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This baffling monument is the only one of its kind in Cornwall, consisting of two upright menhirs flanking a hollow, ring-shaped stone. Squeezing through the stone was said to be a cure for infertility and rickets, but quite what the original purpose of the stone was is still a complete mystery. Its name derives from the Cornish for 'stone of the hole'.

The site is situated along a side track 5 miles south of Morvah – look out for the turning sign to Chûn Castle, and park in the next layby. The track leads from here.

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Nearby attractions

1. Nine Maidens

0.39 MILES

A small stone circle of nine upright stones. The name derives from maedn (later shortened to mên, as in menhir), meaning stone.

2. Lanyon Quoit

0.88 MILES

Perhaps the most impressive of all of the ancient sites in this part of Penwith, this is a classic example of a quoit, or dolmen – a table-like structure…

3. Chûn Castle

1.6 MILES

Little now remains of this Iron Age hillfort, but in its day, this man-made stronghold would have been one of the best fortified redoubts in Penwith. As…

4. Madron Holy Well

1.69 MILES

Down a muddy track lined by hawthorn hedges, this natural spring has been revered since ancient times, and its waters are reputed to have magical and…

5. Chûn Quoit

1.76 MILES

A well-preserved dolmen that probably marks the site of a burial tomb, and is likely to be associated with the original settlement that later developed…

6. Tanglewood Wild Garden

2.03 MILES

This secret garden is the very definition of a labour of love. When the owners bought it in 2001, it was little more than a tangle of brambles and…

7. Portheras Cove

2.58 MILES

Half a mile north of Pendeen lies Portheras Cove, a lovely slash of sheltered sand that can only be reached via a 20-minute walk along the cliff path. The…

8. Chysauster

2.69 MILES

Penwith's moors would have been littered with Iron Age settlements 2000 years ago. Most have vanished, but a few remain – and Chysauster is the best…