Glastonbury, situated in the south western part of England is a magical and mysterious place, filled with rich history and picturesque scenery. Renowned as a power spot and famous for so many myths and legends, this place is bursting with a history that dates before Christianity; from the Tor upon the hill, of Druids and prehistoric ritual sites, the Chalice Well and its healing waters, Glastonbury Abby, myths of the Holy Grail to the alleged burial ground of King Arthur, this ancient and sacred place is packed with wonders, and was one of the top go-to locations on my bucket list for adventures.
If anyone has interest in visiting Glastonbury, I highly recommend reading Glastonbury: Maker of Myths by Frances Howard-Gordon before you go. It's a cute little book packed with a wealth of information about all things Glastonbury suited for travellers or just readers who are curious to know more about this area. I bought a copy as I was leaving town as a memoir, and only later realised I had missed so many interesting locations...enough to warrant another trip one day.
Such a picturesque place; here are some snapshots of Glastonbury and its surrounding countryside:
Glastonbury town at dusk
Charming little out clove of Glastonbury, reminiscing the energy of Ye Olde England
The George and Pilgrims Hotel along the main high street, founded over 700 years ago!
Town center, or centre, as is the proper spelling in England ;)
The Chalice Well, situated at the foot of the Tor is said to be the oldest holy wells in Britain that is in continuous use; full of myth, it is rumoured to be linked to the Holy Grail of King Arthur
The White Spring located near Chalice Well. Rumoured to be a gateway to an ancient Druid cave, others believe it is the entrance to the pagan Underworld.
Glastonbury Tor is full of myths. This place has also been called a magic mountain, the Land of the Dead, Hades, an Arthurian hill fort, a magnetic power-point, a crossroads of ley lines, and a converging point for UFO's amongst others
The remains of the church of St. Michael on top of the Tor, and some of its many wooly residents
Beautiful view of the English countryside from the top of the Tor
A view of the Tor from Wearyall Hill, the site of the Holy Thorn that grows on the ridge which is said to have been brought here from Palestine by St. Joseph of Arimathea centuries ago
The ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, said to be the first above ground church in all Christianity and the oldest religious foundation in England
The burial site of King Arthur located within the abbey grounds
A peek inside the bakery
Many mysterious objects and monuments like this dot the general vicinity of Glastonbury