Labyrinth - El Cotillo

[MLA]

A friend shared this discovery with us the other day.


                             

                             

   

Looking on Google Earth this was constructed about 15 years ago. You can drive to within a 10 minute walk of the Labyrinth.

[MLA]

Thanks MLA, never heard of the labyrinth before.

Neither had we Sam, and we have been coming here for over 20 years.

[Gone Fishing]

That is weird MLA - it's so obvious when you look for it on Google Earth too.

I wonder if it has anything to do with Brian, the ex-pat dry stone waller, who lives close by (see photo 1 ) 

Well worth a hike when we're over in Feb 

[MLA]

That is weird MLA - it's so obvious when you look for it on Google Earth too.

I wonder if it has anything to do with Brian, the ex-pat dry stone waller, who lives close by (see photo 1 ) 

Well worth a hike when we're over in Feb 

I think it probably is one of his creations, as he was at the property La Maxada when we visited, and it also said "Dry stone walling workshop" on the same sign.

[Gone Fishing]

All of the lava stone walling around the riding stables @Granja Tara, by the windmill, is another of Brian's creations and barely a dollop of cement to be seen anywhere.  
He's quite an artisan.

[waggy]

Hi, everyone,  it looks like a pretty standard post Roman Julian Labyrinth. They were quite common in medieval Europe, especially near priories and monasteries and there was one in the village of Alkborough in N Lincs where I used to live. They were situated above a commanding view, usually, because the monks would do their penances by walking to the centre and then back again so many times, a bit like Hail Marys, but had the view to enjoy whilst contemplating their sins. The church in Alkborough has the pattern for the maze engraved into the entrance floor, filled in with lead and it was used as the master plan to recut the turf-cut maze about 1/4 mile away should it become over grown and need re-marking . Perhaps the one on FV has been done in stone in an incongruous place and intent with the original meaning forgotten?

http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/juliansbower.htm

The view is just stunning from the seat near the maze/labyrinth: 300ft below you and a mile away is where the River Trent and Yorkshire Ouse run into the mighty Humber estuary, home of Eigir, the Norse storm god, his wife Ran, goddess of the drowned-dead, and their children, the three Billows. It's called Waters meet or Mead and on a good visibility day you can see York Minster 40 miles away.

Here's a better view from the seating:
http://www.northlincs.com/alkborough/juliansbower.htm

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

I think this must be the guy that takes in volunteers on WorkAway:

https://www.workaway.info/454194398992-en.html

[Gone Fishing]

Perhaps the one on FV has been done in stone in an incongruous place and intent with the original meaning forgotten?

I'm not so sure Waggy
Like the the Labyrinth at Alkborough, the El Cotillo Labyrinth is positioned on an elevated, isolated position, with a commanding view and if it was constructed by Brian, then I'm sure the original purpose, as a place of meditation / contemplation, would have been borne in mind .
I could certainly think of worse places to contemplate my sins  

[waggy]

Thanks for that Gone Fishing. I think I'll have a look next time we're over.

[Gone Fishing]

Well, it turns out that this is not one of Brian creations after all.

It was made by musician and artist Wolf Patton as a gift to humankind: