The Rolling Stones sung 'You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime you find, you get what you need', word, man! I would've liked a radiant orange sun majestically rising above the horizon this morning, I didn't get that, no, not in the slightest. What I did get though was a thoroughly uplifting spiritual experience, and that was just what I needed.
It was still dark when we arrived at the bridleway leading up towards Badbury Rings, it was raining from a cloud obscured sky, with about half an hour from sunrise. A large multivallate hillfort of three encircling ramparts and accompanying ditches on the edge of Cranborne Chase, Badbury's got a quiet magnificence about it. Badbury doesn't look all that impressive as you approach it, it's very understated, not until you're standing on the upper rampart does the real extent of the site's grandeur manifest; both the site itself and the spectacular views it commands. As we arrived at the eastern entrance the rain abated, bidding 'hail and well met' we made our way through the outer defences, climbed the highest inner rampart and prepared to welcome sunrise. Wood smoke carried on the air from the fire of a small group camped just inside the hillfort; the fire's smoke acted as a pleasant incense. I know many people are against wild camping in general and at sites like Badbury in particular. For me it's all about the respect shown, as long as you camp with respect, leaving as little sign of your presence as possible, I don't see the problem. Archaeologist me believes that if there's the desire and it's undertaken with due respect, our ancient sites should be used and they don't have to only exist in the past, frozen, activity adds patina to the archaeological record, continuing the site's story. It wasn't long before the moment of sunrise arrived, although that moment wasn't apparent without a clock to inform me. I breathed, centred, ran through some Awens, spent some time in thought, recited the Druids prayer and finally a adapted Druid's vow (The Druid's vow goes thus ''We swear, by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand in hand. Mark, oh spirits and hear us now, confirming this, our sacred vow.'', I'd seen Rollo Maughfling suggesting a change in light of our current restraints, and it seemed to make sense, changing 'hand in hand' to 'mind to mind'). It'd stopped raining by now, and for a while I simply stood, taking in the sights, sounds and feeling of the unfolding day.
As I've already said, it was just what I needed, I felt lighter as we turned for home. Geoff and I made our way down from the high ramparts by undertaking a full circuit of each ring, until we'd spiralled around the hillfort, after a more than 2 mile walk we returned to stand where we'd begun just before dawn, a bid 'hail and farewell' and back down the bridleway. A magical solstice morning. Of course, by the time we'd returned home the sun was beaming; bless her, nature has a sense of humour.
Solstice blessings y'all /|\
It was still dark when we arrived at the bridleway leading up towards Badbury Rings, it was raining from a cloud obscured sky, with about half an hour from sunrise. A large multivallate hillfort of three encircling ramparts and accompanying ditches on the edge of Cranborne Chase, Badbury's got a quiet magnificence about it. Badbury doesn't look all that impressive as you approach it, it's very understated, not until you're standing on the upper rampart does the real extent of the site's grandeur manifest; both the site itself and the spectacular views it commands. As we arrived at the eastern entrance the rain abated, bidding 'hail and well met' we made our way through the outer defences, climbed the highest inner rampart and prepared to welcome sunrise. Wood smoke carried on the air from the fire of a small group camped just inside the hillfort; the fire's smoke acted as a pleasant incense. I know many people are against wild camping in general and at sites like Badbury in particular. For me it's all about the respect shown, as long as you camp with respect, leaving as little sign of your presence as possible, I don't see the problem. Archaeologist me believes that if there's the desire and it's undertaken with due respect, our ancient sites should be used and they don't have to only exist in the past, frozen, activity adds patina to the archaeological record, continuing the site's story. It wasn't long before the moment of sunrise arrived, although that moment wasn't apparent without a clock to inform me. I breathed, centred, ran through some Awens, spent some time in thought, recited the Druids prayer and finally a adapted Druid's vow (The Druid's vow goes thus ''We swear, by peace and love to stand, heart to heart and hand in hand. Mark, oh spirits and hear us now, confirming this, our sacred vow.'', I'd seen Rollo Maughfling suggesting a change in light of our current restraints, and it seemed to make sense, changing 'hand in hand' to 'mind to mind'). It'd stopped raining by now, and for a while I simply stood, taking in the sights, sounds and feeling of the unfolding day.
As I've already said, it was just what I needed, I felt lighter as we turned for home. Geoff and I made our way down from the high ramparts by undertaking a full circuit of each ring, until we'd spiralled around the hillfort, after a more than 2 mile walk we returned to stand where we'd begun just before dawn, a bid 'hail and farewell' and back down the bridleway. A magical solstice morning. Of course, by the time we'd returned home the sun was beaming; bless her, nature has a sense of humour.
Solstice blessings y'all /|\
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