Home is where the heart is.........................

There have been a few places in my life that have held meaning to me. Places I have lived and some that I really have not had a connection with, except in my heart.
I suppose the first places were my grandparents homes, St Omere and Minerva. Both places I still dream of. That is a natural connection. Both places hold good and lasting memories. More so than my parents home on Bidwell Hill although that too has always been "home" to me. When I think of home, that's where I think of. My cousin Robin lives across the road. Thats what home is, where family is.

The connection that I am speaking of is not that sort of connection. When I first went to Avebury in Wiltshire I was drawn to it. I felt a deep connection there. Spiritual maybe. The ancientness. The Holyness. A spiritual connection for me, like I wanted to hug the stones and be close to them. We walked the perimeter and I wanted to be alone.I didn't want to talk, to be interrupted in my thoughts. I have been several times now and each time have felt the same way.

The trees have strange roots, all bare and winding through the hillside. Like they are reaching out to the stones beyond.

We visited the "Long Barrows" each time and that too pulls me in. I suppose it's the ancientness the people who were buried there not forgotten because people still place flowers. The Solstices are celebrated there at Avebury like they do at Stonehenge.

The Village of Avebury is a really pretty place. Has a nice pub too. It always seems crowded with tourists but it would be naturally. Much like where I live here in Traverse City, I am sure there are "off" seasons. I remember a white peacock sitting on a farm gate at a manor house and it was so pretty, I am not sure why I remember. I also remember a "Rookery" in the tree tops. We had to have been there in the Springtime because the trees were bare.
I felt drawn to that whole area we hiked across the farm to the Long Barrows, West Kennett. I loved it there and love that people still leave flowers. It is a ghostly place and in one photo I took it looks like someone is there in the entrance if you look closely. Maybe there was, it is said to be haunted but I am not sure I believe that stuff, but it does have atmosphere for sure. Close by is Silbury Hill. I have not climbed that yet. I don't feel the pull to that as I do the other places but I do want to climb it some day. I say some day as though I had all the time in the world. I may be too old already but I do know I will give it a shot next time I am there.

The next place that drew me in was Tintagel. Oh boy, I have to go back. King Arthurs legend is not the only reason. I belong there. Yeh, I know, silly right? but that is how I felt. I felt at home. I do not like heights I panic. I had no such feelings there on top of those cliffs it was fascinating. I truly believe that Arthur lived there. Someone made a statue of Arthur and placed it there, its awesome.

Its as though he is fading in and out, just his essence. I have loved the story of Arthur naturally, was really into the trilogy The Crystal Cave etc but it's more than that, its the knowledge the certainty that its true. Oh not every little piece of the story but the thread of truth runs through it. Everyone loves the idea of Camelot. I don't know if it's there but I know Arthur was.

We only went up on the one side, that was far enough and slow enough to catch our breath because it would only allow for one at a time so in order for those coming down the ones going up had to stand aside.
I have always been drawn to "ancient" history, the beginnings, the roots. The mists of time...........Merlin? Merlin's cave. Yes Tintagel expressed that all for me and I have to go back. Soon while I can still make the climb and still see well enough to do so. Got to spend some time and climb the other side, and that won't be done in one day. In the pictures you can see how the castle is on the other side of the cliffs as well. Merlins Cave is below.


This photo of Tintagel Castle is courtesy of TripAdvisor