Aspects of Avalon

 The first of February is the festival of Imbolc, the start of Spring and associated with St Brigid from Ireland, and the Goddess Bride is some pagan traditions. It seems like the earth is coming back to life, snowdrops appear, and some birds like the song thrush have started singing. The group gathers at the White Well in Wellhouse Lane Since its formation in November 1995 the Friends of Bride's Mound have had an annual pilgrimage on Imbolc from the White Well/Chalice Well to Bride's Mound. The tradition is even older, Serena told us a group have been making making the pilgrimage since the 1980s, for 37 years, and she has led the pilgrimage for most of that time. Gathering at the Market Cross  The pilgrimage is for two and a half miles, along Chilkwell Street and the back of the Abbey, down Silver Street with a pause at the Market Cross where a few people joined, down Benedict Street and on via Porchestall Drove to Cradle Bridge.  on the embankment of the Brue, near Cra...

  It was a cold and snowy start to Imbolc, when around twenty hardy souls joined the pilgrimage from the Chalice Well to Bride's Mound. Sleet at Chilkwell Street gathering at the Market Square Conditions improved by the time we got to the Market Square, where Serena paused to tell us more about the history of the walk, before moving on along Porchestall Drove, to enter Beckery from the north. stone marking the erstwhile site of Bride's Well Followed by a brisk walk to Bride's Mound itself, the location of the old stone chapel though now only the underground foundations remain, covered by the grass. Imbolc ceremony on the Mound The ceremony was a welcome opportunity to enjoy some warming primrose country wine brought by Serena who initiated the bottle with a libation to Bride