My Recent Travels to the UK

One of the things that has kept me busy this Spring was a trip to the UK! I feel fortunate to have been invited to join some friends on an exploration of sacred and historically significant sights in Scotland and England. It was a dream come true and, with my trusty camera in hand, I captured many wonderful moments that I now get to re-live though my photos.  I chose to share some of what I experienced with you as a bit of a travelogue. 

Have you been to this part of the world? Leave a comment and let me know what you enjoyed most about the UK. I cannot wait to go back and experience more. We packed a lot into our days but there is so much to left to explore! It was a magical adventure full of rich and serendipitous experiences. 

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Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland has a both a modern Georgian “new town” and an historic, medieval “old town.” Old Town is known for having some of the world's earliest "high rise"  buildings. Amidst them are cobbled streets, little courtyards and alleyways called “closes,” as well as an immense fortress and castle perched high on the hill. Edinburgh Castle, an imposing structure is built upon 700 million year old extinct volcano now referred to as Castle Rock ( Or might that be “Casterly Rock?!? 😆) There has been a royal castle on the site since at least the 12th century though evidence shows humans have inhabited the land since the Bronze Age (850 B.C.) You can definitely sense the history as you wander about and it’s easy to imagine that you are on a movie-set for “Game of Thrones,” “Harry Potter,” or even storming the witch’s castle in the “Wizard of Oz!” Though, this is not an amusement park, but the actual place where fascinating bits of history come to life as you wander about and use your imagination to absorb all that you see around you. ​

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Rosslyn Castle & Chapel
Roslin,​Scotland 

Just outside Edinburgh, in the village of Roslin, sits the 15th century Rosslyn Chapel and remnants of 14th century Rosslyn Castle. Both were built at the behest of the St. Clair (Sinclair) family who still own the property today. The chapel may be the most beautiful religious structure that I have ever visited, containing intricate and varied stone carvings and divinely stunning stained-glass windows.  The interior space was light and bright and I only regret that photography was not allowed indoors so I was unable to capture that myself. On the day we visited, we serendipitously encountered a performance by a  Colorado choir that added to the joy and celebratory feel of the place. That this beauteous structure survived (when the castle itself was mostly destroyed, in multiple attacks,) defies logic. Also, that Henry VIII did not annihilate this house of worship also poses a mystery since his tyrannical reign spared little in this regard. The chapel has been the subject of speculation, concerning a connection with the Freemasons, Knights Templar and the search for the “Holy Grail” and was prominently featured in  Dan Brown’s “DaVinci Code,” though this is merely supposition and lore and no basis in fact. The glen below the chapel & castle provided us with access to ancient trees, which felt full of wisdom, members of  highest royalty themselves. I was overcome with emotion when I first spied the giant yew tree pictured here, which is likely 700+ years old. PS: You can stay in the portion of the castle that remains and it is available for rent through the National Trust if you fancy being “Queen for a day”...or more! Link here

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Castlerigg Stone Circle
Kesick, Cumbria
England

​Castlerigg sacred stone circle. Neither pictures nor words can do proper justice. All the feels, beyond time and space and matter. Oh, and sheep wandering about, all around you!

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Avebury,Wiltshire
​England 

Have you been to Avebury, England? Among the naturally occurring beauty lies great history and mystery. The Neolithic henge & monument actually contain three stone circles, and the village lies within. It is one of the best known prehistoric sites in Britain and contains the largest megalithic stone circle in the world and is a another site of pilgrimage. The stones are aged to approximately 3000 B.C. -though in the immediate area, there has been evidence of human encampment dating from about 7,000 B.C. 

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Glastonbury, Somerset
​England

Glastonbury, England is a quirky city that is a melting pot for those seeking spiritual awakening and connection. People from all walks of life travel to the city to explore ancient religious and spiritual sites. There are many myths and legends associated with the area as well as very old buildings and ruins of even older ones!  Pictured here are a few sites that caught my attention. 

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Glastonbury Tor
Glastonbury, Somerset
​England

The Glastonbury Tor is said to be the gateway to the mystical Isle of Avalon and, Glastonbury itself, a point of pilgrimage for Christians and Pagans alike. The woman seen in devotional prayer (4th photo) arrived at the tower and began to sing as she laid out her portable altar of crystals &  flowers (5th photo.) Once finished with her private offering she anointed all of us present with rose oil. Whatever you believe, it is a truly special place to commune with spirit and imagine the possibility of all that we cannot see and all that we do not know. ​

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Chalice Well
​Glastonbury, Somerset
​England

The Chalice Well is an ancient well that is said to have been flowing for over two thousand years. Pilgrims come from afar to drink the holy waters and seek solace and sanctuary in the peace of the surrounding gardens. In addition to this wellspring, ( known as the red well, which contains large amounts of iron) is the nearby companion "White Spring" which is also visited by those in search  of healing. In that space (where photography is not permitted) we came upon a baptismal ceremony being performed that harkened back to days of old. I was transported back through the centuries as I witnessed this deeply spiritual and reverent ceremony being carried out in a darkened cave by two men honoring a woman, donned in white, who was standing amidst the the deep font of cold, clear, healing water as they anointed her and performed a singing bowl sound healing ceremony all around her. 

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Glastonbury Abbey
​Glastonbury, Somerset
​England

Glastonbury Abbey was founded in the 7th century ,  burned in a fire and subsequently rebuilt and enlarged in the 10th century. It was once one of the richest and most powerful abbeys and helped to put the city if Glastonbury on the map as a religious center. The abbey was destroyed under the dissolution by King Henry VIII who, as legend has it, watched from a very comfortable room of the George Hotel & Pilgrim's Inn. the  buildings were savagely and destroyed.  The last abbot was hanged, drawn, and quartered on the Glastonbury Tor (see above.)  Legend has it that King Arthur and Lady Guinevere are said to have been buried on the grounds of the abbey and that this was also the site of the first Christian church in England, founded by Joseph of Arimathea (the uncle of Jesus Christ.) 

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Dartmoor National Park
Dartmoor, Devon
​England

This installment features scenes from the moor land, specifically Dartmoor National Park, and its environs, located in Devon, southwest England.  Here,  semi - feral  ponies wander a sometimes craggy and unusual landscape, along with free-roaming sheep and other livestock. Within, there are ancient stone bridges, medieval farmhouses, & quaint country pubs /guesthouses, hedge-rowed country lanes and quintessential walking paths. My fellow travel companions and I hiked to the top of Brent Tor, an extinct volcano offering stunning 360 degree panoramic views. Upon the top of the tor sits the Church of St Michel de Rupe ("Saint Michael of the Rock") and dates to the 13th century. ​

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St. Nectan's Glen
Trevethy, Cornwall
England

St. Nectan’s Glen in Trethevy, Cornwall, England, is a woodland nature preserve, encompassing part of the Trevillet River and is designated an “area of outstanding natural beauty (AONB)” with many rare plants, making it also a “site of special scientific interest (SSSI.”) There are interesting slate formations and several waterfalls, including a sixty-footer that cascades through a hole carved into the rock by the running water. It is considered to be one of the most spiritual places in the UK and many come to make offerings and receive healing. There are various legends associated with the area, including a nod to Merlin and the knights of King Arthur’s court, who are rumored to have gathered here in ceremony before setting out on their quest for the “Holy Grail.” (Though one could argue that this place IS the HOLY GRAIL if you define that in the terms “giver of life” and “something sought after.”) The area is abundantly alive with green like you’ve never seen and a lushness that makes you want lie down and nap on a bed of moss. If you believe in fairies, they would surely live here. Again, there is  expansive beauty here, as in much of of the country, which allows space for one’s own interpretation and belief. For me, as an elemental, it was a tremendous place to commune with the embodiment of ancient plant-spirit medicine, feel the wisdom of the land and honor my connection to Mother Nature as the divine feminine archetype that gives us all life. ​

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Merlin's Cave
Tintagel, Cornwall
​England

I can now add SPELUNKING to my list of adventures!! Whilst in Tintagel, we explored “Merlin’s Cave” which is 330 feet long and stretches the length of the island. At the end of the main passageway is a smaller cavern where eight of us entered  and shared in a small ceremony. I gave thanks for the opportunity to step outside of my comfort zone and live a bit dangerously, which was healing in and of itself, as I am somewhat claustrophobic and afraid of waves & drowning! So, this was kind of a big deal though I surprisingly was not really scared. (PSA: The cave fills with water at high tide so it’s imperative that you check the tide tables if you plan to do this ~and ~the steps down to the beach have been gated and blocked though people ignore that, as we did, and clambered over a fence to get down to the cave.) Tennyson made Merlin's Cave famous in his “Idylls of the King,” describing waves bringing the infant Arthur to the shore and Merlin carrying him to safety. **The rest of the photos in the series were taken on the beach and around the immediate area leading to the cave.