Sunday is the main day, and also our last full day. The Opening ceremony is on around midday. Here we will cast the circle and call the quarters, East, South, West and North and welcome them to witness the ritual, the Beltane fire needs to be lit, but first we have to chase off Jack Frost.

Handfasting weddings are done after the main fire is lit, this time we had 2 Beltane fires and we were all invited to walk through the two. This is to drive off the cleanse ourselves for the new energies, and new starts of spring.

The afternoon sadly became a wet fest, so we retreated to the tent for a while. Tidied up and got ourselves ready for some tea, and coffee to warm up. And once again put fire clothes on ready for the last night of fire dancing, drums and stories.

We watched the sunset in the henge, we felt the sun as it peeked out before going to its bed. The warmth on our skin was heavenly, a promise of better days to come. Can’t believe it’s all over already. Monday is a solely pack up and drive home day. I didn’t want it to end, but alas my body can’t wait for my bed and hot water bottle.

After a bit of a rocky start, and seriously terrible sleep our original plan had to be quickly revised to accommodate a shorter amount of free time, and desire to drive far. So I moved our Monday plan into the Saturday slot. It’s local, pretty and it can be done in the showers of rain.

Hackfall woods was our new destination and it’s not that big, so easy to walk around. Well it should have been easy, but this leg length hurts my back too much, so it’s not easy and it’s super painful to walk around. Thank goodness there are a lot of seats and prettiness to distract me from pain.

Follies all hidden in the bluebell woods, the smell of wild garlic is divine, it’s worth the slippy mud to be around the river and see various waterfalls, streams and we even found a sandy beach by the River.

It’s raining and chilly but that doesn’t stop us enjoying the area. We have sandwiches and crisps with a flask of coffee to warm us up.

We eventually ended the walk, thoroughly spent all my pain threshold and we were hungry, hunt for a chippie was soon on the agenda. Mission accomplished. The perfect end to a glorious adventure.

Once back on site, we changed into our fire clothes (ie an outfit you don’t mind smelling of smoke) and headed off the the communal fire, for drumming, dancing and stories to be told.

After the cold of the tent, we opted to sleep in the car instead, as we’ve had many a successful sleep in the car. It proved to be a wise choice, far warmer and definitely quieter too.

Where to start…. It was Friday and traveling day, we were packed high in the car and come 10am our journey began up North. Not the nicest of road trips and traffic was pretty bad as well.

Weather isn’t really the best, in fact it’s cold. But trying hard to not let it get to us and dampen our spirits.

Set up and ready for the weekend. Friday is a settling in day, there’s no communal fire this night (this year). We decided to go for a walk to the Southern Henge (as we have 3 henges, camping in the middle one.

After watching the Sun set we need to eat some food. so we have our Panang noodles (so HOT!!) Made my lips look like I’d had Botox!! And some marshmallows all toasted.

Had a terrible night’s sleep due to many factors but that was Day one completed.