Belas Knap – Autumn Equinox 2013

Autumn Equinox is a time to celebrate the harvest, but I’d been celebrating a little too much. Having had a bottle of gin the night before I needed a full detox. Didn’t you know? Hedge Druids love gin. Fact. Luckily the journey to the villages around Cheltenham was smooth – M6, M5, done.

I was heading for Belas Knap. I’d been perusing our blogging friend Stoatie‘s site – Meadow, Grove & Stream – and I’d seen that she’s been there in her camper van. It looked fantastic. A quick dowse later and I was assured that the site had the following suitable qualities:-

• It was powerful
• It was unspoiled
• It was good to go there at the equinox

So it was that I ventured out on the 22nd, as this was the time of the equinox officially. Approaching the town of Winchcombe I saw the first brown sign pointing to Belas Knap. The road snaked up the side of Cleve Hill and soon there was another brown sign pointing off the road, and a layby with just enough rough parking space to house several cars. There was one space left. Busy! Mind you – it was turning into a beautiful day, grey cloud cover but warm for September.

The walk up the hill was beautiful – like a cathedral of trees – tall young beeches, if I’m not mistaken. As I have been guided this year I didn’t have any staff or crystals. Only some sticks of incense, but even these were just for show (or smell). I wouldn’t employ them for any real purpose.

I was using the wonderful Viewranger app on my phone to home in on the site, but actually I felt like I’d be able to find it now so put the phone away once I had the rough direction. Emerging from the trees the official path went left and the dog-legged right up the hill. I don’t do official paths. I walked straight up the hill, finding that many others must do the same as a path soon emerged.

As I passed I noticed that the ash trees were in full fruit – ash keys ready to fly off into the Autumn winds. Little did I know this would be “key” to what was to follow.

At the top of the hill the site was marked by an old sign, but the path was clear. Everywhere in the earth the distinctive buff of Cotswold stone could be seen speckling the ploughed earth.

As I entered the narrow line of mixed deciduous trees my eye was drawn to an old ash twig which formed a Y shape. As I passed over it I got a familiar tug. I should pick it up. But why? As an offering. Really? It seemed rather… rubbish? Pick it up. OK. I put it in my pocket wondering why this would be useful. Ash. Ash again, but I hadn’t realised yet.

My Kingdom for a Shire Horse

I was right about the number of cars translating to the number of people walking the Cotswold Way, or the Winchcombe Way as it also is at the point where it passes Belas Knap. I passed people on the trail, and then as I arrive just outside Belas Knap itself I could see people on top of the mound. Most disturbingly of all for one who is prone to doing a spot of meditation there was the drone and rattle of a tractor pulling some hideous piece of machinery over the flat and cobble-strewn fields in a vain attempt to make the area fertile. The hideous continuous clanking was inescapable.

I stopped at an interesting hawthorn tree. It was slight yet old, but it’s most interesting feature was a stump which seemed tailor-made for sitting on. Yet I was keen to get into the site itself. I checked with the dowsing rods – they said I needed to sit by the hawthorn tree. Ah, cleansing, of course. I sat for a while, fidgeting, waiting for the right moment to enter the site.

I felt the time was right and entered the site itself. Now the real work could begin.

Path around the Knap

As is customary I used the dowsing rods to lead me around the site. I asked for a place to start from and was taken to a power centre opposite the “entrance”. I say entrance but actually it was all blocked off (as most of the long barrows are, with notable exceptions). I had only gone a few feet, so I was keen to move on, but… patience…. I stood and waited until I felt the time was right to move. Important.

Next I was taken around the northern long side of the chamber. Now I began to appreciate how big this barrow was. it was not quite as big as somewhere like West Kennet, but it was still incredibly imposing. Nestled in the side of the grassy mound was a lintel, and below the lintel stone was an entrance to a chamber – a chamber just big enough to house a sitting man comfortably with space to move. Ahhh…the dowsing rods circled around inside. I had arrived.

At this point everyone who was walking by or visiting the mound seemed to take it upon themselves to leave. All human sounds ceased, apart from that infernal tractor – humming, clattering, chugging, droning across the field nearby. I was shielded from the worst of it but I decided I’d have to carry on regardless. It’s what we British do best.

Vita Merlinus

I lit incense and placed it around me. New space, old scent. I called upon my spirit guide to be present and he joined me. Using his help I quickly set up protection which would last until I walked back beyond the hawthorn tree. I don’t take chances any more at new places, no matter how nice they appear.

Sitting in the chamber I felt Merlin’s presence. Odd that he should come up at this moment. I had forgotten about Merlin with my focus so strongly on Herne recently. The wind gusted ever so briefly moving the trees in front of me. Merlin was here! I wished the tractor would go quiet… the tractor went quiet.  Oh! Quick!!

I went deeper into trance, allowing my aura to move out to connect with, blend with the surroundings. In this state I asked what my quest was for the next part of the year. In the centre of my mind an image unfolded itself…

A flash of lightning appeared and with it came the words “Call the lightning!”. Then “Harness its power“. Repeated over and over.

Before coming out of the chamber I Left an offering of the forked ash twig, and I stood it against the slab at the back of the chamber. Of course, someone would remove it soon, but for now it had power and meaning. – it was symbolic of lightening (I realise now!) and of the balance of the equinox

As I emerged people began to arrive again!  I continued to follow the rods, and I was taken to the back of the mound to stand in the “forked tail” feature, where I stood for a short while. This was the end of my energetic tour. This part of my work was now concluded. Interesting that the visit had started with me finding the forked ash twig, had gone through the association of ash and lightening (and forks) and had ended up at the forked tail of the mound.