The Legend of Wishing Stones

Are you wondering what a wishing stone is and how you spot one? You may even be searching for the answer as to where the lore of the wishing stone sprung up. If you fit either description then welcome to the Stone Circle’s rock blog – and let’s get stuck in.

These jasper wishing stones have red jasper with white quartz lines.

What is a Wishing Stone?

Starting with the most obvious question: what on earth is a wishing stone when it’s at home?

Fortunately, this is one type of rock Identification which is as straightforward as they come. A wishing stone is a stone with a single, unbroken line around the circumference. The line may be of any other natural material but is most often a white quartz or calcite band.

How to Identify a Wishing Stone?

The only rules to identifying a wishing stone are that the stone must contain a line that runs around the entire perimeter. The line must be unbroken and visible as a circle around the whole stone. The lines are often white because of the way sediment moves through solid stone, which leaves a propensity towards quartz or calcite filling in the gaps.

If you have any type of stone which has an unbroken band around it, then you have a wishing stone.

How to Use a Wishing Stone?

Traditionally, you would make a wish with your wishing stone before throwing it away. Often you throw the stone into the ocean or another body of water. Legend has it that your wish will soon come true.

It is also acceptable to make a wish for yourself or another person and pass the wishing stone onto them. Just don’t be offended if they throw it away! They are only doing as they should!

What is the Origin of the Wishing Stone?

There are legends surrounding stones all over the world. From statues as guardians to holy stones used by farmers as boundary markers in the days before fields – heck, we even have stone circles.

From what we can deduce the legend of the wishing stone is not unique but is prevalent within Celtic and old British culture. Of course we have the Scottish hagstone, which was always said to trap the hags. Hang one in your window and the evil witches would not be able to pass through. You can read our blog on hagstones here for more info.

Secondly within Scots culture we have the Clach na Criche. Known as the Wishing Stone, this hangout is in Ardnamurchan. If you really, really, really want your wish to come true then make the pilgrimage. Legend has it that if you pass through the hole in the stone, you will receive your wish.

(It’s in the Scottish Highlands, about 40 miles west of Fort William, I had to Google it too.)

Otherwise? All we managed to find out through research was that the wishing Stone legend was ancient and shrouded in mystery. Not very helpful, I know, but when you combine the lore with the already abundant spirituality-stone beliefs of the ancient Brits you get a picture that makes more sense.

Can You Find Wishing Stones While Rockhounding in the UK?

Most definitely. Keep your eyes peeled for white lines – and even pink lines – in darker rocks.

Where to go Rock Hunting for Wishing Stones?

I head for my local river when I am hunting these. You also get fantastic jaspers in Ayrshire, Fife, and angus, Scotland. If I were rock hunting for wishing stones in England I would look towards the Lake District which was formed by volcanic activity. You might also find a flint type of wishing stone if you live in the dinosaur and fossil areas, such as the Jurassic Coast and the I. O. Wight.

Are Wishing Stones Rare?

Wishing stones are rare in certain areas and not in others. I know that makes no sense.

I often find wishing stones in my local river, perhaps one in ten trips. If I go north towards Angus, I know places where there are hundreds upon hundreds of Jasper wishing stones lining the waterways.

If you live in a place where sedimentary rocks form then yes, they are fairly common. If you don’t, then no, they are rarer for you.