The wind howled at us as we left the car park to climb the strange hill to The Grianan of Aileach. It’s in the Republic of Ireland, near the border with
Category: Ancient Sacred Sites
The Cross at TrearddurThe Cross at Trearddur
It wasn’t what I was expecting to see in the middle of the beautiful curve of Trearddur Bay, one of the jewels of the island of Anglesey, off the North
Water-Circle+Cross (5-end) Gummer’s HowWater-Circle+Cross (5-end) Gummer’s How
(Above: Gummer’s How – a simple walk with spectacular views. Taken from Fell Foot Park) There is always a poignancy about meeting up on the final day of one of
From Windermere to SedgwickFrom Windermere to Sedgwick
(Above: memories of Ambleside fresh in our minds, we returned home to the environs of Kendal) We have just needed the Silent Eye’s ‘Water-Circle+Cross’ weekend, which took place a forty minute
A LAP with the GodsA LAP with the Gods
4:30 wake up, 5 a.m. leaving, 5:30 a.m. breakfast, 6 a.m start… It was the final communication before they set off… (06:00 The Lap begins in mist. Only 47 miles
#Phoetry – Stone Fortress Mind#Phoetry – Stone Fortress Mind
by Steve Tanham Beneath the skies of blue that ache with white-kissed beauty Beside the meadows’ deeper green that brightens every day Beyond the water’s vastness blown by breezes on a
Following the curves of the KentFollowing the curves of the Kent
The sky was blue and windswept. The clouds had a definite formation to them. They were pointing at the nearest part of the coast, their central blue line line exactly
Fear no ObjectFear no Object
I was looking through some photographs from various trips we had done, when prepping Silent Eye weekends. The beautiful hills of Derbyshire were a home for our monthly get-togethers, largely
Bench MarchBench March
There’s something about March that is difficult to define… It’s a classically liminal month. Not quite the end of winter; not quite the start of the spring. You can be
Flying Kites…Flying Kites…
*** … The church of St Lawrence is surrounded by Yew trees and as we leave the grounds I see a flash of red arrow from tree to tree very
Two Bulls: the dark-haunched…Two Bulls: the dark-haunched…
County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** Dark and dire, mighty in muzzle, long in horn; *** *** narrow flanked, beefy breasted; *** *** his thick-maned neck tough
An Unexpected Encounter…An Unexpected Encounter…
We took to the back roads again, nodding to Drake’s statue as we passed through Tavistock once more, climbing up towards Dartmoor. On our way south, the mists had closed
Two Bulls: the fair-horned…Two Bulls: the fair-horned…
County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** White his heavy mane and his massive hoofs pounded in purple; *** *** his body dyed, blood red, from the clay
Queen Maebh’s Cairn?…Queen Maebh’s Cairn?…
County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** Whilst it is a reconstruction there is nothing to overtly suggest that it is modelled on the cairn on top of
LocationsLocations
County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** Almost as impressive as the monuments themselves, if not more so, are the locations in which they are situated. *** ***
Dimensions…Dimensions…
County Sligo, Carrowmore, Tuesday 26th July 2022… *** *** It is natural to think that things start small and then get bigger. *** *** But in this case it just
The Leanan Sidhe…The Leanan Sidhe…
County Offally, Clonfinlough Stone, Monday, 25th July, 2022 *** ‘Meadow of the Bright Lake’ *** “The Leanan Sidhe sucks the life-force out of artists who in return for an early
Why is there such grief?…Why is there such grief?…
*** Preparing the temple for the final ritual drama of the weekend is always bittersweet. It is the last stage of a journey that has been years in the making.
A Hag’s Load…A Hag’s Load…
County Offally, Clonmacnoise, Monday, 25th July, 2022 *** *** The legend of regaining, ‘the Spoil’, is tied up with a stone. *** *** After the composing of a lay
Something Profound…Something Profound…
County Offally, Clonmacnoise, Monday, 25th July, 2022 *** ‘The meadow of the sons of Nos’ *** ‘Something dark and swift flitted between the grave stones. * Whether or not it
The Calling…The Calling…
*** Because we had risen so early and wasted no time getting back on the road, we had several hours left before the ferry was to sail from Tarbert. We
The Eight with Two DotsThe Eight with Two Dots
I remember being a child and considering the Yin-Yang figure for the first time. It fascinated me. I felt like I couldn’t ‘see it’ properly – as though something about
Giants Everywhere…Giants Everywhere…
County Down, Friday, 17th June, 2022… *** *** There are sections of the texts which we have been considering that relate stories which are incredibly ancient. *** *** These ancient
Giant’s Ring…Giant’s Ring…
County Down, Friday, 17th June, 2022… *** *** No one views the biblical story of David and Goliath with anything other than complete veracity. *** *** Yet the biblical time