Monday 11th & Tuesday 12th we travelled by train from Heathrow to Paddington and on to Taunton where we picked up a car for a short drive to Glastonbury to finish last years itinerary which was disrupted by a damaged wheel to our hire car. The highlights of this visit was the Glastonbury Abbey, Tor and Chalice Well.
Tuesday 12th after seeing some wonderful sights we made the short trip back to Taunton returning the car then by bus to Exeter. Buses replaced the normal train service due to track upgrade.
Arrived at Exeter St David station late afternoon and made the short, uphill walk to the Queens Court Hotel for our 1 night stay for our meeting with Derek, a long lost relative of Ngaire's. This was the main reason for the UK leg of the visit. We arranged to meet at Exeter last year but due to a mix up with times missed our meeting by 15 minutes.
Derek and his wife Eillene picked us up and took us for dinner where their son David also joined us. The next morning, after checking out, Derek picked us up and took us on a tour of Exeter, Exmouth and Sidmouth, where we had lunch at a beautiful hotel overlooking the coast. After a most memorable and enjoyable day Derek dropped us off at the station for our onward train trip to Plymouth.
Arrived late afternoon Wednesday 13th at the Grosvoner Hotel after a reasonably strenuous walk from the station for our 3 night stay. We walk every opportunity as it all contributes to our Camino preparation.
Woke up to a windy, rainy morning which was only short lived. We put all our laundry in our packs and made the 20 minute walk to Bubbles Launderette, did the washing and made our way back via the city centre.
OUR FLIGHTS
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| Our 'Big Bird' leaving Adelaide Saturday June 9 |
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Sunrise over Dubai   LONDON PADDINGTON TRAIN STATION   |
Heathrow Express arrives at Paddington
Great Western Railway High Speed Train (HST)
'Paddington Bear' HST
Relaxing on the trip to Taunton
The Red Lion West Pennard
GLASTONBURY
A Highlight of UK Travel-Old Pubs!
Glastonbury in Somerset County is world famous for it's annual music festival attracting tens of thousands each year from all around the world. It is not just the music festival that has put Glastonbury on the map. Much older and accessible all year round are historical and mystical sites that also attract visitors from around the world.
Glastonbury Abbey was constructed in the 7th century and expanded in the 10th century and was the first christian monastic site in Britain. A great abbot of Glastonbury, St Dunstan, devised the coronation ceremony that is still used today.
Legend has it that in the 12th century monks discovered the burial site of King Arthur.
Glastonbury Tor is a hill adorned on top with the roofless structure of the tower of St Michael's, all that remains from a church built in the 14th century. Numerous structures have existed on the Tor all of which have been destroyed and or replaced. The hill is made up of clay with a mix of limestone and shale layers. The surrounding softer deposits eroded exposing the Tor, which is terraced but the reasons for which remain inexplicable.
Artefacts from human visitation date back from the Iron Age to the Roman era. The Tor is mentioned in Celtic mythology and with myths linked to King Arthur. The Tor has a number of other mythological and spiritual associations.
Chalice Well has been in constant use for 2000 years and issues 1,100,000 litres of water a day, never failing even through periods of severe drought. The iron oxide in the water give it it's reddish hue.
In addition to the numerous legends associated with Glastonbury, the well is portrayed as a symbol for the female aspect of deity with the male equivalent symbolised in the Tor.
Christian mythology suggests that the site of the well was where a chalice was placed that had caught drops of blood from the body of Christ at the crucifixion, linking the well to speculation as to the existence of the Holy Grail.
Welsh and Irish mythology link wells as gateways to the spirit world, a much more plausible explanation!!!
St Patrick's chapel Glastonbury Abbey
Monastic Ruins Glastonbury Abbey
Lady Chapel Glastonbury Abbey
Sight of King Arthur's Tomb Glastonbury Abbey
Tower of present day Cathedral
Climb up to the Tor
The Ghost of St Michael !
Looking up through the roofless Tower
View of Glastonbury from the Tor
Seeking the healing power of the Chalice Well spring water
Chalice Well Spring Water Fall
The Chalice Well
From here we returned the car at Taunton and took a replacement bus for the train to Exeter. Here we caught up with Ngaire's relie and spent a day sightseeing. This and our 3 night stay at Plymouth will be the next post.