Just back from 2 weeks cycling round Cornwall, and was blown away by the sites there.
We were fortunate enough to come across a series of booklets by Ian McNeil Cooke called 'Antiquities of West Cornwall and How To Get There Without A Car'.
Superbly researched, they take in not only the neolithic sites but also other ancient megaliths (and is careful to distinguish what's when), adding folklore and really good maps with suggested walks so you properly get a feel for a particluar landscape.
These things vastly improved our visit and I'd recommend them in the strongest terms.
He's also done reprints of two 19th century books on Cornwall's stones.
Details are in the publications section of his site at http://www.menantolstudio.freeserve.co.uk/
The openness and friendliness of people we found in Cornwall was overwhelming. With one notable exception.
Boleigh Fogou is in the grounds of a large house owned by CAER, a new age 'personal development' organisation. Cooke's pamphlet said permission needed to be got, which I always do when visiting somewhere on private land anyway.
On CAER's door it had a blunt notice 'fogou visitors; view by appointment only. Do not knock on the door and ask for an exception to be made'.
This is such a rude and stark contrast to the atitude from other landowners (even the farmers who see the stones as just obstacles). How much effort would it be to have a 'fogou this way' sign, and replace it with a 'fogou closed today' sign when they want it for their ceremonies.
There's something really rude, vulgar and arrogant not just in the harsh phrasing, but in the hoarding exclusive ownership of it, sort of, 'we have exclusive rights to access not cos we have any higher spiritual purpose but just cos we have lots of money. Who knows what dreadful things might happen if we let someone like you near our fogou'.
So be warned, you have to email or ring first and tug your forelock to the squire who owns it.
01736 810530
[email protected]
for their thing on the fogou: http://www.caer.co.uk/fogou.htm
Their site says they're selling the place this autumn (if any of you have a spare three quarters of a million quid); maybe the next owners won't be quite so selfish.
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