Glastonbury, a Tor Story

Sometimes our planet can seem a depressing place.  In the past week or so thousands of people were wiped out in an earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan, and the follow on threat of nuclear meltdown continues at Fukushima; violence is escalating in Libya and the action of coalition forces airstrikes in Tripoli is depressingly disproportionate; bloodshed continues on the streets of Bahrain and in Taunton a branch of KFC burns down.

To get away from it all on such a lovely sunny day I decided to take a walk up Glastonbury Tor, and on such a beautiful afternoon it was a fantastic place to be.  Incredibly warm (until the sun went behind the clouds) and for once breezy rather than blustery.  Hazy sunshine obscured the view somewhat, but there were tens of people mooching around, chilling out and taking in the incredibly friendly vibe. 

Crows were flying below us, a hot air balloon passed close by, and lambs were bleating at the foot of the tor.   

A group of teenagers from across the pond were amusing themselves blowing bubbles, Karl, a visitor to the town from Warrington was gently strumming away on a guitar; and when I shut my eyes and listened, I felt as though I had been transported back in time to the 1970s.

People stopped to chat, all of them happy, smiling and content: a man from Wincanton who was on the Tor specifically to take photos; a lady from Bristol who had travelled down on the bus for the day and a family with their King Charles Spaniel who were first time visitors to the town.

The ancient Tor, a big green hill of over 500ft with the enigmatic St. Michael’s tower sitting atop has been called an Arthurian Hill fort; a Druid initiation centre; a converging point for UFOs; home to Gwyn ap Nudd, King of the Fairies; a potential location of the Holy Grail; and a point where ley lines cross, but whatever your views on this, whatever your religion or beliefs, when the world can seem such a harsh and unforgiving place, for a couple of hours on a beautiful Sunday afternoon it can be heaven on earth.