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Stone
Hunting Hints & Tips
Calculate and enter the GPS
co-ordinates of the site or sites you are planning to visit
before you leave the house. It�s much easier at home than
in the middle of some wild weather or when under attack by
sheep!
Not all ancient stones are marked on
modern maps. Keep your eyes peeled for other stones and
trust your instincts to whether they are lost ancient stones
or simply just plain old boulders.
Take your time when you find ancient
stones, recorded or not. Have a good look around the area
and see if there are associated features that might give
some hint to the meaning behind the stone.
While modern Ordnance Survey maps are
generally quite accurate this is not always the case and
errors do occur. So, don�t rely blindly on the site being
where the map states it to be.
Just because a map shows the location
of an ancient stone does not mean it still exists at the
same location or indeed actually exists at all. However,
don�t give up immediately; it might not be far away, so
keep on looking.
When you visit an ancient stone have a
good look around the stone or stones for signs of ritual
activity. Items such as coins, candle wax, offerings, chalk
marks and so on might indicate the site is still in use.
Some stones are well off the beaten
track so make sure you tell someone where you are going and
when you will be returning, just in case you are abducted by
aliens or the little people, or perhaps simply get lost.
Some essential items of for stone
hunting - mobile phone to call for assistance, map &
compass to find your way, camera to record unusual signs,
supplies to keep you going and a mind set open to all
possibilities.
If you find a reference to an ancient
stone but cannot find it on the ground and it appears to
have been removed, it may have been dumped nearby. It might
be worth checking likely locations such as field boundaries,
old dumps, patches of woodland, etc.
If you meet someone during the travels,
particularly landowners, it can often be worth stopping for
a chat. They can sometimes have local knowledge that might
be useful in your quest.
Place names can often suggest that an
ancient stone may be found at that location. For example,
Kings Chair, Brotherstone and Grey Mare are all typical
examples where stones have been found. But don�t bet on
it!
When stone hunting, don�t give up too
soon. It is often the case that the stone in question is
only a few metres away, perhaps hidden behind a bush, buried
under a fallen tree or not quite as large as you expected.
When hunting for ancient stones, never
rely on memory alone for details of a stones location.
Always take your map, use it frequently and make use of any
other information you have available.
When navigating, it is generally safe
to trust your map, compass or GPS, they are rarely wrong.
Errors are usually down to the user, not the equipment. If
things seem wrong, double check your figures, bearings and
other settings.
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