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.
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