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Mystical England - Avalon to Atlantis: September 1 - 11, 2008
offered by supplier M16806 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 11
day(s)
Group Size: 10
- 13
people
Destination(s):
England
Specialty Categories:
Cultural Journey
Pilgrimage/Spirituality
Season: September
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 3195 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 3195 US Dollar (USD)
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Join Mara Freeman, author of "Kindling the Celtic Spirit" and Director of the international Avalon Mystery School on this exciting journey. Our pilgrimage begins at one of the thresholds of the ancient earth energy path known as the St. Michael Line – Avebury, with its giant stone circles and serpentine avenues: a unique megalithic ritual landscape that also includes Silbury Hill and West Kennet Long Barrow. Then we follow the line down the pilgrim’s path southwest to Glastonbury, the legendary Isle of Avalon itself, once called the “Holyest Erthe in England." Here we stay at the 16th century retreat house situated within the Chalice Well Gardens, where flows the famous sacred spring, a place of healing where legend says the Holy Grail was hidden centuries ago. For two days, we will be able to wander in the peaceful gardens, drink from the sacred well and walk up Glastonbury Tor, the mysterious hill topped by its ruined tower, which rises like a beacon from the Otherworld. We also visit to Wearyall Hill with its holy thorn, and the magnificent ruins of Glastonbury Abbey with its fascinating Arthurian legends and lore.
We follow the Michael Line to Cornwall, the Celtic kingdom
once known as Belerion, the Shining Lands, for the magical quality of its light – and also because this is a name for the Otherworld. Cornwall is a peninsula of rocky coasts, hidden coves, picturesque fishing villages and wild moors dotted with the sacred shrines of an ancient people. A stop at the Michael shrine on Brent Tor, then a visit to the extraordinary stone circles known as the Hurlers on Bodmin Moor. After a peaceful night in a country hotel, we explore Merlin's Cave and Tintagel, the spectacular ruined castle on the ocean, King Arthur’s legendary place of birth, and also visit the faery-haunted wood and waterfall of St. Nectan’s Glen, and Rocky Valley with its Bronze Age labyrinth carving. The far western tip of Cornwall evokes memories of Lyonesse, said to have been submerged in a great flood – some say it was none other than the fabled island of Atlantis. Here we stay for 5 nights in a peaceful country hotel located amidst some of the most dramatic scenery in West Cornwall.
A treasury of Earth Mysteries awaits us at this westernmost edge of Cornwall, a land of rugged sea-moors strewn with giant stone megaliths, yet concealing more gentle and hidden folds where flow many sacred springs. We visit the magical isle of St. Michael’s Mount, and attune to the energies at the stone circles of The Merry Maidens, Boscawen-Un, and the healing stone of Men-an-Tol. We walk on the hallowed shore where legend says Joseph of Arimathea first landed in Britain with his nephew, Jesus. We follow the ancient pilgrims’ path to renew ourselves in the waters of Madron and Sancreed holy wells, and make contact with ancestral energies at the Iron Age village of Carn Euny with its mysterious fogou or underground passage.
We experience the elemental power of Bronze Age ceremonial sites such as Carn Gluze and Carn Les Boel, perched high above the Atlantic, where the Michael line comes to shore. There will also be time to stroll along pristine beaches and cliff-top paths, visit the art galleries of St. Ives, see the Mermaid of Zennor, and soak in the beauty of hidden gardens that wind down to a secret beach.
Filled with the enchantment of sea, stone and light, we circle eastwards back to that most famous Temple of the Sun and Moon in England - Stonehenge, for a private and exclusive closing ceremony!
At these sacred sites, we will work with the energies of earth
and sky, star and stone, through special attunements, meditations and rituals. Throughout the journey, Mara will be relating local legends and stories of faeries, giants and saints, and teaching the Mysteries of Britain, Cornwall, Avalon and Atlantis.
Free travel for you!
If you gather your own group together, we may be able to customize this tour for you according to your requirements - and you travel free.
Your Itinerary:
Monday, September 1st, Day 1: We meet at London Heathrow Airport, where our private mini-bus will take us to Avebury, a unique megalithic ritual landscape of giant stone circles and avenues. We will ritually enter the great gateway stones to mark the threshold of our pilgrimage, then be free to wander among them and attune to their energies. Close by is the mysterious mound of Silbury Hill, associated with ancient harvest rituals, and the chambered tomb of West Kennet Long Barrow. Then westwards to Glastonbury to settle into our retreat house in the Chalice Well Gardens, to relax, have supper and gather for our opening circle.
Tuesday, September 2nd, Day 2: We begin the morning with a talk on the Mysteries of Mary and Michael, who give their name to the ley line we are following. Along with ancient teachings, you will learn of their power and significance for our world today. This will be followed by a meditation walk through the gardens of the Chalice Well, to take the waters and attune to the presence of the Divine Feminine at the Red and White Springs. After lunch, we ascend Glastonbury Tor, with its seven-spiraled labyrinth topped by the ruined tower of Archangel Michael, one of the most powerful nodes on the Michael/Mary Line. In the evening, we enter deeper into these Mysteries through inner journeying.
Wednesday, September 3rd, Day 3: Today we explore the legends and lore of the Holy Grail, beginning with a visit to the magnificent ruins of Glastonbury Abbey with its fascinating Arthurian legends and lore. After lunch in town and a chance to explore the shops, there will be an optional walk up Wearyall Hill to see the holy thorn, legendary descendant of the one planted by Joseph of Arimathea. We return to the Chalice Well for a meditation on an extraordinary icon - the Blue Bowl: Glastonbury's own Grail, which is charged with spiritual powers. In the evening, author Nicholas Mann gives a presentation on the archeo-astronomy of Glastonbury Tor: the Star Temple of Avalon.
Thursday, September 4th, Day 4: Leaving Glastonbury, we follow the St. Michael Line westwards. Our first stop is Burrowbridge Mump, a small hill topped by a ruined church to St. Michael dating from Saxon times. From here, we can look back at Glastonbury Tor. Then down to Devon to visit another hilltop shrine to the Archangel – a tiny atmospheric church high up on Brent Tor in Devonshire. In the afternoon, we reach Cornwall for a walk in Rocky Valley to view the Bronze Age labyrinth carvings. Passing a Celtic saint’s chapel and holy well, we wander through the magical St. Nectan’s Glen with its faery-haunted woods and waterfall, where the Grail knights were said to ride. Tonight we relax at a 16th century coaching inn in the quaint village of Boscastle on Cornwall’s North Coast.
Friday, September 5th, Day 5: This morning begins with free time to stroll around Boscastle’s Elizabethan harbour, explore book and gifts shops and visit its famous Museum of Witchcraft. Then it’s off to the magnificent medieval castle ruins of Tintagel, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur, dramatically located on a cliff-top. We will see the chapel of a female Celtic saint, a fogou, or underground passage, and King Arthur’s footprint in the rock, a symbol of rightful kingship. At low tide, we’ll enter Merlin’s Cave, an extraordinary portal to the Otherworld. In the village, we make a stop at King Arthur’s Great Hall, once a temple to the Arthurian Mysteries, with its collection of mystical art and esoteric stained glass. Then it’s onwards to Land’s End and our country hotel located amidst some of the most dramatic scenery in West Cornwall.
Saturday, September 6th, Day 6: This morning we take a magical journey through the western peninsula of Cornwall, an ancient landscape covered with antiquities from the Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age eras onwards. We walk through the woods to Madron’s Well, known for its healing waters. Not far away is the distinctive dolmen known as Lanyon Quoit, and the holed stone of Men-an-Tol. We head to the village of Zennor for a visit to the 15th century church with its Mermaid carving. Then along the scenic north coast road to the fascinating artists’ town of St. Ives for lunch and a stroll around its many art galleries. Our day culminates with a visit to the lovely holy well of Sancreed.
Sunday, September 7th, Day 7: The day begins with a visit to two sites of elemental power on the Atlantic coast: the Bronze Age ritual complex of Carn Gluze, and Carn Les Boel, where the Michael line first comes to shore, truly a “thin place” redolent of Atlantean energies. This afternoon, we will pay a visit to the fascinating village of St. Ives, with its many art galleries, then take tea with Earth Mysteries author, Hamish Miller, at his home on Trencrom Hill, which has a hidden holy well and dramatic views of the Mount. Hamish will give us a presentation and lead a ceremony at the stone circle on this sacred land.
Monday, September 8th, Day 8: We explore the southern region of West Cornwall, starting with the rocky island of St. Michael’s Mount, called by the Celts, “Din Sul,” the Mount of the Sun - one of the most focal points of the Michael/Mary line. We will cross by boat or on foot over the causeway, depending on the tide, and visit the castle that was once a Benedictine monastery. Then on to the picturesque fishing village of Mousehole, from where we can walk over the cliffs to Lamorna Cove. After lunch at the Lamorna Pottery, it’s off to two exceptional stone circles: The Merry Maidens, still used today by the Cornish druids for their assemblies, and Boscawen–un, a site which resonates with high spiritual frequencies.
Tuesday, September 9th, Day 9: As a contrast to Cornwall’s wild western edge, today we visit the sheltered southern Roseland Peninsula and the village of St. Just with its medieval church and old holy well on the shoreline where Joseph of Arimathea was said to have first landed on Cornwall with the boy Jesus. A walk over the cliffs takes us to St. Mawes, a harborside village with an old castle, for lunch. This afternoon, we take the ferry over the River Fal to another haven of peace and beauty – Trebah, one of the 'Great Gardens of Cornwall' where a steeply wooded ravine garden sweeps down from the eighteenth-century house to the beach.
Wednesday, September 10th, Day 10: Leaving Cornwall, we travel eastwards, stopping on the way to visit a lovely holy well on the edge of Bodmin Moor. Our final destination is Stonehenge, once the focal point of the Mysteries of Britain in ancient times. At sunset, we will gather for our private and exclusive ceremony within this ancient national Temple of the Sun and Moon, a pivotal experience and climax to our exploration of the magical southwest. We celebrate our journey with a feast at a famous country inn followed by a peaceful night’s rest at a four-star hotel in the historic city of Salisbury.
Thursday, September 11th, Day 11: Breakfast, hugs, and fond farewells as we return to Heathrow Airport for our flights home.
Included:
- Accommodation in twin or double rooms, with a few single rooms available on request for an extra $300 per person.
- Breakfast and dinner for 10 days.
- All ground transportation, including service from and to London Heathrow airport.
- All presentations by Mara Freeman and guest speakers.
- All entrance charges to sites.
- All applicable taxes and cover charges.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
For customers in Europe and the UK, the price is €2245 or £1560.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
England
Cultural Journey
Pilgrimage/Spirituality
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