Wholistic Arts

Having dropped Raye in town I looked for a nearby undiscovered place!  Ventured to Darley Abbey and found a ruin of part of the Abbey. Checking the rods I found a leyline running approx. EW. Then took path round the nearby church to the hermitage. This place was very similar to Anchor church at Ingleby, but in that case the hermit was an anchorite and also it was in front of a stream, whereas here it was on higher ground. Again found a leyline EW, but not directly in line with the Abbey. I wonder if I had found a helix ley (like Michael and Mary ley).

Another find close to home! First we went for a bite to eat at a place we call Windy Ridge, years ago there had been a cafe there where Raye and her dad had often passed there in the lorry. Later we often visited ourselves when it became a Little Chef! Doubling back and heading towards Stoke, turning left to a village called Stanton and just before on the right was a nature reserve called Thorswood. The trail around has been set out especially for children and within the boundaries are three round barrows, burial mounds. While checking these I did find a few leylines but initially thought there was a lot more (some has grids above them). When we got back to the start and checked the map for the children we realised that the other mounds were actual entranced to old mines! A very interesting place, mixing old (neolithic mounds) with new mounds (17th century mines). Did the mines go under the burial mounds? Further investigation is needed.

Decided to go to Hen Cloud, although we (Vic and me) had been before I wanted to explore another stone, 'the Bawdstone'. On the way up we saw peregrine falcons hovering the cliffs, spectacular. There were plenty of notices in order to protect them. The view was better than I remembered. We then walked towards the Roaches. Eventually we came to the Bawdstone, right in the middle between Hen Cloud and the Roaches. I checked and found two ley lines intertwining (like Mary and Michael ones). This was the first time I had found an interweaving ley (except for M&M). I also felt an eerie prescence but unable to describe exactly. At this time of viewing there was a kind of pool at the well of the structure. A real find.

Started out early to meet James at Whitby, he had already gone there a few days before by train. Whitby is an interesting town and because of the story about Dracula quite a draw to many people. Having met up with James we went to view the Abbey, although it was not directly open to the public yet. Between the Abbey and the Church I found just outside the church entrance a point where it appeared that two leylines met directly. I found later that there may be a triangle of leylines between Pendle Hill, Whitby Abbey and Lincoln Catherdral, could I have found the meeting point? These had been found by dowsing. The Winter Triangle is made as follows:- 1. Procyon in the constellation Canis Major, represented by Pendle Hill. 2. Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, represented Whitby Abbey. 3. Sirius in the constellation Canis Major, represented by Lincoln Cathedral. With its association with the 'Goths' a very pleasant yet strange town. Within the churchyard was a ...

Started out early in the morning after dropping Raye at work. Ventured to Castle Gresley, about a mile away is a village called Church Gresley! Obviously there is a church at one and at the other a castle! Travelling by road between the two I could see no sign of a castle. My deadline for leaving was 11am in oreder to pick Raye up from work. After going round in circles a few time and the rain getting heavier I circled a new roundabout and spotted on a hill a mound. So headed in that direction, unable to find I saw a jitty by the side of this built up area marked by a public footpath side. It was now 10:45! My instincts told me it might be there, so I quickly ran up a small incline and 'hey presto' there it was. A bailey and motte in full view! Brilliant! Quickly checked for a leyline and there it was running parallel to the path and running through it. It has a motte and semilunar bailey, although altered by modern earthworks. The motte is twenty foot high on the hill top. ...

Followed a leyline through Leicester. It starts at St John's Tower in Bradgate Park which we have visited quite a few times previously. We visited a few places of interest in Leicester. Pingle Street in the local dialect means 'old track', at right angles to this is New Pingle Street ('new' because of the development around even though this was probably older than Pingle Street itself. The ley I picked up runs along New Pingle Street, 23 paces wide as usual. Then to Frog Island, between the river and canal, not quite an Island. Another place we went to was Cank Street where an ancient well was long ago, but now not visible. Tried to find it using my rods, a suspect was a drain in front of a shop, now in the hands of the water company. Leicester was supposedly founded by King Lear, son of the magical monarch Bladud. When the Romans came to the city's site they found a Belgic settlement already established. They considered what is now called ...

Had a great time at Doveholes " The Bull Ring is a henge, built in the late neolthic period near Dove Holes in Derbyshire. There are also two barrows near to the henge about 20m away, one oval the other a one bowl. It is large circular earthwork about 3 feet high and 30ish feet wide. A skeleton has been found near the north entrance; this entrance was damaged in the 19th century by quarrying. Why does there always seem to be a quarry nearby to a lot of these places? Stones and quarries I suppose it does make sense . The centre of the henge was apparently ploughed in the 18th century and a drystone wall was built. A single standing stone was recorded as remaining in 1789 by Pilkington, potentially the remnant of a stone circle! My rods showed a leyline running North South. Apparently to the North the valleys split NW to Chapen-en-le-Frith and to the NE to Mam Tor.

A partial eclipse was due during the Spring Equinox. Last total solar eclipse in August 1999 we viewed from Torquay. What an experience that was! Lots of people there and for two magic minutes on the beach everywhere went totally black without a sound! Despite thousands of people! So we decided to venture to our local hill to experience a partial eclipse. Knowing that we would not experience the same magic moment exactly but we still expected a little more! The sky really did not go very dark at all but we did see the moon's image moving across the sun. Took a few photographs, although not very well prepared. The atmosphere was not too bad and quite a few people had come along to Breedon-on-the-Hill.

To venture to another venue Winter Solstice here once more An ancient cross for us to view From the ninth century or before A leyline found passes through The cross and church East to West Tweny three paces is the norm too A recent move may be for the best Ancient tales, if you could speak For over a thousand years so unique I feel you talk within my soul Saxon worship to make them whole      Further on we passed a mound By the Railway station it was found For burial may be even though A leyline through suggests it too                                                             ...

Hob Hurst's House now stands there proud On Beeley Moor so high, far from the crowd For three thousand years hidden from view This rectangular barrow has secrets anew   The name comes from a hobgoblin who In folklore did frequent this house too Amongst the other cairns on this moor A tidy creature who would clean the floor   Human bones were found inside In the nineteenth century in this hide A burial place so grand and serene Such a resting place pastures green   High on the moorviews all around me No one else, as far as the eye could see Cars in the distance, a humming sound Romantic and scarey yet so profound   How strange and lonely is this place Barren now mostly at such a slow pace Before mankind had cities abound Groups of people interspersed around.   I explor...

  Celebrated St John's Day in Pontevedra. Malusa, Loreto, Victor, Raye and David all   danced over the candles later, but before and during the day og the 23rd and 24th we all (including Wilma and Louisa) watched the firework displays. Spectacular! Loud bangs and amazing sites. Some fireworks looked, as they exploded across the Bay , that they were about to land directly on us….just an optical illusion…but amazing. "Religious and folk law and happens at the turn of the shortest night" Apart from the fireworks, bonfires were lit all around on the night of the 23rd.

We set off to research another ley On the map north of Thorpe Cloud Many barrows on the line there lay They shouted to me from the map, so proud But we seek the one at the back of a farm On a hill. I thought, why, I'll do no harm The farmer was good though and let us through We missed some others without a clue Round and up the hill we did climb At the top the trig point and barrow for to view Magnificent sites. Tissington Trail. Sublime. My rods found the ley. I felt. I knew. Twenty three paces as is the norm Then on to the church in Milldale Again I found the ley in true form The line ran North to South no fail The rain laid off and the weather was clear A satisfying day with leylines, to me so dear

Petroglyphs, Pontecaldelas Up in the hills between Pontevedra and Ourense sits a small town named after the incredible Roman bridge it grew up around. We went there in time for lunch, then followed the river from the bridge for a surprisingly warm and sunny walk through a forest and back. Then it was further up into the hills by car to find a beautiful collection of petroglyphs. We expected to find the usual couple of outcrops with a few abstract patterns mixed with matchstick hunters and their prey. Instead we found a beautifully decked path winding a couple of kilometres circle around a mild yet exhausting incline.  There were about five seperate outcrops of rock, the largest of which was absolutely covered in art - the neolithic equivalent of graffiti'd rolling stock. I wondered to my two companions (Loreto and Malusa) at the sheer work involved in calving intricate designs in solid rock. This is no mere cavepainting; spitting red paint over your hand to leave an imprint ...

Thorpe Cloud James and myself set out for Dovedale. I had discovered a leyline starting at Thorpe Cloud and heading directly North. Today we revisited our old haunt. The weather on top was windy as usual but what fantastic views all around, including the ley. The leyline has 8 barrows within a few miles and probably many more if I extended it further.  We decided to leave the barrows for another day, which was at Imbolc. For the first barrow. Yet again the weather wasn't too good but the rain stopped for a short time while I investigated the first barrow, which had been extremely hard to find. And yes, I found the leyline running directly through it N-S direction, exactly 23 paces wide, as usual.

I had two trips for this equinox. My aim was to investigate the leyline (source: Ley Lines Across The Midlands by Anthony Poulton-Smith) which runs between Burrough Hill and Bardon Hill. Burrough Hill On Sunday 22nd, Raye and myself went to Burrough Hill in Leicestershire. This was an early Iron-Age site inhabited firstly by the "Coritavi" tribe and then the Romans with evidence they lived together for a while. This was a huge square site on top of the hill. My rods followead the outer embankment and crossed throughout the inner. The trig point had a sun dial showing the exact location of Bardon Hill. I climbed onto it and had a fantastic view. I could see the trees lining the leyline towards the hill.         Bardon Hill On Wednesday 25th, James and myself went to Bardon Hill, the highest point in Leicestershire. This was probably an Iron-Age fort but extensive quarrying has eroded evidence. We trekked up the hill through the trees and up to the mass...

Ribadumia, Pontevedra Having stayed at home for the summer solstice (see St John's Day the year before for an idea of what we did!), we decided to make a day of it for the equinox. We headed out to Ribadumia and had a walk through a forest to have a picnic. After walking along a river to a natural pool and dipping our toes, we headed back to the car and out to a castro nearby. Despite the amazing weather and thousands of people around the picnic area, the castro was completely deserted.  Parking, we could see that some building works were under way for a visitors centre. We headed up the hill and had to sneak through some fencing to get a look at the castro. It's all sectioned off at the moment because they are painstakingly piecing it back together and laying down a bed of white stone to keep it from overgrowing again. Looking at the work already completed (see picture), we could tell that once completed, this is going to be one of the biggest castros in the area (...

Robin Hood's Stride Ventured out to Robin Hood's Stride otherwise known as Mock Beggars Hall. The name Mockbeggar is apparently an old sailor's term for a lone house. The outcrop was quite a climb even though there was a path around it, it still needed a bit of climbing. As I got to the top I noticed the view towards the Nine Stones Close stone circle, it looked very impressive from this viewpoint as did the surrounding areas.  Raye had waited at the bottom and taken the photo of me. We then went through the fields to the stone circle. There are only four stones left, apparently there were nine. Even though there were two upright stones used as gateposts and another standing stone nearby I feel that the four remaining stones are the most important. This is because they are at four corners facing NE, NW, SW, SE.  I checked them out with the dowsing rods...within the area of the stones the rods crossed, indicating strong earth energy. But outside appeared to b...