Glastonbury Trip: May 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

Sent: 2008-03-19 17:10:10

Hi folks,

It’s the time of year again when we have our annual CUPS pilgrimage to the beautiful, mystical town of Glastonbury, now known as a Neopagan Mecca. Centred in Somerset, near the “heart” of , it is Glastonbury that William Blake was writing about when he penned the immortal words, “And did those feet in ancient times walk upon ’s mountains green? And was the holy lamb of God in ’s pleasant pasture’s seen?” These words refer to a legend that has Jesus’ uncle, Joseph of Arimathea, carrying with him to Glastonbury the Holy Grail, (or two of them depending on the version) containing Jesus’ blood (and sweat if you go with the two grail’s legend), which he buried in Glastonbury, causing a sacred well now known as Chalice Well to come forth.

Glastonbury is visited by Pagans and Christians alike, and it is surrounded by sacred sites steeped in the mystery of King Arthur, the Holy Grail, the entrance to the Underworld, and Avalon. It is also one of the best places you can go to spend your money on Pagan items and books! Every other shop is a Pagan shop or second hand bookstore, and you will indeed find most things a Pagan could want.

There are 16 places available on this trip. If you fancy it, please email Kim at kimhuggens@yahoo.co.uk with your full name and emergency contact details. The places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis, with student members given priority. However, we don't always fill up our trip with students, so non-students should feel free to email me ASAP anyway so I at least know who wants to go if there is space. The DEADLINE for booking your place is Friday 11th April. After that date, I'll see how many spare spaces there are and email back the non-students to offer them places. When we have the places confirmed, I will email trip members with further details about stuff to bring, etc, and exact leaving time - which is open to change depending on people's needs.

Accommodation: We’ll be staying at the Glastonbury Backpackers (http://www.glastonburybackpackers.com/), which will cost £14 per night per person, making it a total of £28 for your accommodation for the weekend. The hostel has a bar downstairs which also serves food (and AMAZING Sunday roasts and AWESOME cocktails) and a fully-fitted self-catering kitchen if you fancy cooking. You won’t need to bring bedding or pillows, it’s all provided, but do bring your own towels because they are not.  Please bring a form of photo ID with you, since you will need this on check-in.

Here’s our itinery.

Day 1 Friday: Leave from the Student’s Union at around 4-5pm. The journey will take about an hour and a half. Arrive at Glastonbury, check in. have dinner of some kind. If the weather is nice enough, we’ll grab some torches and have a nighttime stroll up the Tor, which will give us a beautiful view of the surrounding Somerset downs. A pub may also be in order.

Day 2 Saturday: It’s Mad Pagan Shopping Time! Bring plenty of cash, because you’ll need it. Everybody is free to weave their way up the High Street doing as much shopping as they wish in the morning. Then dump your newly purchased goods in the hostel, grab yourself something by way of packed lunch (there is an amazing bakery on the High Street) and meet at 12:30pm to head to the Chalice Well Gardens (http://www.chalicewell.org.uk/). Entry is £3.00 for adults, and possibly £2.50 for students. We’ll make our way in our own time through the beautiful gardens, experiencing the power of the sacred well, waterfall, and King Arthur’s Healing Pool, and will then meet at the top of the gardens to have a relaxed picnic on the grass there.

The afternoon will possibly be spent either shopping or in Glastonbury Abbey (http://www.glastonburyabbey.com/). Entrance is £5.00 for adults or £4.50 for students. There is also the possibility, depending on time, of hopping quickly into the minibus for a trip to Bride’s Mound (http://bridesmound.com/) and Wearyall Hill. (http://www.isleofavalon.co.uk/gpt/wearyall.html) Admission is free for both.

The evening may include a Beltane ritual, depending on whether we have one on Thursday 1st here in Cardiff. No matter what, it will probably include a pub or buying alcohol and having some fun in the hostel.

Day 3 Sunday: More shopping on the morn, before meeting up with packed lunches to climb the Tor (http://www.glastonburytor.org.uk/) and see it in daylight, complete with a picnic. In the afternoon we’ll pack up our stuff and check out, before jumping into the minibus and heading over to Wookey Hole Caves, complete with Dinosaur Valley, a Fairy Garden, and a guided tour of the Caves. WEAR SENSIBLE SHOES!! Okay, some of its tacky and weird, but its immense fun, and you get to see some amazing caves and subterreanean lakes. (http://www.wookey.co.uk/) And it’s okay – if you really need a drink afterwards, there’s a pub opposite. This looks expensive at first, but if we have a group of 12 or more with Student cards, we get in for £8 each instead of £15. But if you don’t fancy shelling out £8, head over to the pub and we’ll see you in an hour and a half.

Then it’s off home back to Cardiff, with our newly bought treasures and many happy memories. Awwwww.

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