Away With The Fairies in Glastonbury

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Despite the mercury still hovering around freezing at 10am, it was bright and sunny outside, so we went ahead with our plans for the day - a visit to Glastonbury and The Tor. Situated about 40klm south of Bristol, it makes for an easy day trip.

Glastonbury is best known for The Glastonbury Festival, a music festival held annually since 1970. With an entrance fee of just £1 back then, Glastonbury 1970 was held the day after Jimi Hendrix died. Around 1500 people attended, and it was headlined by T Rex, stepping in for the Kinks who failed to show up. Tickets for last year's festival sold for £228 each ($385) and the five day 2017 festival, to be held in June, has already sold out.

Glastonbury is reputed to have had the oldest Christian Church in England and has a long history as a place of pilgrimage. In more recent times it has attracted 'pilgrims' from many faiths and beliefs and remains a spiritual centre to this day.

Glastonbury isn't much fun if you want to buy basic stuff but it has loads of interesting and eclectic little shops selling new age 'hippy' products, crystals, vintage clothing, books or medieval styled clothing and gift lines, to name just a few. You can even buy a viking suit, a life sized mermaid or a stuffed critter, if you feel the need. We enjoyed wandering between the shops. Florence was so excited outside the closed door of a fairy shop, the laughing owner opened it and invited her in...

After a quick coffee stop, to feed Sam and sit awhile, we piled into the car again and headed to Glastonbury Tor, located on the outskirts of town.

Glastonbury Tor is a conical hill, topped by the roofless St Michael's Tower, all that's left of a 14th century church. Rich in legend and mythological associations, Glastonbury Tor may have been a place of ancient ritual and it was certainly a place of pilgrimage for Catholics in medieval times.

It's said to be a magical place, shrouded in intriguing mystery. Legends concerning its history and sacred significance have circulated since the Middle Ages, many of which center around King Arthur. In modern times, it is said to be a major center of energy and ley-lines and the home of Gwyn ap Nudd, the Lord of the Underworld, and a place where the fairy folk lived.

One major mysterious aspect of Glastonbury Tor are the seven levels of terraces that encircle the hill. It is not certain if they were man-made but they have been dated to Neolithic times. I have included an aerial photograph taken from the internet so you can see the hill formation. These days the site is managed by the National Trust, and has been designated a scheduled monument.

There is no parking area for visitors to The Tor (we walked the shorter and easier route) and it costs nothing to visit. Ben parked on the verge of the road and we set out. Florence was keen, the idea of walking to the top of a big hill where she hoped she could touch the sky, kept her going. Or was it the promise of the gingerbread man she knew I had it my pocket? Whatever the reason she made it to the top, and down again, and we were all suitably impressed!

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Photos

Glastonbury Tor
The steps we walked to reach the top

Glastonbury Tor
The path approaching from the opposite side