Synthetic efforts towards the “phenalinolactone core diterpenoid 6” (5) are described. It contains a cyclohexyl alcohol (A ring), a cyclohexane (B ring), and a cyclohexene (C ring), which are angularly annulated trans and cis, respectively. What makes them unique is the trans‐ (or “anti”‐) relationship between the A and the C ring. The trans‐configured A/B ring junction was established in a novel cyclohexanone annulation. Anti‐selective cis‐annulations of the C ring failed when attempted with intramolecular Diels–Alder reactions with dienes of varied electron demand (21, 31). In contrast, an anti‐selective cis‐annulation of a C ring precursor based on an intramolecular [2+2]‐photocycloaddition succeeded. It provided the tetracycle 38 in 70 % yield. It contains a densely functionalized four‐membered ring. It should lend itself to ring‐opening(s) and/or rearrangement(s). Accordingly, compound 38 should be adoptable to proceeding to the target structure 5 in future work.