Wishing Stones

Every year I try to take myself off to the Welsh coast; I love Wales, and I love the beach, so it's always a trip I look forward to. This year I went to a certain part of Wales I have never been before and was amazed by some of the rocks I found on the beach! Including this beauty in the picture below:

Apparently this is known as a wishing stone! But what exactly is a wishing stone?


Wishing stones are usually grey or pink in colour, but they can be any colour, size or shape, and their defining feature is a band of white around them. This band of white is actually often a vein of quartz or calcite running through them. Those that are known as the strongest of wishing stone are those that have a band of quartz or calcite that runs around the stone in a fully connected circle, and should be uninterrupted by other lines or streaks in the stone.


It is said that if you find one of these stones, you should trace the band with your finger and focus on your wish, and when you are done throw it as far into the sea as you can. Or, you can give it to another person instead of throwing it away. This should ensure that your wish comes true; however, if you make a wish for someone else, then all of your own wishes will come true too!


No-one is quite sure where this particular piece of folklore comes from. It may be some ancient belief, it may be based on ancient superstition, or it could be a fairly modern invention. No matter where it originated, I still think it's pretty neat!


Wishing stones can be found all over the world and are most prevalant on coastlines and rocky beaches, although can also be found in rivers. So next time you are at the beach, keep an eye out for wishing stones, make your wish, and then dispose of it - I personally love the idea of giving it to a friend and keeping that chain going. I personally couldn't bear to throw or give this particular one away, but next time I find one I will definitely be following this little tradition!