What are ley lines?
Answers:
Supposed alignments of ancient sites in the landscape. They have been identified as a range of things from 'old straight tracks' to lines of earth energy, whatever that is supposed to be.
My opinion is that they are artifacts of ordinance survey maps. The fallacy in the idea is that if you get three or more points in alignment, it can not be by chance. But this is not true. Most people plot lays by identifying 'ancient' sites on OS maps, and looking for alignments. But on OS maps, sites and object with incredible dichotomies are all labelled the same. 'Tumili' and 'ancient' monument' can refer to thing created by different cultures millenia apart, for completely different reasons, so the idea that there is any actual connection or significance to the points on a lay is very dodgy. Of course, sometimes you do get high points on the landscape that genuinely can be seen to be in alignment, but these are rare. The other thing is that what may seem to be a good straight line on a 1:50k map can actually be way out of alignment in reality.
I enjoy plotting lay lines, and following them on the ground. They are a good excuse to get out into the countryside. But don't attach any importance to them.
Ley lines, or Leys, are alignments of ancient sites stretching across the landscape. Ancient sites or holy places may be situated in a straight line ranging from one or two to several miles in length. A ley may be identified simply by an aligned placing of marker sites, or it might be visible on the ground for all or part of its length by the remnants of an old straight track.
"Imagine a fairy chain stretched from mountain peak to mountain peak, as far as the eye could reach, and paid out until it reached the 'high places' of the earth at a number of ridges, banks, and knowls. Then visualise a mound, circular earthwork, or clump of trees, planted on these high points, and in low points in the valley other mounds ringed around with water to be seen from a distance. Then great standing stones brought to mark the way at intervals, and on a bank leading up to a mountain ridge or down to a ford the track cut deep so as to form a guiding notch on the skyline as you come up.. Here and there, at two ends of the way, a beacon fire used to lay out the track. With ponds dug on the line, or streams banked up into 'flashes' to form reflecting points on the beacon track so that it might be checked when at least once a year the beacon was fired on the traditional day. All these works exactly on the sighting line."
Ley lines, or Leys, are alignments of ancient sites stretching across the landscape. Ancient sites or holy places may be situated in a straight line ranging from one or two to several miles in length. A ley may be identified simply by an aligned placing of marker sites, or it might be visible on the ground for all or part of its length by the remnants of an old straight track.
Ley Lines were 're-discovered' on 30 June 1921 by Alfred Watkins (1855-1935), a locally well-known and respected Herefordshire businessman, who while looking at a map for features of interest noticed a straight line that passed over hill tops through various points of interest, all of which were ancient. At the time of his discovery, Watkins had no theory about alignments but on that June afternoon saw "in a flash" a whole pattern of lines stretching across the landscape.
not sure myself and have read the other answers here to find out. Learnt soemthing from this after all thanks.
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