Legends of Glastonbury

The trip to Glastonbury began with the mystical Glastonbury Thorn. It is believed to be a Holy Thorn that was grown from cutting a tree that was planted thousands of years ago by the uncle to Jesus. It is believed that the thorns from this tree are the same thorns that were used by Roman soldiers to make the thorn crown used in the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Thus, the tree is also called the “Holy Thorn”. Beneath the tree was a small brown sign with the words “GLASTONBURY THORN. The original Thorn Grew on Wyrral Hill” in white letters. At the time we visited, the tree had just begun to bud its leaves.

We also visited the majestic ruins of Glastonbury Abbey. The ruins were so beautiful with enormous arches and intricate bridges that connected various parts of the ruins. Parts of the abbey were destroyed in the Great Fire of 1184. There is much speculation about the cause of the fire. Some historians believe that the fire was started purposefully by an arsonist. Others blame winds that simply caused burning candles to fall over and start the fire. Regardless of the cause, it is still amazing to witness the magnificent church ruins. I could only imagine the height of the abbey centuries ago.

For lunch, we enjoyed some pasta and garlic bread at a local Italian restaurant. This meal would eventually be fuel for the finale of the trip that required a lot of walking. After lunch, we visited Chalice Well and Gardens. Chalice Well and Gardens is an extremely mystical place. It holds a sanctuary, and no videography is allowed. Though photos are allowed. Out of respect, I did not take any photo or video. Luckily, my imagination did a great job at capturing what I saw. The most well-known part of the sanctuary is the water that runs through the well. The water is believed to have healing properties. During the tour, I even saw a mysterious man dressed in black take two vials from is coat and collect water from the stream. There were also many people who drank from the water. It was quite fascinating. I was told that the water has an iron taste because the legend is that the water is infused with the blood of Christ. Some legends say that the metallic taste is from the rusty nails used to nail Christ to the cross. I did notice that beneath the stream of water was a red, rust-colored, wall. Also, many people who tried the water say it did have a metallic taste. I did not taste the water so I cannot confirm if the myth is true. Though, I can confirm that the legend has brought so many people to travel to the mystical area and see for themselves.

After exiting the sanctuary, our next goal was to climb the iconic Glastonbury Tor hill to witness the Isle of Avalon. The hill is 518ft above ground. It was enormous! The stairs up were so small and slippery. I was afraid I may fall. My legs burned but I knew there was no turning back. I climbed faster to ignore the pain. The top was my reward.

At the top was the famous Isle of Avalon tower. You can see the photo where I am standing in front of it. I could only imagine how much effort it took to build it. Tradition says that the tower is the site of the Holy Grail. I walked through the opening of the tower and I was met with a beautiful landscape of greenery below. There were sheets of green grass untouched by farms or buildings. Most of all, it was extremely windy! My hair was flying in every single direction. I took off my earrings and placed them in my pocket in fear they may fly off. I even saw someone’s glasses get ripped off their face! Luckily, he was able to trace the glasses before they fell off the hill. The wind was a lot of fun. It added to the exhilarating feeling of being so high in the air. Unfortunately, the walk down was just as windy. I had to be extra careful not to slip. Would I go up again? Maybe. If they had an elevator!