember wondering at the time whether there were any snakes around? We’d already seen a number of very small lizards on the cliff path to Gurnards Head when just in time I stopped myself from stepping on an Adder at the side of the path! Usually when I’ve encountered them in the past they slither off as soon as they know they’ve been spotted, but this one stood its ground and even allowed me to get relatively close to take its portrait! Having jumped over it I carried on along the path when, blow me, I encountered another which, thankfully, disappeared into the undergrowth. Passing the farm buildings I then started to make my way up the hill towards the Logan Stone but having reached the top, encountering yet another adder, I found myself completely disorientated because I couldn’t work out where the sun was due to the mist and wandered around for about half an hour becoming increasingly panicky. Then, just as I was about to despair and make my way back down, there was a very brief break in the mist across the moorland and I could just about discern what must surely be Zennor Quoit about 300m away. Rechecking the map as the mist rolled relentlessly back in I made a mad dash to get there and felt a huge relief as it came into view just the other side of a low stone wall through the ferns and gorse. My first reaction on coming up close to it was its sheer size, it had looked quite insubstantial from a distance, but this really is a whopper and quite beautifully constructed. I didn’t realise the significance of the 5 pillars alongside it at the time so I was quite intrigued by them and also the tiny holes which appear all over the structure. I think the combination of it being hidden in the swirling mist and having had to really struggle to find it gave it a special kind of significance for me and it presented itself as a reward if you see what I mean. Well worth visiting but I would advise anyone attempting to find it in adverse weather conditions to have a map and a compass...... oh, and look out for snakes.
An almost perfectly circular domestic dwelling.
Image credit: A R Cane
One of the many holed stones to be found in almost every building.
Image credit: A R Cane
Yet another holed stone.
Image credit: A R Cane
...and another
Image credit: A R Cane
The hearth that may not be a hearth.
Image credit: A R Cane
Bet nobody’s done this picture before. My sons playing silly buggers.
Image credit: A R Cane
I wonder if these buildings gained size with age or with the importance of the families or possibly both?
Image credit: A R Cane
General shot of Building 2(?)
Image credit: A R Cane
Another overall shot.
Image credit: A R Cane
A lot of these. For water, storage, ritual?
Image credit: A R Cane
Possibly one of the narrowest entrances/exits on the site.
Image credit: A R Cane
Smallest room? Storage cupboard? Iron Age Granny flat?
Image credit: A R Cane
Found this while mooching around by the ‘English Heritage Shed’. It appeared to have several cup marks, difficult to see in this picture I know, and looked a bit like an inverted Lego brick.
Image credit: A R Cane
This was the only visible remains of what should have been about three barrows on the Down, the other two having been ploughed out at some point in the past.
Image credit: A R Cane
Misty and mysterious. We didn’t actually get on to the head in the end as the mist thickened to such a degree that it seemed hardly worthwhile (and the pub beckoned!)
Image credit: A R Cane
The Head viewed from the cliff top coming from Zennor
Image credit: A R Cane
Nearly stepped on this delightful creature on the way up and met 2 of it’s siblings minutes later. Has anyone else had encounters with snakes in their wanderings?
Image credit: A R Cane
The approach through beautiful gorse and heather as the quoit emerges from the mist.
Image credit: A R Cane
The capstone with one of the many strange little holes that appear all over the Quoit.
Image credit: A R Cane
Viewed from the top of the wall looking East(ish).
Image credit: A R Cane
The little figure, just about discernible through the lichen and moss, on what may have originally been a standing stone. There’s another one at the village church at Paul, near Mousehole, built into a wall.
Image credit: A R Cane
Tried riding a pack-horse through it and nearly succeeded!
Image credit: A R Cane
Strange that this was allowed to survive. Looking at an aerial map it’s evident that the area was festooned with barrows at one time, but with the exception of this beauty they’ve almost all been ploughed out.
Image credit: A R Cane
Panorama looking broadly North West under a glowering Dorset sky.
Image credit: A R Cane