The energy ring and the balancing act

27.05.2025

I have come down to Cornwall to walk a section of the South West Coastal Path and explore the county’s rich prehistoric sites. This morning I braved the narrow lanes to get to the small village of Duloe, not far from Looe. I had read about a stone circle there that had generated some intrigue and I was keen to see it and feel it.

It was an easy start to the day. After a short walk through the village, a finger post sign directed me along a short footpath to a gate. I thought of a red velvet curtain parting in front of me and heard in my head the strings of an orchestra tuning up before a concert. As I passed through the gate I caught a glimpse of Duloe Stone Circle. I had timed it well as the stones were brightly illuminated in the sunshine. It was on the far side of the field and in no time it had pulled me over and sucked me in to it’s centre. I was easy prey and instantly besotted with this small gleaming circle of eight quartz stones. I had never seen any site anywhere that was exclusively made up of quartz.

Despite it’s small footprint the stones ranged dramatically in size from eight feet down to 9 inches. I felt the energy long before I placed my hands on the stones. There was a strong tension between them and I wondered if it was down to their juxtaposition, with their shape and aspect to each other creating a sense of animation when viewed as a whole. I had felt this at the Rollrights too. A magical illusion that tricks the mind. I wasn’t sure if I had been charged or discharged by Duloe. I felt both elated and drained at the same time as I reflected on the first act of my Cornish variety show back at the van.

The narrow lanes became narrower with uncut high hedges scratching the sides of the van and knocking the wing mirrors in, but this was Cornwall and to be expected. I was somewhere near St Clear when my satnav announced I was at the location of Trethevy Quoit. The parking space was by no means generous but I squeezed into it and crossed the road to a sloping field. Once through the gate I saw the quoit perched up to the left looking very much like a sitting guard dog. It was enormous with five massive uprights plus one which had fallen into the chamber at the rear. Luckily the slipped capstone was still aloft. 

There were a number of small holes on the fallen upright that looked too small for cup marks and one hole at the front of the capstone that may have enabled light into the chamber when the dolmen was covered. The other curious feature was the straight edged missing section at the base of the blocking stone at the front which I have found no explanation for.

I sat on a bench provided by the Cornish Heritage Trust and took in this edgy monument with it’s gravity defying capstone. It had been a good day with two landmark sites kicking off my Cornish journey.