bridget – The Hedge Druid

Imbolc 2016 P4 The Light Circuit

February 26, 2016February 22, 2016 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Dolmens and Chambers, Quests, Saints, Wheel of the Year

In the last part of my Imbolc story for this year Julia and I have moved from the Knypersley Reservoir area and we’ve shifted about 10 miles further north to the wonderful remnants of a once massive set of megalithic structures. All that remains now is the barrow and tall stones known as The Bridestones, … Read More “Imbolc 2016 P4 The Light Circuit” »

Imbolc 2015 P4 – Germination at Trefignath

February 18, 2015January 26, 2016 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Arthurian, Landscape Zodiac, Wheel of the Year

We have been to the interesting island of Anglesey many times. We have scoured the island for sacred sites on many occasions. We have spent literally days of time researching places to visit. Somehow, two startling omissions had occurred. Firstly, Kal had never seen the reconstructed chamber of Barlodiad Y Gawres. Secondly, we had never found the Trefignath monuments. We set both of this things right for Imbolc 2015.

We’re not going to cover the reconstructed barrow of Barlodiad here. Let’s just say we visited it. It was cold and windy (as it always is) and there was nothing energetically significant about it. Let’s move on to the fun stuff!

We were at the end of our Imbolc day. The trail of Arthur-related sites had reached the furthest tail of The Great Bear and was pointing us to Trearddur Bay near to Holyhead. That’s where we headed now, knowing that we had never found these sites before, but today we were in luck.

Ty Mawr – The Trefignath stone

Ty Mawr standing stone is set alone in a fenced field. In the background it has the delightful soundtrack of swooshing vehicles hurtling along the A55 trunk road carrying potential ferry passengers and lorries to Holyhead on their way across to Ireland.

As a backdrop it has Holyhead Mountain in one direction and a skyline of dark and square geometric buildings from the neighbouring industrial estates. It’s not a pretty setting, and yet the local council have tried their best to give the stone pride of place.

This seemingly innocuous and out-of-place stone turned out to be strangely synchronistic!

Fun and a Funnel at The Bridestones

December 1, 2014 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Energy cleansing, Energy work, God or Goddess, Hedge Druidry, Protection, Spirit of Place

I have a strange mix of friends. Some people I would never consider introducing to others – they’re friends with widely differing tastes and interests. Every now and again I think two sets of friends would integrate well and I take a chance on introducing them to each other. So it was that Debra Delglyn had invited me to visit The Bridestones, and I saw the opportunity of introducing her to my friends Mike and Janet.

It took the pairing scarcely two minutes to become fully conversant and soon they were riffing off each other, laughing and sharing stories. Lovely! It worked. And so we ventured out together to the stones with me having not one worry about how they would operate at the site. It would be something special, and so it turned out to be.

A Gentle Introduction to Yew

The first feature of the site that I wanted to show Debra was the yew trees which stand at the entrance like a portal or doorway. Guardians of the experience within, they needed to be approached and respected with care. For those who bother to do this their experiences inside the Bridestones space is always more rewarding. Today was no exception.

Inside the space we settled and ‘browsed’ for the feel of the site. It felt good, but there was something amiss which needed addressing. Debra moved inside the chamber whilst the Mike and Janet set about working at the far end of the chamber on the outside. When they checked back with me I confirmed that this had been a point where there is often some kind of “seepage” of less wholesome energies, and so it was no surprise that they found a spot that they felt needed to be worked on to restore balance.

I was ensuring that I was connecting to the Spirit of Place and getting in tune with the site before I began to do any work. This took time as I moved slowly between points of cleansing, re-energising and then harmonizing. Finally I was ready to work myself.

Imbolc 2013 Part 4 – The Maiden In Pink

February 16, 2013November 8, 2013 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Wheel of the Year

In the final part of our Imbolc excursion to Cumbria I will be showing you another new site for us – Maiden Castle – near the village of Wreay above the north end of Ullswater Lake. The story of how we found it is the real tale here, and the communion we had while there adds the final flourish to the whole episode.

Having already taken a wrong turn trying to find the narrow lane that led to the field in which the castle was supposed to be, according to the maps, we were somewhat exasperated already as we cruised along the hillside at slow speed trying to get a visual fix on any form of earthwork or stone cluster that might indicate a ‘castle’. Kal had been fully expecting a proper castle with turrets, flags and portcullis, but I assured him that we were looking form something far more mundane and far less spectacular!

The light was beginning to dim. The sun was descending behind the huge distant hills around Ullswater Lake. I had joked at the beginning of the day that we would probably arrive at the castle for sunset, and the joke was becoming a reality. Would we find the castle site before it got dark and too treacherous to locate?

We were about to give up. I stopped the car and insisted that Kal dowse whether we should continue looking or go to somewhere nearby like Castlerigg. I ditched the OS map and instead used the Viewranger pinpoint that I had preset the day before.

NOTE: Viewranger is superb for outdoor work of this kind such as finding sacred sites. I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s a complete lifesaver sometimes.

Go check them out if you like walking, running or discovering new places.

This was a precise fix on the castle and should allow us to home in on it. Kal returned – we had to find Maiden Castle, there were no alternatives! What now?

At that exact moment, sat in the car wondering whether to drive home or head out into the dim light in search of something we were both startled from our thoughts. A hawk burst out of a bush next to the car and flew across the bonnet. It swooped down into the vale below and disappeared again. Well – did we need any better sign? One glance was enough – we were decided – that was the sign we needed to venture forth. Then we noticed the footpath sign next to the car. Well, obviously, that would take us to the castle, right? Let’s hope so.

2013 Imbolc 2 Brigit

February 10, 2013 kal 4 Comments

Dowsing

The day had begun with a cold but splendid start at the sacred well dedicated to St Anna, Our next stop on this blessed day was to visit a nearby church that was dedicated to the (Sainted) Goddess Brigit. After all it was Imbolc! As we parked up I noted the similarities to our favourite, … Read More “2013 Imbolc 2 Brigit” »

Imbolc 2013 Part 2 – Jilted By The Bride

February 8, 2013February 8, 2013 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Wheel of the Year

Our second sacred site to visit on this glorious Imbolc day – February 2nd actually – was the church of The Bride herself – St Bridget’s in Bridekirk. Well, what else could you call a church in a village called Bridekirk – “kirk” being the old word for “church”? It’s The Bride’s church!

We must have missed all the fuss the day before when it was the official celebration day, because we were coming out on the 2nd February instead of the 1st. In every way the second felt like the better day! The weather was better, the day warmer, drier, and the scenery at least viewable on this day! Bridget wouldn’t mind, we felt.

As I wandered gently through the churchyard I saw a sight that caught my eye. It was a section of a yew tree, and it had been decorated with stones and other objects – like the Yule Log of old tradition, I thought to myself. How odd! But how nice too.

As we continued through the churchyard Kal zoomed off. I switched on my dowsing senses but not using the dowsing rods, only using my dowsing sense. I asked to be taken to a place where I need to be. It turned out to be quite an unusual place!

Imbolc 2013 Part 1 – The Sword and The Shield

February 4, 2013 Gwas 3 Comments

Ancient Sites, Visions, Wheel of the Year

I feel like this is the first proper post of the year. Imbolc always feels like a door opening, a gateway swinging wide to let in the rush of the new year’s energies. This year especially so, for some reason. The anticipation, as always, had been eager, and so like two whippets let loose from a leash Kal and I hurtled towards Cumbria’s finest fells in the spring-fresh morning of an awakening sun. The day was bright, clear, the sky blue and uncovered. The Bride was waiting at the altar, and we were heading down the aisle to meet her – like… two whippets? That analogy so totally doesn’t work when you carry it through!

Our first stop on a packed itinerary was a well. I hadn’t actually planned the day to coincide with my recent Camelot Oracle draw – the agenda had been set even before that – yet the first card I had drawn for that reading was to place Merlin at The Wells on Imbolc. Sometimes the cards are so accurate that I wonder how we have any free choice at all!

A Morning Dip

Anna’s Well, or Stanger Spa, is a recently renovated saline well, which is unusual because it’s quite far away from any obvious salt source, unless there is chlorine or rock salt underneath somewhere. Normally we choose to go to a well first so that I can do some form of purification ritual. I like to cleanse myself of the worldly energies before embarking on a new year’s work and a new quest. This day I would be hoping for both a new quest and a new spirit guide. Absolution through a saline solution seemed appropriate. First, however, we have to get there.

Anna is probably a christianisation (if that’s a proper verb) of the earlier pagan Annan – a form of the triple goddess. Seemed highly appropriate on this, the first of the goddess’ feast days.

As we walked along a well-used bridleway we imagined that the going would be easy, however as is usually the case we were soon to meet an obstacle that would challenge our resolve and determination. We rounded a corner to meet the shining sight of a long iced-over pool of water that practically barred our path. Even in sturdy walking boots I baulked at the prospect of wading through the icy water. Then a foolish thought chimed in – would Kal fall, or would his new waterproof shoes save him waterlogged feet from the outset today? I raced to the end of the track to get a good vantage point on the forthcoming action!

Something was helping Kal this day. He stayed both dry and upright! Maybe I’ll have to sack the sidekick? He’s not providing the usual levels of comedy value these days! 😉 We made it over the water, the hill and across the frozen marshland to reach the well’s building.

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