val sans retour – The Hedge Druid

In the final post from Brittany I reveal how working with Faery can seem like a double-edged sword. Kal has already spoken about his double-dealings, and has set the scene. I too have once been in this forest and was tracked by a mischievous sprite who attached himself to me making me disorientated and leading me away from where I wanted to be. Let’s say, The Forest of Broceliande has a track record. Nevertheless, I don’t hold any previous behaviour as a template, only as an advisory.

So it is that as I begin to walk down the hill from the Earth Giant’s Lair and into the heart of The Valley of No Return. On my way down I spot a Faery Glade. Its special qualities impinged themselves upon my awareness, that’s the only way I can describe it. I knew I had to visit. It was like a calling, or rather, an invitation to a friend’s house – a friend who was cooking apple pie. So I once more split from Kal, and I head off up to the summit where the energy is strongest.

Footloose in a Faery Glen

Once in the midst of the glade I need to take my shoes off and feel the cooling and grounding qualities of the moss floor. Being seated I am close to the intricate and foreign biodiversity of the plant life around me, and soon I have protection up and can relax into the moment. I can then begin to sense the aliveness, the sheer activity around me, the curiosity, the testing of the protection, the recognition of my energy, and the interactive flows as subtle energy passes between the world of human and faery kind.

That interaction would have sufficed for me, but it seems that faery folk have other ideas, and they begin to form a suggestion to me. As an “honoured guest” (their term) I could open a portal to Faery knowledge, if I choose to do what is required. Hmmm… I’m slightly suspicious, having had interactions with Faery folk before, not all of it beneficial. Cagily, warily, with a good connection to my spirit guide for assistance, I ask, “What would be required to establish such a mutually beneficial link?”

I have to kiss a rock at a special place deeper in the forest. I have to kiss a rock? OK, doesn’t sound too onerous! I accept the offer. I hang around for a while with full protection up, just feeling the reaction to my response, and seeing if I can sense anything else. The only feeling is an excitement amongst the faery folk – an excitement that I am going to do as they have challenged me to do. It all feels “right”. I thank them for their interest, and put my shoes back on. Let’s get going! There are rocks to kiss!!

The Broceliande Forest is a legendary place, like Avalon, whose exact whereabouts are uncertain. These days it is considered by some to be situated in the Paimpont Forest in Ile-et-Vilaine in Brittany. Having visited this forest in 2009 to see Merlin’s Tomb, I decided that we ought to look at another of the parts of the forest this time. So, having visited the town of Paimpont for inspiration we decided to head for the Val Sans Retour (The Valley of No Return), which seemed to contain some interestingly-named attractions – not least of which was the Golden Tree, and a couple of megalithic sites.

Le Val Sans Retour - Brittany - July 2011 (3) (Small) — Introduction to the Valley of No Return

Our starting point for a walk in the summer sun was the village of Trehorenteuc. We knew that we were probably in for an interesting time when we found that many of the houses and local shops were decorated with murals with a woodland and fairy theme, or were named after characters from the Arthurian mythology – especially Merlin. This bade well. We parked and picnicked at the tourist information office (which is alongside a church reputed to be a resting place for the Holy Grail, no less) and then headed out of the village on foot to the start of the forest paths.

Le Val Sans Retour - Brittany - July 2011 (2) (Small) — A welcome sign for druids

Once inside the woodland we were shielded from the intense heat, but you could see that the forest was usually flowing with streams, but that the lack of rainfall over the last few months had dried up all the shallower beds so that it was now possible to walk along their course from the village right up into the hills above. You could tell that in Autumn or Winter some river-hopping would be required at some points in order to make your way deep into the forest.

As we entered the forest we felt like we had crossed some kind of magical threshold, and that from now on things would get a little stranger. That’s exactly what happened.

Tag: val sans retour

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Brittany 2011 – The Valley of No Return

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