Beginning in Penzance, the largest town in Cornwall, this one day journey visits the iconic stone structure of Men-an-Tol. For photos of a visit to Men-an-Tol, please see our webpage on Men-an-Tol
Journey to Men-an-Tol Stone Site
This short 5-1/2 mile (8.8 km) journey begins at the train station in Penzance.
 Leaving the train station, head for the B3312 (the Madron-Morvah Road) that will take you to a small parking area off the B3312 for the signed public footpath that leads to Men-an-Tol 1/2 mile away.
Proceed up the dirt path to the Men-an-Tol sign and stone stile steps that lead to Men-an-Tol. Note the Sign of CASPN (Cornwall Ancient Sites Protection Network) next to the stile stairs. As you approach the stones, you will notice that there are four stones: one fallen, two uprights, and between these a circular one, 4-1/2 feet in diameter, pierced by a hole that occupies about half its size. In addition a number of recumbent stones are present, some visible and some buried. You have arrived at Men-an-Tol located at NGR SW426349.
Some speculate that it may have once been part of a stone circle, others that it was once part of a tomb. In addition, some say it was part of some ancient calendar. According to Pastscape, "Plans of the positions of the recumbent stones in particular suggest that the monument as it is known is actually part of a stone circle, up to 18m in diameter. Although hole stones are not generally associated  with stone circles they have been shown to form part of these monuments in Scotland. The holed stone may be naturally shaped rather than sculpted hence the larger size of the hole compared to others known in the region. It has also been suggested that it could have been a capstone for the 'cairn' originally, before being moved to its present position." In addition, the holed stone and flanking standing stones have been present in folklore for centuries, as people believed the holed stone exuded healing properties.
After visiting Men-an-Tol, you may wish to visit the Men Scryfa Easrly Christian Inscribed Stone located in the field nearby located at NGR SW427353. After, head back to the parking area and return to the B3312 road. There are two easy stops you may wish to make before returning to Penzance. The Lanyon Tea Room is a welcome stop after your walk to Men-an-Tol. After, you can easily visit the picturesque Lanyon Quoit by the side of the road located at NGR SW42983369 on the way back to Penzance.
Visitors Information
Visitors information on Men-an-Tol and other sites in Cornwall stone sites may be found at the
Best Ancient Stone Sites in Cornwall website. General tourist information may be found at the Visit Cornwall website.
Disclaimer
As of the date of this posting, road directions and conditions are correct. Please check local road conditions, however, for possible changes prior to venturing forth on this journey. A helpful resource for road changes and possible trip interruptions if you are travelling in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland is the AA-UK Route Planner. Another map source that this website uses and that may be useful to you on your journeys is Streetmap UK.
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