1991 Glastonbury visits

My 1991 Glastonbury visits, the early 90's were the time I went most often each year (though I usually manage 4-5 times a year now)! These entries were my written diary entries from the time, and once again this is a copy of the entry on my web site

Mon 4th Feb 1991, visit 7

"Set out to go to Glastonbury for an overnight visit- but it turned out to be just for the day! I was in Bristol by 9 due to getting earlier trains than planned and as a consequence got the 10.02 bus, arriving at 11.15. I went to the guest house, but no-one was in, so I went back to Pandora and had lunch in Rainbow's End, baked potato, salad and tea. Then I went back to the guest house but still no-one was in. So I went up the Tor  (I had it all to myself) and to the Chalice Well gardens. Then IO decided to do the shops, then come home. So that is what I did. Isis now has a new room of Phillipa Bowers' figures, &Albion Gallery now has a new shop, and there is a new handmade shoe shop. I bought lots as usual. Got the 4.17 bus and 6.15 train and was home- exhausted- at about 8. I now know I can go there for the day. There was snow about but not at Glastonbury"

This was the first time I went on my own. I was supposed to be going with a friend but she was ill and not able to go. As well as having the Tor all to myself I also had the gardens all to myself. There was only one bus an hour to and from Bristol in 1991, they are half hourly now. I bought mainly cards, lots of them! I still have them all, I keep my visionary art and unicorn cards in scrapbooks and have accumualated quite a few over the years.

I had the Tor all to myself!

Thur 28th March 1991, visit 8

I was staying with a friend who lives in London and who I have now lost touch with. I stayed with her on the Wednesday night and we drove down to Glastonbury for  the day via Stonehenge.

"We were all up early so we left at 8. We went to Stonehenge first and walked around- you can't get near the stones though, and looked in the shop. Then we went on to Glastonbury. We arrived about 11.30. We did some of the shops, then stopped for lunch, then did the rest of the shops. Then we went to the Abbey ruins and spent quite a bit of time there. Then to the Chalice Well and I went up the Tor. I meditated for a bit up there. We left about 4.30".

I bought lots of cards, a lovely embroidered turquoise skirt which I wish I still had, silver jewellery, and books. Peter Pracownik was in his shop, Albion Gallery and I bought some of his cards which he signed. It was a lovely spring day.

Drinking well water at the Lion's Head

Friday 19th July 1991, Visit 9

"Had my long awaited day in Glastonbury. Had to get up at 5.30am  to get a bus from home at 6.30 but I got the 9.02 bus from Bristol so was in Glastonbury at 10.15. Went up Wearyall Hill first and had it all to myself, then to the Tor and Chalice Well. I started shopping just after 12 and took 3 hours over the shops! I spent my birthday money on a unicorn. Had pizza and salad for lunch in Rainbow's end. When I had finished shopping I went to the Abbey ruins and wandered round there, very peaceful. I got thr 4.15 bus 6.15 train and was home at 8.15. It was a lovely day except weatherwise".

I looked forward to this day for about a month before hand. My trips really had become pilgrimages by then. I took two films, in those days it seemed a lot to take 72 photos on one day (these days I can take a couple of hundred easily, I love digital photography!). It wa a cloudy day, and cool but that didn't really matter. I bought lots of cards as usual, the unicorn was a unicorn colt which is really sweet, and I bought a Phillipa Bowers sculpture, Ceridwen- I love her work.

Sat 12th Oct 1991, visit 10

"Went to my spiritual home (ie Glastonbury) with Charlotte. We left at 8.15 and stopped at 9.30 at Avebury for 20 minutes, we were going to have tea but the restaurant wasn't open. We got to G;astonbury at 11.30. We went in some of the shops before lunch. Phillipa Bowers new shop, "The Goddess and the Green Man" is lovely. We had lunch in Rainbow's End (pasta and salad) then went round the rest of the shops until 3.30. Then we went round the Abbey ruins and to the Chalice Well and Tor. I took some photos of the insides of shops and the shadow of the Tor. The well house tea shop at the foot of the Tor had reopened and has a crystal shop. We left about 5.45 and got home about 8.15. It was a lovely day and Charlotte enjoyed it and says she will go back".

The White Spring was open the first time I went to Glastonbury but then it closed for a while. The tea shop and little shop there were open for a few years. I bought mainly cards, plus a pair of black trousers with patches all over them. We drove the pretty way via Avebury, Devizes, Frome, Trowbridge and Shepton Mallet. (I don't drive which is why a lot of my trips are by public transport).

I lost touch with Charlotte, but in 2009 we got back in touch again and now meet a couple of times a year along with our mutual friend Prudence.

Me in Rainbow's end

Sun on the Tor and the shadow of the Tor

Me at the Chalice Well

Fri 20th Dec 1991, visit 11

"My alarm went at 5! Got up that early to go to Glastonbury. I got a taxi at 6, was in Didcot by 6.30, Bristol at 8.30 and Glastonbury at 10.15. Went to Wearyall Hill first to see the thorn but had to abandon the attempt as it was too windy! Went to the Abbey and took lots of photos then did some shopping. Had pizza and salad in Rainbow's end, then did the rest of the shops, got some lovely things as usual. Met Linda at 2 and and we went to the Chalice Well gardens. We didn't go up the Tor as the wind would have blown us off. We had tea at the white spring and a cat made friends. Left on the 4.20 bus and got home just after 8. Glastonbury was decorated a bit, and the thorn was in leaf (saw the one at the Abbey and in the churchyard)"

It was my first Christmas visit and it looked lovely there all decorated. It was very windy which is why I didn't attempt the Tor. I met Leonard Sleep, the then Guardian of he well at the Well. I bought a lot of things as usual, the most noticeable being an eggcup with a Holy Thorn leaf painted on it, and a model of the lid of the well which are still on my Glastonbury shelf. I also bought a black and gold Moon Goddess by Phillipa Bowers, she had made a small batch in black and gold which were beautiful.

Glastonbury Experience looking festive

Me at the White Spring Dec 91