Imbolc Pilgrimage 2022 – event report

FOBM Imbolc 2022
Ceremony

A group of about fifteen pilgrims assembled outside the White Spring at one to restart the tradition of walking to celebrate Imbolc on Bride’s mound in the afternoon. It was a bright and breezy day, and it was good to be back after the intermission last year due to the coronavirus pandemic. This Imbolc is unusual in that it was also the lunar Dark of the Moon and the Chinese New Year of the Tiger.

Joanne and Serena between the White Spring and the Chalice Well at the start of the journey
Chilkwell Street

We waited at a few places along the journey to let people catch up, and perhaps some who didn’t care for the full length of the walk to join us part-way along.

Coming out onto Glastonbury High street from Silver Street passing the Abbey

The first stop was at the Glastonbury Market Cross, where Serena talked about the auspicious triple calendar day this year, and a little bit about our destination.

crossing the ring road on the way to the old station site

The wind was starting to pick up, and a few more people joined in as we made our way down to the old site of Glastonbury railway station, which is in the industrial estate near the timber yard. We used the side of one of Colin White’s sheds to protect us from the wind, as Serena told us about the 1990s tradition of the Bride Doll, which would be taken to the Assembly Rooms in the evening. Throughout the day the men would be decorating the hall, and women were free in the day. This is where Serena had the idea of inaugurating the pilgrimage that we are following today.

The next stage is a walk along Porchestall Drove to Cradle Bridge, where we get onto the footpath leading to the FOBM land along the side of the River Brue.

Cradle bridge

Part of the way along this is the current location of the Bride’s Well Stone. The well was sadly lost in the last century as the embankments were raised to contain the river.

Serena telling us about the stone and its history

The Beckery Salmon and the ford onto the island

From this point on the bank Joanne led the pilgrims, inviting people to walk in silence and reflect on what they wanted to let go in their lives and what they wanted to bring into their lives, ready for the fire ceremony on Bride’s Hill, where some people had already gathered for the ceremony as the pilgrims arrive.

people gathered on Bride’s Hill
The pilgrims arriving on the rise up to Bride’s Hill

The Fire Ceremony

Joanne leading the fire ceremony

Serena concluded the ceremony with this reading from a book on the Coligny lunarsolar calendar honouring Bride.

And the customary offering round of her primrose country wine.

With that, dear reader, the friends of Bride’s mound wish you a happy Imbolc, turning point of the year and a returning of the warmth.

all photos and media by Richard Mudhar

1 Comment

  1. Thank you so much, Richard, for doing this. A lovely depiction of our annual and 36th Imbolc walk.

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