28th June 2025

woo-woo or unconventional beliefs.  To be found in odd corners of the internet 

let us tackle crop circles.  Last night I asked Google if there were any crop circles in Yorkshire, and yes they do exist though probably not as many as in the South-West of England, especially in Wiltshire, home of most of the fantastical UFO sightings and crop circles.

It is obvious that these circles are manmade, some very clever and mathematically thought out, but the work is pure human energy, using a plank of wood to create the pattern in the wheat.  It makes the farmers cross of course.  There is even a pub where dedicated crop circle makers and fans go.

The Barge Inn

 Here in this Word press article in the Heritage Journal, a rather magnificently designed crop circle (and with accompanying aliens though the policeman who saw them may have been a little tipsy). 

I do not mock for they are clever and brighten up people's lives and as it says in the following article ...

Metaphor is the key: we don’t necessarily have to either believe in, or reject, the phenomena to gain from the vision. By presenting us with unexpected novelty which threatens, cajoles and ultimately ridicules blind belief and its mirrored twin, blind scepticism, we learn new ways to perceive it.

Land Art is practised all round the country, whether in gardens or sculptured forms within a green space.  We have a land artist just round here, who with the clever use of stone, leaf or wood creates patterns on the ground.  Think of sand art, or ice art.  What we see in a clever crop circle is a clever mathematical mind.  There is even in this Guardian article a 'how to make one'

 This Sandal crop circle near Wakefield is strategically placed near a motte and bailey castle, rather clumsy in appearance but becomes part of the landscape of the castle and maybe woo-woo in its placement but isn't there that tiny thrill of something strange happening ;)