The Legend of the Fairy Stone

It is said that long, long ago fairies inhabited a certain quiet and remote region in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

The fairies roamed freely, enjoying the beauty and serenity of that enchanted place.

One day as the fairies were playing in a sunny glade, an elfin messenger arrived from a far away city bearing the sad news of Christ's death.

When the fairies heard the terrible details of the crucifixion, they wept.

As their tears fell to the earth, they crystalized into little stone crosses.

Though the fairies have long since disappeared, the little stone crosses, known as "Fairy Stones," still remain as mementos in that enchanted spot, in and around the boundaries of what is now known as Fairy Stone State Park in Virginia.

And so it was that as I took Thistle on his daily hikes in that area, I perused the ground for these stone crosses or "staurolite" crystals.

On my first try I found Mountain Laurel in full bloom along the roadway.

This park road adjoined the road leading to the campground where I stayed.

Notice how these trees start out as one at the base.

A little fairy peephole between the two trunks.

I didn't find any stone crosses that day, but I did find this heart-shaped stone that was pretty cool too.

So I kept it and made it into a magnet.

Then I googled what the fairy stone crosses should look like when found in nature. I learned they are composed of iron, aluminum, and silicate, formed under an exact combination of heat and pressure provided by the folding and crumbling of the earth's crust during the formation of the Appalachian Mountains.

As the staurolite-bearing schist is weathered away, the more resistant crystals are uncovered and found exposed on the earth's surface. Cleaned up and polished, they are often made into jewelry.

So I paid a visit to the nearby state park to learn more. I learned the legend and the science. I also learned of a designated place to go look for them. But it was a beautiful day, and the state park also had a lake. I saved the fairy stone search for another day.

Passing under a Tulip Tree on Fairy Stone Lake.

Tulips in the Tulip Tree.

The lake has many coves just waiting to be explored by kayak.

I called this one Turtle Cove.

I saw a pair of Kingfishers, but the only photo I got was this blurry bird in flight.

Checking out another quiet cove.

The main lake was a little windy, but the coves were calm.

And the steep banks were covered with Mountain Laurel.

There are cabins for rent on the other side of the lake.

Pretty blue skies and a crow flying by.

I was hoping for loons, but all I got was a pair of Mallard Ducks.

Another lakeside cabin.

Another kayaker with her dog.

After kayaking, I stopped in the gift shop where I bought two fairy stones, in case I couldn't find any on my own. You can see these are still partially embedded in the surrounding schist.

These are the most common shapes of the stones. I believe the two I bought are both Roman, or possibly the one on the right is Maltese.

Another day I drove to the hunt site I was told about.

A storm was coming, so I didn't stay long.

But I picked up a few stones from under the tree roots to examine.

And I do believe one of them has a single crystal embedded in schist, as seen on the left side in this picture. 

So I deem it a successful venture. While the science behind the staurolite crystals is interesting, I find the legend of the "fairy stones" more fun.