The Hedge Druid

Posts Tagged ‘alderley edge’

The time of year has come around again when the seasons are changing from Summer to Autumn. I have to admit, like a father with his children I try not to have favourites when it comes to the times of the year because I strive for a balanced approach, but I do like the winds, the colours, the power and the beauty of the Autumn season. I think I have had some of my most profound experiences and fondest memories in the Autumn months.

In this post I want to report some of the ways in which other druids mark this time of the year, the associations they make, the rituals they do, but most importantly I want to report on how I have found that I can mark this passing from one season to the next. It was something that I learned very recently, the smallest merest thing, but it was so profound that I think it will probably become my way of noting this change every year from now on. Before I come to that, though, here are some ideas on what Autumn Equinox means.

Autumn in Cheshire

What is Autumn Equinox?

These lovely people from all sorts of different areas of the druid craft have got their own ideas about what makes Autumn special. Here are some of the ideas I collected from a quick search on the subject:

“The turning point in this Lughnasadh season of the harvest, the autumn equinox is again a time when the day and night are of equal length. Occurring at some point between 20 – 23 September, it is known commonly by the Welsh/Brythonic Alban Elfed, pronounced elved, meaning ‘light of autumn’. Celebrating the end of the grain harvest, it is the festival of Harvest Home.” (Excerpt from Ritual by Emma Restall Orr)

“There is a distinct relationship between the Autumn Equinox and Michaelmas, the feast of the Archangel Michael. This Archangel is the sword or spear wielding dragonDragons are spirit or energetic beings that reside in sacred sites and have a particular location in them and also move throughout the day (and or season). They also leave the sacred site on occasion, which again differentiates them from Genius Loci which don’t. slayer and his day is held on the 29th of September each year, this is one week after the Sidereal Equinox actually occurs. The new religion of the Catholic Church absorbed the existing traditions and their symbols. Archangel Michael replaced the Pagan God of Wotan in upper Europe, the temples of Wotan were on hilltops and there are churches on many of these hilltops today. There is a major earth energy lineThe direction energy takes when moving. It may be straight or curved, in several dimensions and be composed of one or more different types of energies, i.e. negative, positive or neutral. Energy lines can be found at standing stones and ancient sites but are a general feature in all energy fields. across northern France, southern England and the southwest of Ireland that is known today as the Michael and Mary Line and in Ireland off the coast of Kerry is the island hilltop temple called Skellig Michael or the Rock of Michael. The dragon being pinned by the spear / sword is the Earth Energy currents. “ (source: Celtic Druid’s School)

“To honour the dead, it was also traditional at Mabon to place apples on burial cairns, as symbolism of rebirth and thanks. This also symbolizes the wish for the living to one day be reunited with their loved ones. Mabon is also known as the Feast of Avalon, deriving from the meaning of Avalon being, ‘the land of the apples’. (source: New Age)

(all my epmhasis)

Welcome in the Autumn

A single brown oak leaf

I have some suggestions as to what hedge druids might do in relation to the Autumn Equinox. The idea was given to me, quite literally dropped in my lap, so to speak, when I was meditating in Alderley Edge forest recently. I had in mind the question about what I should do to mark the changeover of seasons at Autumn. As I sat there a brown oak leaf fell onto the back of my hand and balanced there. No other leaf fell during the whole of my visit, but this one did. It was a sign. I interpreted the sign like this: to celebrate autumn, enact autumnal processes. I took the leaf with me and later stood on a cliff and dropped the leaf off it, expecting it to float serenely down to the floor. Actually, it floated some ten feet or more then landed on another oak leaf, just as it had done on my own hand an hour earlier. Again, I felt this was significant.

So, you want to celebrate autumn? Do something autumnal- drop leaves like a tree would, make cider from fallen apples, pick brambles and other fruits that only come to fruition at this time of year – I’m sure there are many things in your area that can only be done at this time of year. Find one. Do something with it in the name of welcoming in the new season. From my example you can see how simple that can be – I dropped a leaf. That’s it! Whilst doing it, though, I welcomed in the new season.

Looking back in anger

I am certainly better prepared for Autumn Equinox this year than I was last year. Last year I was angry to have been called away by work to have to be away from home and down in the south of England. However, it turned out alright. I drove for a couple of hours to reach Silbury Hill and, again angry at having to sneak around the hill because it is officially sealed off from the public, I did a little meditation on the top and was blown away by its powerful effects. No wonder it’s sealed off! Looking back at my summary of the year on the blog I noticed that I had reported being at Uffington for the 19th/20th August. True, but clearly that wasn’t the Autumn Equinox! How odd. Little mistakes. I do aim to rectify anything I find that’s reported incorrectly, and it’s why I like to write things up as quickly as possible to avoid such problems.

The lovely mix of brown and green shades relfect on water

Looking forward in hope

For me, this year, the Autumn Equinox also means a change of “task”. You may remember that every eighth part of the year so far I have been assigned some directive or tasks to perform which will guide me further along my spiritual path. Some have been onerous, some physically challenging, some embarrassing, some were things I never anticipated ever doing. All have been hugely beneficial to me, and I thank whoever is directing this course of study, because I have come on faster this year than all previous years combined having this structure to work within.

In the next few weeks I will be able to reveal my next task or direction, and I am looking forward to that. Bring on the Autumn!

Gwas.

In my previous post “A mid summer nights dream” I was given 5 unshakable tasks. As I mentioned there I was told not to reveal the nature of the tasks until I had completed each of them.

Last night I completed one of the five tasks. by going into the forest alone and spending a wakeful night listening to forest, branch, creatures and earth.

It was about 8pm in the evening and I had figured that tonight would be the night to do this. I had my instructions…go as you would normally go, which meant to me that I shouldn’t take any extra gear.

I dowsed to see whether Alderley Edge forest or Delemere forest was suitable. They both were and so I picked Alderley Edge as it is one that I feel warm to.

I arrived at the “wizards” forest around 9pm and took:

• my dowsing rods
• some candles
• crystals
• lighter (and matches)
• incense

Noticeably I didn’t take my mobile phone!

Dark and Silent

I guess that the sun was on the horizon if not below it when I ventured into the forest. The Edge being quite high relatively speaking there was still light penetrating enough to give it a magical feel and though it has been raining a lot over the last few days it was reasonably dry in the forest.

Honestly I wasn’t too happy going in but the promise (of the next level of the spiral) kept me from turning around and heading back out.

It was quite funny as I walked into the depths of the forest. I wasn’t scared of getting lost in the dark since my intention was to stay until the morning. That made me laugh as I walked deeper into the darkening gloom.

Read the rest of this entry »

From the mouth of…

In my previous post, here, I was led to understand that a trip to Alderley Edge forest would bring fruits of wisdom and music. Dowsing had suggested that a sunny – male energy – day would be the most auspicious time for the visit. So, ignoring this advice completely I decided to visit the forest of Wizards this cold, cloudy Saturday.

Alderley Edge

Why we make decisions should be explored as well as what decisions we make. This decision came about whilst I was in converse with a friend over coffee on Saturday morning and he happened to ask, what I was up to that afternoon. I had no plans at the time and it just came out“I think I will visit Alderley Edge forest. On my way home from the cafe I was reconsidering and wondering why I had said that and before I knew it my car was facing eastwards and off I went.

Earth Song

Sounds of Earth Song

Arriving at the Edge some 50 minutes or so later I was pleasantly surprised by the magical mist that lay about the place. I quickly got out my dowsing rods and began weaving in and out of the misty wood. I asked the rods whether today was an appropriate day to listen to “Earth Song”. Yes came the answer, which surprised me because it wasn’t a sunny day.

Next I directed the rods to show me where to go to receive this gift. And I was off! In between trees, up and down mounds, scraping and scratching as I went. Which I now know to be a good thing. It felt great to be wandering in the forest – aimlessly? Not!

The rods took me to a orange leaf tree (which was later identified by Gwas as a Beech). I asked whether this was the place to meditate? No. Then why bring me here??? Anyway, my intuition said that it was a energetic interesting place for me to have seen, ok. So I carried on and came to another leafy tree. Again it was to be an interesting place but nothing more. This happened two more times so that I had been taken to four orange leafed trees (I have to say most of the rest of the forest was barren of trees).  Hmmmm…

Finally I was led to a kind of ravine with a 30 foot high rock edge to one side and this was the place to meditate, with my back against the face. Just above me I noticed a wonderful tree growing out of the wall face.

There I was closing the internal talk and listening for the Earth Song. The place was devoid of people and sounds except for the occasion plane passing over head. The mist was settling about the place quite nicely I have to say and it seemed ideal in all regards.

Chimes

After some time I heard/felt a soft boom. I thought at first it was another plane in the distance but then it happened again and I realised it was coming from underground, rather like as if someone was hitting the ground near my feet with a sledge hammer – but there was no sound of the hammer just a feeling of the vibration it made. Then it came a few more times and I knew its rhythm. it was five beats and a space then repeated. This happened for quite a while until a new sound entered the mix. This sound was added to the “space” in between the five beats. It’s hard to describe, the best I can do is – it sounded like the noise from wind-chimes if they were being hit by rain. So it was a kind of splish-ping.

These sounds five bass-ey beats and then a splish-ping stayed with me for a few minutes – to the point that I could feel that the beats were being played in my abdomen and the splish-ping travelled up to my chest and back too my abdomen.

The experience in total must have been around 15-20 minutes after which both sounds faded away leaving me with a bit of a butterfly-stomach but on the whole good. I dowsed as to whether that had been Earth Song and it was confirmed. I then asked whether it had done anything to me, yes. What? I didn’t feel anything different. Had it had a healing effect? No, Transformational? No, Spiritual? No But something? Yes. A few other questions came up with “No” too and I left it at that for the moment!

So, a confirmation that all was done at that spot left me wondering what to do next, So I asked as to whether anything else was to do here? Yes. Excellent – and off I was following the Rods again…Deeper and deeper into the wood.

The special branch

I wandered and walked in a kind of zig-zag away from where my mind was telling me my car was. Still perseverance is the key, so I carried on walking.

At one point I was walking along some half way up a hill but horizontal to it and the rods were asking me to carry on, but I noted a path further below me and tried to make for it – ooops – I slipped some twenty foot and ended up with mud all down my left side. A word to the wise – follow your guide! – Oooh that rhymes.

Anyway, after straightening my rods out (they got bent in the fall) I carried on, rather bemused at my own lack of faith. Then at one point along this trip (no pun intended) I felt the rods twitch to the left. Pardon? I asked and walked back and got the same response again. ‘Non Comprende‘ I said to them as this was the first time I had had such a response. So I decided to follow this twitch – curiosity after all only kills cats. The rods led me to a branch on the floor. How do I know it was the branch rather than the spot on the ground, You got it – I asked.

I looked down at the branch and asked whether this piece of wood, some 20 inches in length, was significant? Kind-of (Note - must do a post on dowsing rod responses).

Some questions:

• Should I pick up this piece of wood - you can if you want to
• Should I take it with me - no
• Is it important - kind of
• Is it symbolic? – yes
• Is the type of wood important?  – yes

My intuition kicked in at this point and I asked…

• Is this wood the same as the wood from the leafy trees? – yes

You know something, even writing about this adventure 3 days later, my hair stood on end when I wrote the above bullet point. I turned over the piece of wood and it had a “V” shaped groove going along its length. So I asked is that groove in the branch significant? – yes.

Again my intuition was kicking into high gear and I asked whether the whole branch, groove, size, type of wood was significant, and got an almighty YES. Ahhhh.

Note: A friend I was telling this to the other day asked me, “Well, how did you know which questions to ask?” Phew! My answer I don’t know – it has gotten to that stage where just picking up the dowsing rods generate the questions to ask…it’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack with the advantage of a small magnet or metal detector.

I sat on the muddy ground for a while puzzling over this branch, waving it around into my hand and musing. Have you ever had that sensation of watching yourself doing something? It was like that and I saw myself waving the branch doing a “Expeliarmus” When a thought came to me.

Wand

Was this representing a wand? Wow!

The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It’s not always clear why.” ~ Ollivander

Was I to make a wand out of this branch? No, now that was well disappointing. Still further perusal via the dowsing rods resulted in the assertion that I would at some point this year be making a wand from beech wood

I always take anything magicalon the web with several pinches of salt, however for the purposes of investigation, here are a couple of things:

Beech Wood:
Male Energy and because it produces nuts it is closely related to the Oak. Associated with the Greek God Apollo and the Elves Sun Lord Obraash. The Celts used the nut of this tree to fodder the sacred swine. Norse tradition says that tablets of Beech were used to make the very first writing tablets for the runes, strong magick for working with the Nordic runes.
Magical Properties: Beech wands are used in the magick of divination. Reduces swellings and skin inflammations. Helps to balance mental health. Aspiration, desire, and victory are all key elements of this wood. Used while working with ancestors, old wisdom, and magickal research. Beech is a sacred wood of the summer solstice.

Source

And some more information:

Beech (Sultan)

Sacred to Obraash the Sun lord, whom the Elves call Alba, Beechwood is closely related to Oak. The Beech tree is a large and spreading tree that bears edible nuts. It was particularly valued by the ancient Celts — and the Elves — as a nut used to fodder animals, especially the sacred swine. Beech is the family of trees to which Oak belongs, thus is Beech sometimes called Atarya Dwyrion, “Grandfather of Oaks.” The name Beech relates to the Germanic word for Book and tradition tells that beech wood was used to make the first writing tablets for the runes. Hence, Beech is deeply associated with learning and lore, and with the divinatory power of the runes. Like Greek Apollo, the Elvish Alba drives his sun-ship across the sky each day and passes to every world of manifestation, sources of light, beauty, and life.

Apollo is also considered to be a spirit of youth, archery, and prophecy, the latter because of his conquest of the Pythian serpent at Delphi and subsequent assumption of the powers of the Delphic oracle. In Celtic tradition many gods are associated with the sun’s light, among them Ogma Sunface, god of eloquence who created the ogham letters, and Oenghus mac Og, god of love and youth. The wood of the Beech has a superb grain that finishes most beautifully.

The Elvish rune Sultan is the same as the Norse rune Sol, the solar rune which has also been interpreted to mean “victory.” Magical operations especially applicable to Beech include: spells of information, especially seeking old wisdom; invocation of ancient guardians or Ancestors; research into old writings and the runes; magick of the Summer Solstice, culmination of desires; magick of victory.

Source

Ok for those Jimmy Randi fans – how many boxes does this tick? Let us see…

• Male energy – so am I
• Sun energy – o me too!
• Book connection – I am writing a book at the moment
• “Finishes beautifully” – great for wand making then
• Aspiration, desire and victory – did I tell of the aspirations that I have? And see the next chapter too!
• Learning and lore – er this is my middle name!
• “ogham letters” is the language of Tree – and who have I been communingAn interaction with an invisible and natural sentient force that is independently identifiable, even if it cannot be named or classified. The interaction takes place at the level of a subtle amalgamation of the mind of the perceiver such that a dialogue or transference of feelings may occur between the two sentient parties. The interaction that is ‘communing’ is purposefully initiated by the perceiver for the express purpose of learning or simply to transfer feelings in a sympathetic manner. with all the while?

My point being – can you have that many hits by random chance? I think not!

Beech Leaf

I will post more on this wand making when I have explored the idea more. Almost certainly it will be investigated deeply. After this interlude I continued on following the rods, wondering about wands and such.

A self-value examination

Due to the aforementioned slippage I was unable to retrace my steps back to the car, also the rods were egging me onwards so, mud covered but excited I carried on. After about fifteen minutes I could see the trees thinning and here the sound of traffic. I knew I had reached the other side of the forest!

The rods however were still playing a part in directing  me so I continued following them. They led me down the road towards Alderley Edge village, along the side of a tennis court. Reason had already informed me that I had at least an hours walk ahead of me, but what the heck! Wands man!!

Anyway, I was walking past these fantastically expensive pads to my left, all set back and gleaming $$ signs.

Alderley Edge House

Then the rods took a 90 degree shift and pointed at one of these houses. From the look of it, it was the most expensive of the bunch. I looked puzzled at the rods?

• Does someone significant live here?
• Is there any important energies here?
• Is this area/land significant?
• Should I climb over the fence and explore more?

All reveled a “No”. So I should pay attention to this house? Yes. Why? I stood there looking at this house for a while and a thought popped into my head, “this must be 2/3 million pounds at least, I could not see myself ever owning something like that” With that thought in mind I instantly returned to the rods. Is this why your showing me this house? Yes.

Now this is a weird and rare scenario. Why? Because I hadn’t asked the rods to show me anything of the kind…so where was the question that led to this answer…indeed one might ask a similar question for the “Wand” experience above.

Usually our rods respond to directed questioning:

• take me to…
• show me where…
• is this…

But what is going on here? Something to explore for sure!

Ok, this house then, your showing me something that I can’t envisage? Yes. Why? Because I need to change my view of myself so that I can envisage it? Yes.

Self-help from dowsing rods? That has got to be a first surely? As a life-coach I understand that we all have limits defined by our beliefs about ourselves. It was interesting to be introduced to one of mine that I didn’t even know I possessed. Watch this space because I have a feeling that although, this was the least magical of today’s experiences I have a feeling that the opposite will hold true! You heard it here first.

Kal ~ Wand Maker

Section 8 – SITE VISIT LIST for 2009

The penultimate post is a reminder of the sites we have visited this past year. The sites are ordered from North to South.

• Callenais I, II and III, Dun Carloway Broch, The Truiseil Stone and other sites on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland [Callenais I, Callenais II, Callenais III, Truiseil Stone]
• The Eassie Stone, Glamis Castle, St.Fergus’ Well, The Fowlis Wester cross, Lundin Farm circle, and Monzie circle in Scotland [Eassie Stone, Glamis Castle, Fergus' Well, Fowlis Wester cross; Monzie Circle; Lundin Farm]
• Castlerigg circle, Long Meg and Her Daughters circle, Little Meg circles, Mayburgh Henge, Oddendale, Kalmott ring cairn, Gamelands circle in Cumbria [Mayburgh, Kalmott, Oddendale & Gamelands; Long Meg; Little Meg; Castlerigg]
• Pendle Hill in Lancashire [Pendle Hill]
• Arbow Low, Nine Ladies stone circle, and Nine Stones Close circle in Derbyshire [Arbor Low 1, Arbor Low 2, Nine Ladies, Nine Stones Close]
• Alderley Edge, Delamere Forest, Frodsham Caves and The Bridestones in Cheshire [Alderley Edge, Delamere 1, Delamere 2, Bridestones]
• Bryn Celli Ddu, The Soar Stone, the Bryngwyn Stones and Lligwy Chamber on Anglesey [Bryn Celli Ddu 1; Bryn Celli Ddu 2]
• Cerrig Pryffaid, Dyserth, Moel-Ty-Uchaf, Penbedw Park, Pistyll Rhaeadr Waterfall, Dinas Emrys, Snowdon, and Penmaenmawr Druid’s Circle, Rhosesmor, Hawarden and Conwy Falls in North Wales [Dyserth, Moel-Ty-Uchaf, Pistyll Rhaeadr, Dinas Emrys, Druid's Circle, Rhosesmor]
• Golden Grove and St.Elmo’s Summer House in Mid-Wales [St.Elmo's & Golden Grove]
• Llangernyw village, Lake Vyrnwy and Bala Lake in Wales [Llangernyw 1, Llangernyw 2, Llangernyw 3]
• Mitchell’s Fold and The Hoarstones circle in Shropshire [Mitchell's Fold & Hoarstones]
• The Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
• Waylands Smithy, Uffington Chalk Horse, and The Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire [Wayland's Smithy, Uffington, Rollrights 1, Rollrights 2]
• Alton Barnes White Horse, Winter Hill, Windmill Hill, Silbury Hill, West Kennett, and Avebury in Wiltshire [Alton Barnes, Silbury Hill, West Kennett 1, West Kennett 2, Avebury]
• Crop Circles at Knighton Hill, Alton Barnes, Silbury Hill and others in Wiltshire [Knighton Hill, other crop circles]
• Stanton Drew stone circle, Barrowbridge Mump and Glastonbury in Somerset [Stanton Drew, Glastonbury]
• Carnac, Locmarquier, Créhen, Lampouy, Ile Grande, Merlin’s Tomb, Mont St.Michel, Champs Dolent and St.Uzek stones in Brittany, France [Merlin's Tomb, Lampouy, Créhen, Carnac 1, Carnac 2, Carnac 3, Champ Dolent, Mont St.Michel, Ile Grande]

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Gwas.

It’s funny – sometimes when you look back on things you realise there was information there that was just waiting for you to recognise what it was. This has begun to happen a lot recently, since the turning of the year from the Light Half to the Dark Half at Samhain especially. Anyway – here I recount an episode from a visit to Alderley Edge, just before the trees lost all their leaves, and the Winter began to impose itself.

On this particular evening the forest was bathed in autumn sunlight as we left, but on arrival was drizzly and typically British dull weather. We walked amiably through the forest heading nowhere in particular, but ended up at a familiar place – on a ridge just near to the main view of the Edge where the trees open out to a stunning view of Cheshire and Manchester’s distant skyline. We camped ourselves on the ridge, on a slope behind a tree and cave (male and female symbolism there) and we began our individual meditations, without really having an agenda or prior purpose. Just because it seemed like the right thing to do at the time.

As I have been coming to expect, my meditation was helped along by the sparkle of sunlight filtering through the tree branches and dappling my vision. I recognised where I would go next, so began to formulate my purpose, state it, and begin a meditation sequence that connected my to the earth, the planets, and the tree that I was sat in front of. I asked to be informed of how I could know that I was in the right state of mind to be able to cross into The Otherworld. This had been a subject that was on my mind at the time. I wanted to ask Nature to help me understand how I could know I was in the right state of mind to interact with her.

As I gazed out along the branches of the tree, out over the Cheshire countryside, I felt our energy fields merge. I had been given permission to “enter” this tree’s world and my vision began to change. Staring with un-focused eyes I saw a bundle of leaves on the end of the branch begin to re-formulate into the shape of an owl’s feathered body with two bright spots of sunlight exactly where the eyes of an owl should be. I knew that I must not be surprised by this, as it would cause me to come back into everyday consciousness, so I relaxed further into the feeling of being wrapped up in the tree’s nemeton.

My vision now moved from being three dimensional to what I can only imagine it would be like to be fourth dimensional! I could simultaneously see, in my mind’s eye, all angles of the “owl” at the same time – I only needed to direct my attention to a point in space to see the owl from that angle. Most incredible! I could also apprehend its shape from many angles at the same time! This fourth-dimensional feeling grew stronger until I could see the owl shaped leaves as an owl from all angles at the same time. I knew something profound was happening to my perception, so I chose this moment to ask my question again, “How will I know that I am in the right state of mind to cross into the Otherworld?” I said to myself.

The answer came almost immediately. I felt an up-swell from the ground upon which I was sat which travelled up the base of my spine until it reached the level of my heart, at which point it changed direction and burst out of my chest, flooding the spherical nemeton “bubble” that I had formed with the tree’s energy field. I sat there noticing the flow, the feeling, how connected I felt, the pang of emotion I felt, how much more aware I was of sensory information coming in, and feelings of energy pouring out from this point too. I knew this to be the heart chakra that I had worked with before (see the Glastonbury Solstice post, for example).

As I emerged from the meditation and my focus returned the leaves that had formed the owl shape became just leaves again – like when Bagpuss went to sleep, ”the mice were ornaments on the mouse-organ“. The sparks of light that had been its eyes had faded and moved. Three dimensions were restored to their usual order.

I began to reflect upon what I had seen and felt. The owl was a classic symbol of wisdom – associated with Minerva and Moloch, and in the Welsh Mabinogion tales it is associated with Blodeuedd – Lady of the Flowers. For me, it felt like a sign that some form of wisdom was being dispensed, and that I was on the right track with asking such a question. I also felt an association with learning – I was about to be taught something, and the owl was the form used that was perfectly in keeping with the time of dusk when the light was fading and night was emerging. It was all these things and more.

The owl also reminded me of the Alan Garner connection that Alderley Edge has. Garner had written a book that I read as a youngster called “The Owl Service” in which the ancient tale of the romantic triangle of Blodeuedd, Llew Llaw Gyffes and Gronw Pebyr, but as re-enacted in a modern context through the discovery of a set of plates that have the disguised image of an owl imprinted on them in the form of leaves. The resonances of this story were something that I felt very strongly. Garner, in my youth, had excited me with his tales that brought the ancient worlds of magic into the modern world with dramatic consequences. Here in Alderley Edge, spiritual home of many of Garner’s stories (but not ‘The Owl Service’, oddly) I had felt that crossover happen.

I gav my usual thanks for the infromation provided, the question answered, and the wisdom transferred, and Kal and I left the forest, heading into the last rays of the evening thoroughly satisfied with an evening’s profitable work done. Another episode that defied explanation. Another question inexplicably answered by an unknown source. More philosophical questions generated than answered. Every episode as amazing as the last. Alderley Edge is indeed an magical place.

Gwas

Feeling my way towards wisdom.

I have added some recent pictures from site visits to places such as:-

• Alderley Edge in Cheshire
• The Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire
• Pendle Hill in Lancashire

I think I’m pushing the boundaries of the Gallery widget now, so soon I will split the year up into seasons to hopefully make the page load a little quicker. Apologies if the page is a bit slow, but there are 400 pictures in there now!

I’ve also re-ordered the images, so that they are by title. Just on a whim, and to annoy everyone.

Gwas.
Tweaking the nose of the pixie of photography.

I have added a gallery page in the links at the top of the site. The photographs were taken while out and about this year at various sacred sites. I hope you enjoy browsing them as much as I enjoyed being there and taking them.

Gwas.