cairn – The Hedge Druid

Imbolc 2017 – P1 – Bright beginnings

February 7, 2017 Chris No Comments

And so the year comes around again. Imbolc is the start of the fire festivals of the old calendar, and for me it is the start of Spring and the end of Winter. It’s when we see the first glimmers of new growth and it marks the start of the lambing season. I decided to … Read More “Imbolc 2017 – P1 – Bright beginnings” »

Lammas 2015 P5 The Undine Pact

October 9, 2015October 8, 2015 Chris No Comments

Circles and Stones, Dolmens and Chambers, Elemental, Spirit Guides, Telluric, Undines, Wheel of the Year

We had passed a tall standing stone – The Kintraw Standing Stone – on the way to the hotel, and had said that it would be nice to visit it at sunset. So it was that we arrived at the stone just as the sun was sinking behind the dark hills.

Loich Melfort standing stone - Lammas 2015 (3) — The Kintraw Standing Stone

I wasn’t feeling this stone spiritually. To me it felt like an energetic investigation was required. There was something to learn.

I stood at the base of the stone. I could feel the stone draw down the last remaining rays of the sun. At this time it was slowing the intake and about to start turning around from drawing in to giving out.

I wondered whether it gave out energy during the evening. I dowsed where the energy output would be for a New Moon – I found a field boundary three feet away from the base of the stone. Then I dowsed where it would be on a Full Moon like tonight – I had to walk some forty feet away to find the extent!

Now it was time to get back to those amazing sites in Kilmartin Glen which had been energised by our work in the day, and which seemed to promise much more this full moon evening.

Lammas 2015 P3 Dunchraigaig Cairn and the Ash Tree

October 1, 2015October 8, 2015 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Dolmens and Chambers, Energy healing, Energy work, Ents and Dryads, Protection, Trees, Wheel of the Year, World Tree

The wonderful thing about the Kilmartin Glen area is the density of megalithic sites, and the way the local authority has presented and preserved these important places. Dunchraigaig Cairn [link] is a prime example of this. We flew past it on the way in, but now we were heading back along the road we came in on so that we could access the site. Sometimes we “choose” the order of events, sometimes the order is imposed upon on by “chance”.

We parked in the small purpose-built car park and negotiated the surprisingly busy A816 road close to the Dunchraigaig Bed and Breakfast building. Once across we seemed to be in a serene space, surrounded by tall old trees of differing varieties which ringed the main attraction – a low-lying mound of rocks which capped two near-hidden cubby-hole entrances to the cairn .

Approaching Old Trees

The obviously striking spruce trees didn’t draw as much attention as the solitary old ash tree. The ash tree drew my attention and made me go towards it, where I placed all my things and sat down ready to rest. No rest for this druid! The moment I sat down I felt that the tree was trying to communicate. So be it!

I decided I needed a “proper approach” to the tree, and so I dowsed for a way in. The way was provided, and as I approached the rods stopped me. I looked down to discover tow mostly-buried stones forming a portal entrance way. I recognised the feature, connected to the presence of the tree, and then waited to see if my introduction would be accepted. It was, and now I could sit down and got into a meditative state at the base of this fine ash tree.

Lammas 2015 P2 Nether Largie by day

September 29, 2015January 19, 2016 Chris No Comments

Ancient Sites, Dolmens and Chambers, Dowsing, Quests, Spirit of Place, Wheel of the Year

Geographically we had only travelled about a quarter of a mile through Kilmartin Glen, yet we had seen many fascinating and energetic megaliths. Now back together, Kal and I approached the Nether Largie South Cairn together. The sun was out as we approached, and all the dire predictions of doom-laden skies were dispersing as quickly as the dark clouds around us. Summer was making itself felt on this early August day.

Nether Largie South cairn - Lammas 2015 (5) — Nether Largie South cairn with added Kal for scale

Another “dispersal” of rock debris around the base, as though this preserved the interior better. I dowsed an entrance barrier that was a full 4ft deep. Further dowsing telemetry revealed that the structure was created 5,635 years ago. This would make the construction date 3620 BCE. Undiscovered Scotland put the date between 5,500-5,600 years ago. Good old dowsing! Right again. And more accurate.

Nether Largie South cairn - Lammas 2015 (4) — Protected by stone – Nether Largie South

Kal clambered inside after a quick dowse, and I was taken to sit on top, directly above where he was sitting inside. Seemed like we were working apart, but together on this one. I was acting as a kind of sentry for Kal, protecting the space. Now the work could begin…

Song of the Mountain Wind

September 7, 2015September 4, 2015 Chris 3 Comments

Energy grid, Hills and Mounds, Quests, Visions

When I had a day to spare I already knew where I wanted to go to find the Song of the Mountain Wind. Corndon Hill in Shropshire pulled me towards it. Since discovering Mitchell’s Fold stone circle nearby, and then having a remote viewing of a cluster of cairns on the top of the hill, I had wanted to visit it. This day, I felt the added pull of the wind that I knew would be running around on top of that peak, and it became irresistible.

That’s not to say it made itself easily accessible. When we arrived we had to work our way around the entire hill looking for an accessible way up before ending back where we started at the car park at the road intersection which has the track to the stone circle coming off it too. The track opposite that would lead to the base of the hill, and would be the starting point for a very steep sharp climb up.

The attraction of the destination was the pull of the mountain wind, yet at the bottom of such a daunting hill both Kal and I looked at each other with a “Do we really have to do this” kind of look. Yes we did. So we set off. It took us about half and hour with frequent stops to give our calf muscles a rest. My word it was steep!

As we got to the top the temperature changed. The wind was racing around the top of the hill and we fastened up our clothing against its worst effects. The views were stunning – you could see for tens of miles around in each direction.

Meditating in a Gale

The wind was ripping at anything it could find. I hunkered down into a slight dip which the dowsing rods said would be the best place to meditate and found that it took the edge off the worst of the cold and noise. Nevertheless, anyone not used to meditating outdoors would probably consider it an impossible place for such work. Luckily, it was a familiar scenario for me and I began to get into a connective state of mind. Soon I was one with the space around me and the forces of Nature within it.

I put up a crystal globe of protection which spanned the whole hill as I worked. Visualising a barbell shape I created a connection to power sources which encompassed sun, moon and earth. At that point I felt like something was about to happen, and sure enough it did.

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1 Beltane 2014 – Kinship and Connection at Barnenez Tomb

May 13, 2014May 7, 2014 Gwas No Comments

Ancient Sites, Arthurian, Dowsing, Glyphs and Wards, Hedge Druidry, Wheel of the Year

We have such a lot to tell you about. Beltane blossomed into the May colour that we had anticipated, and much more besides. We’re going to have to post at an unprecedented rate in order to get the stories out before the Summer Solstice. Kal has around twenty posts to write, and I have around a dozen. We will probably need to post one a day! We hope you will enjoy the tales, for they were magickal, mind-bending and mirthful in equal measure.

Our story starts with a troubled arrival at Brittany. Sensibly Kal took all his baggage with him, but I put mine through into the plane’s hold for our two-leg journey. Obviously a mistake. When we arrived at Brest airport I was one bag short – and it was the bag with the gifts in, for I had brought some offerings of friendship to our ‘cousin’ across the water. Today was the day we would meet with Oona – she of Wiz Art fame – the legendary craftswoman of wand and staff, and an experienced hedge druid herself.

Oona sends her friend Caillu to meet us, and we are invited in as old friends, even though we have never met in person before. We are warmly greeted and welcomed. We realise quickly that we share a great deal of kinship – in spirit, attitude, and experience. Bonds begin to form – energy begins to flow – and we understand that lone druids can unite in friendship with other long druids. Oona has also prepared a hearty meal from local produce and some excellent wine which may be one of the few good meals we experience on this journey.

Grand Cairn of Barnenez

The ladies talk of a local site that they want to show us. It is one of their favourite sacred sites – the tomb complex of Barnenez.

We are driven a few miles down the coast until we reach the town of Plouezoc’h, on the Kernéléhen peninsula in northern Finistère. As we arrive we notice that the forecast rain has not appeared yet. Perhaps we will be lucky as we investigate this 7,000 year old site?

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.

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