Ground Report – Windmill Hill, Wiltshire, 25/05/09

After the full on start to this season with so many crop circles appearing in oil seed rape, this is the first we have been able to visit, and what a way to start!

This impressive formation in barley comprises many standing and laid circles of crop, incorporating ‘yin-yang’ elements within the design. Its striking appearance is not easily appreciated from the ground where the overall picture is very difficult to discern, not least because of the fluffiness of the seedheads in barley at this time.

On walking into the formation it is clear that after only a day many of the laid stems have begun to recover to their upright position. Closer inspection of stems on the ground reveals very little damage throughout the crop circle. Taking evidence of trampling by visitors into account, the general condition of the laid crop is really good.

There is a real fluidity to the movement of the crop within the formation which can be seen in the shots below. All circles are laid clockwise as is the large central ring, while all other sections are effectively laid anti-clockwise. The centres of the laid circles are generally formed of splayed crop which appears not to have been flattened to the ground with much force.

The flow of the crop creates multi-layering throughout the crop circle, in some cases stems are visibly bent round corners into different parts of the design. In areas where opposing flows run alongside each other or collide it appears that they must have been laid at the same time.

Next to many tramlines there remains a thin standing ‘curtain’ of untouched crop. In some places these are 1 stem in thickness. Where laid crop flows over tramlines it does not appear to be damaged by having been ‘trodden’ down.

An unusual feature of this formation is the track running along its axis. This appears to have been a vehicle of some kind having driven through the field previous to the crop circle being formed, however, the crop within these narrow lines does not look as though it has been on the ground for a long time. How and why this has been used as the basis for the crop circle seems to be a mystery…