Tag: tintagel

Cornwall Winter 7 – Tintagel and the Lively Mix

Posted on By Gwas 2 Comments on Cornwall Winter 7 – Tintagel and the Lively Mix
Ancient Sites, Arthurian, Spirit of Place

After visiting Perran Round near Newquay I made my way further along the northern coast of Cornwall. I was running from the rain clouds which were closing in behind me. However, I was beaten, and when I arrived at Tintagel the rain had set in for the day. One of the reasons I had chosen Tintagel – apart from its stunning views – was that I knew I could shelter in the caves below the castle, providing that the sea would let me. I togged up and traipsed down the hill – not another visitor in view.

The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Druid

Tintagel is a lonely place to visit on a cold winter’s afternoon in the rain. As a Hedge Druid working alone is a frequent occurrence, and sometimes I am asked whether I really like it like that. Honestly? Well, yes actually. I am truly free in such situations, and work to my own timescales. Very rarely do I feel atone with all those elements and spirits swirling around me all the time and in every place I visit. I do appreciate being out with Kal or occasionally Psychic Mike, but really my heart is in league with land, sea and sky – these are the three faces of my mistress.

It’s in such circumstances, when the weather begins to impose itself, tugging at your clothing and ruffling your hair that one appreciates the impressive isolation that the cut-off headland exudes. How impassable and impregnable it seems when the sea is crashing around its base, spraying it in spume!

Tintagel shore in Winter (4)
The craggy face of Tintagel

I made my way down to the shoreline. The sea was only just beyond the line of the caves, and so I knew that I had limited time before the caves would become cut off by the tide. I spent a good fifteen minutes, however, savouring the atmosphere of the wind, the waves and the light drizzle on my face. It felt quite dangerous to wait this long, as though I was dicing with Nature. Not exactly taunting Her, but allowing ourselves to come into a dangerous liaison. As the waves swelled and unfurled just out of reach of the cave mouth I turned my attention to making a meaningful contact.

Read More “Cornwall Winter 7 – Tintagel and the Lively Mix” »

Summary 2013 – Lessons Learned Pt1

Posted on By Gwas No Comments on Summary 2013 – Lessons Learned Pt1
Hedge Druidry, Hedge philosophy

In the second of my year-end summary posts I am listing the most important things I have learned this year. I’ve arranged them in chronological order by month as this seems to show the development of the learning in the best way. There’s too much to read in one go, so I’ve split this into two posts. Part 1 is January to June/July. Part 2 will be the back half of the year.

One of my favourite phrases is “Every day is a school day.” It certainly feels like that walking this path of druidry and divination!

January

Spooky!

  • Learned that some pet energies can be grounded through respectful burial involving knowledge of their energetic links to humans (e.g. an owner)
  • Also found a spirit that is classically called an Incubus preying upon the vibrant energies of the three teenage girls in the house. Discovered that they can be ‘ensnared’ using a spiral-carved stone to confuse their pathway, and by changing the energy flows around the house to disrupt its patterns and portals.

Related posts: Exorcising an Incubus, Poltergeist Pet

Tarot Framework

  • Created a four-stage cross tarot layout coinciding with the Celtic festival dates, and drew from the Camelot Oracle to define the path, the champion and the challenges at those special dates. The result was a fantastic way to keep me on track with my progress!

Related posts: Arthurian Overview of 2013, Camelot Oracle

Read More “Summary 2013 – Lessons Learned Pt1” »

Solstice 2013 – Shady business at Arthurs Inn

Posted on By Gwas No Comments on Solstice 2013 – Shady business at Arthurs Inn
Dowsing, Energy cleansing, Ghosts and shades, Wheel of the Year

We’re almost at Lammas and I’m just concluding our Summer Solstice story – an indication of how fun-packed that weekend in Cornwall was.

I have to start this post by introducing a caveat. What I am about to relate does not in any way reflect on the place we were staying, or the people who work there. King Arthur’s Inn at Tintagel is a wonderful place to stay, does nice food and drink, and the staff are nothing but helpful and welcoming. With that said, there is nothing they could have done to prevent what was going to happen to me on my return to the Inn after an evening’s adventures in the Tintagel caves.

I was feeling good about the energy work that I had done in Merlin’s Cave – the wren incident, remembering to remember Zoe’s greeting, obtaining a new white quartz rock for my garden, and generally having made the effort to do the journey down and back up that incredibly steep road in the depths of the evening gloom. All felt good.

When I got back to the inn Kal was still up but tired, and I was ready for turning in too, so I went to my room leaving Kal to sleep in the main room. I thought about reading for a while but was too tired. The sea air and the walk, the days of driving, the prospect of six hours driving the next day… all conspired to make me go to sleep almost immediately. But I had forgotten one vital ingredient!

Read More “Solstice 2013 – Shady business at Arthurs Inn” »

Solstice 2013 – Tintagel and Merlin’s Cave

Posted on By Gwas No Comments on Solstice 2013 – Tintagel and Merlin’s Cave
Ancient Sites, Arthurian, Dowsing, Glyphs and Wards, Wheel of the Year

This is my penultimate Summer Solstice post. I have one more – a real counterpoint to this story – which will teach me another strong lesson, but we’ll come to that in time. For now, we have arrived at Tintagel – home of all things Arthurian, especially the gift shops – and we have just scoured the town for some incense. We found some at Tintagel’s only new age shop, where the owners were very helpful and a delight to talk to. In a good mood we set off for Tintagel Castle where I hoped my tide times were correct and I would be able to enter Merlin’s Cave for the first time.

I only had one thing on my mind and that was to visit the cave that a lady named Zoe had talked about. Kal had met her at Glastonbury Abbey and had introduced me to her. She simply said to me that I should pass on my thanks to Merlin when I met him. There was a distinguishable twinkle in her eye as she said it, though, which stuck in my mind. That  seemed so long ago now but the memory was still strong, and I had taken the directive as a personal quest. I would indeed deliver her thanks now I was here.

Tintagel's steep cliffs
Tintagel’s steep cliffs

Maybe I can’t read or something but when we got to the shoreline and looked out to the base of Tintagel Castle the tide was in. I would have to wait until it turned before I could reach the caves. Kal showed me a secret ledge upon which we dozed and watched the waves, lulled by the rhythm. I picked up two stones – a flat one and a small quartz-veined pebble which I pulled out from a patch of grass. How I had known it was there I can’t say!

To sit on that wild perch listening to the lap of the waves, and to watch bird life wheeling around in a constant careering carousel like some kind of baby’s mobile spinning us to sleep….

Read More “Solstice 2013 – Tintagel and Merlin’s Cave” »

Summer Solstice 2013 p7 Tintagel and the Knights of the Round Table

Posted on By kal No Comments on Summer Solstice 2013 p7 Tintagel and the Knights of the Round Table
Pilgrimage, Quests, Remote Viewing, Visions

There are dreams and then there are visions. How do you distinguish between the two? It must have been around 5 in the morning when I was awakened by a sound. I could not place it and took it for the noise of a car door closing. We were after all right next to a … Read More “Summer Solstice 2013 p7 Tintagel and the Knights of the Round Table” »

Summer Solstice 2013 p6 Tintagel Remembered

Posted on By kal No Comments on Summer Solstice 2013 p6 Tintagel Remembered
Crystals, Pilgrimage, Quests, Visions

Tintagel, you have to go there to truly appreciate the ancient magic that lives in that ground. I was tremendously lucky to have lived an hours drive from this place a few years ago and I this place of legend and myth was always vying for my weekends. When I moved away, I had though that … Read More “Summer Solstice 2013 p6 Tintagel Remembered” »

Asking questions at Dinas Bran

Posted on By kal No Comments on Asking questions at Dinas Bran
Ancient Sites, Quests

I can’t think of a time when I have said no to a visit to Dinas Bran. It is such a connective and experience giving site, how can one say no? So when Gwas suggested an evening visit to the Dinas Bran, I said YES instantly. I met up with Gwas around 7pm on a cool early spring evening. … Read More “Asking questions at Dinas Bran” »