Tintagel - how do I even GET there??

[morgane_snowy_owl]

Greetings!

I am Morgane (Sophie) and I live in Montreal. I am currently studying the bardic grade. I was recently inspired to plan a 2-3 week pilgrimage that would get me to Glastonbury for the Summer Solstice OBOD camp in 2012 (I plan to have finished the druidic grade around that time and it would be a lovely way to do a final initiation and rebirth).

So far, the plan is to walk/horseride this circuit: Bath - Avebury - Stonehenge - Salisbury - Cerne - Glastonbury.

The thing is, I would really LOVE to go to Tintagel and visit the area. I think the cheapest flight for me would be Montreal-London, but after that I need to go to Tintagel, and then travel to Bath and start the "walking/horseriding" part of the pilgrimage.

Any suggestions on the best ways to do that London-Tintagel/Tintagel-Bath trip? Thanks so much for your help guys!

Yours in the Peace of the Grove,

Morgane(Sophie)

[DaRC]

I'm guessing that you don't want to drive there - so the best way would probably be to get the train to Newquay, then get the bus to Tintagel:
From London:
From Paddington station take First Great Western to Cornwall which stops at all the principal stations throughout Cornwall including: Liskeard, St. Austell, Truro, Redruth, Penzance.

From London Heathrow
Take the Rail-Air link bus to "Reading", Reading is a city 40 Miles south-west of London. From Reading you can take a train to Cornwall, which stops at all the principal stations throughout Cornwall.

From London Gatwick:
Take train to Reading and connect with First Great Western to Cornwall which stops at all the principal stations throughout Cornwall including: Liskeard, St. Austell, Truro, Redruth, Penzance.
(from http://www.intocornwall.com/travel.asp)

[DaRC]

double post

[morgane_snowy_owl]

THANK YOU for the quick reply! You've covered the first part in details and that's amazing (I guess I'll land at Heathrow)! What station in Cornwall should I get off? I read somewhere that Truro was a good pick, but do you know a better one?

And I guess I would do the exact same route to get from Tintagel to Bath... does the Reading train stop there too? Just asking; I can obviously check the Reading train station on the net...

Thanks for your help!

Sophie

[skh]

Hi,

I found this web site rather useful:

http://visitbritain.transportdirect.info/Web2/Home.aspx

Once you found out which local company runs the bus and train services you need, you can use their web sites too. For First Great Western this would be http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/.

Reading is really close to London, and Bath is really close to Bristol, so Cornwall->Reading->Bath would be quite a detour. I never got further than Glastonbury though (bus 376 from Bristol, another bus from Bath but you wanted to walk that part anyway ) so I actually have no clue.

Oh, and if you want to go to camp, real week-long camp with tents in the wilderness, check http://www.camps.druidry.org/. The gatherings in Glastonbury are much shorter, in the middle of the town, and allegedly more formal / civilized. Don't underestimate Druids' partying though.

peace /|\
Sonja

[skh]

... and you find a map of all First Great Western train lines here: http://www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk/RouteMap.aspx

hope that helps,

peace /|\
Sonja

[Corwen]

Walking the route you suggest would be relatively easy, if you have enough time, but riding long distances is trickier here as although the footpath network is quite extensive there are less bridleways and riding any distance on roads in the countryside is very dangerous, even the narrowest bendiest roads have 60 mph speed limits which some people seem to think is a challenge rather than a maximum. Are you joining an organised pony trek or something?

Have you planned your route already? If I were walking your route I would follow the Kennet and Avon canal towpath between Bath and Devizes,then pick up the Wessex Ridgeway which goes from there to Avebury. Following the route of the Sarsen Trail will get you to Stonehenge. I'm not sure how you'd get from Stonehenge to Cerne via Salisbury, I'd have to look at a map, but if you got back on the Wessex Ridgeway south west of Salisbury that will take you all the way to Cerne Abbas. Again I'm not sure of the best way from there to Glastonbury as I've never walked to Glastonbury, but if you like I can have a look at a map, I've got most of the walkers maps for this area.

If you go that way you'll pass very close to us as the Wessex Ridgeway goes through Cranborne Chase just a few miles away, so get in touch and we can meet for lunch or something, though we are too far off your route for you to camp here, unless you are prepared to break your pilgrim vow and get in a car .

[morgane_snowy_owl]

Hi Corwen and Sonja!

Thank you so much for giving me all this info, it's really helpful!!

Sonja:
Now that you mention it, I realize that the Solstice celebrations and the Camps must be a different experience. And yes, I would definitely prefer something that takes place in the wilderness. Where is the summercamp usually held? I've taken the time to read the material on the OBOD website but although there are many testimonies, I didn't find more formal info. From what I understand from the testimonies, the food is provided, there are rituals, shows, workshops, people running around stark naked, costumes, fairs, people sleep in their own tent... how does it work? Do you pay for a subscription and automatically gain access to all the activities?

What I'm looking for, by doing this pilgrimage and spending time with fellow OBODs during a gathering, is to connect with the community, experience things and go through an initiation (are those possible?), get tatooed as a formal affirmation of my engagement and devotion to the spiritual path I have chosen, all this to give some closure to my progression through the gwers (the formal/structured part of the learning process) and find an answer to the "now what?" question I'll be asking myself at the time... so that I can come back to Montreal and know where I'm going and what I want to do in the druidic path and way of life (broaden my practice and learning to other druidic paths, start offering my services as a druidess in the pagan community, officially become a spiritual psychologist, and so on).

So does that sound more "summer camp" or "Glastonbury Summer Solstice" to you?

Thanks for the great links, I'll couple that with Corwen's amazing suggestions and see what I can make of it all!

Corwen,
The horseback part of the project is the craziest bit... Because I would have to find a way to rent a horse, find bridleways, find where we would spend the night along the way, and find a way to give the horse back. Crazy. So I really don't know how it might work, but I'm brainstorming right now and I don't want to abandon the idea just yet. I just found it was a lovely way to connect with the shamanic aspect of druidry and my own heritage (being half quebecker), which I have not been interested in up until now. I've found a couple of amazing organized treks in Cornwall, the landscape seems just breathtaking, so that might be the option I choose. After all, I've given myself two years to save money for the trip! I'll be able to afford that... I think! By the way, lol, ponies are not an option, I'm just over 6' tall, with very long legs! The poor poney would have to cope with my feet dragging on the ground!

Your directions are a pure blessing, thank you so much! I still haven't bought any walker's map because I have just started formally planning the trip... yesterday! For now, I'll look up your directions on Google maps and the net, maybe I can find a walkers association or something that shows intersting circuits. Once I know what roads I take, and how that translates into stops (I'll aim for 25-30 kms each day, with pauses to take enough time to visit properly), I'll be able to look for places to sleep (something tells me I should expect rain if I travel in the UK... mmmmmmmmh!!!!)

Still debating about Cerne Abbas. Do you think it's worth it? I mean, given that you can't really access the site... I'm curious and open, but not passionate about it like I'm passionate about the Tor, the Chalice Well, and Stonehenge. So if you think it's easier to plan the circuit without that detour, I'm open to your suggestions. And yes, of COURSE, I'll be happy to have lunch with a fellow OBOD, you can be sure I'll keep you posted.

Okay, enough babbling for now... time to do some net surfing!

Morgane (Sophie)

[morgane_snowy_owl]

whoops one more thing! It will reassure my husband...

Would you guys say it's relatively safe to be travelling/camping alone on these roads?

Thanks,

Morgane

[skh]

Sonja:
Now that you mention it, I realize that the Solstice celebrations and the Camps must be a different experience. And yes, I would definitely prefer something that takes place in the wilderness. Where is the summercamp usually held? I've taken the time to read the material on the OBOD website but although there are many testimonies, I didn't find more formal info. From what I understand from the testimonies, the food is provided, there are rituals, shows, workshops, people running around stark naked, costumes, fairs, people sleep in their own tent... how does it work? Do you pay for a subscription and automatically gain access to all the activities?

What I'm looking for, by doing this pilgrimage and spending time with fellow OBODs during a gathering, is to connect with the community, experience things and go through an initiation (are those possible?), get tatooed as a formal affirmation of my engagement and devotion to the spiritual path I have chosen, all this to give some closure to my progression through the gwers (the formal/structured part of the learning process) and find an answer to the "now what?" question I'll be asking myself at the time... so that I can come back to Montreal and know where I'm going and what I want to do in the druidic path and way of life (broaden my practice and learning to other druidic paths, start offering my services as a druidess in the pagan community, officially become a spiritual psychologist, and so on).

So does that sound more "summer camp" or "Glastonbury Summer Solstice" to you?

I haven't been to a camp yet, but I believe that the Summer Gathering in Glastonbury is much too short for what you are looking for.

For information on camps these threads may be helpful:

viewtopic.php?f=35&t=35238
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=36114

... and probably others, if you browse through the OBOD Camps & Festivals forum:

viewforum.php?f=35

peace /|\
Sonja

[katie bridgewater]

Still debating about Cerne Abbas. Do you think it's worth it?

Well now, that all depends on what you do when you're up there...say no more... ...

[ElementalBeing]

Hi, we live about 20 miles from Tintagel, and know the area well.

You need to take the train to Bodmin Road station. Then it is either 2 bus journeys or a taxi (depending on funds) to get to Tintagel.

There is a Youth hostel at Tintagel, or a range of more expensive options in Tintagel or Boscastle. While in the area, it is well worth visiting Boscastle and St. Nectans Glen and waterfall. (My wife's photo in the Eisteddfod competition will give you an idea of the glen.)

If you keep in touch, we would happily come and rescue you if you get lost or stranded.

Blessings and light,

Richard & Nikki

[morgane_snowy_owl]

Still debating about Cerne Abbas. Do you think it's worth it?

Well now, that all depends on what you do when you're up there...say no more... ...

LOL yeah..... wellllll, THAT happened the first time I visited Brocéliande forest, and right after my whole life was turned upside down because I discovered paganism, so I hear you! Unfortunately, hubby will not come with me on that pilgrimage, he is not interested in spirituality at all.

[morgane_snowy_owl]

Hi, we live about 20 miles from Tintagel, and know the area well.

(...)

If you keep in touch, we would happily come and rescue you if you get lost or stranded.

THANK YOU so much Richard and Nikki for your wonderful post! You can be sure I'll keep in touch when the moment comes! (we're talking 2012 after all) I'll make sure I add Boscastle and St. Nectans Glen and waterfall to the journey. Thanks for the info, planning the train and bus will be a breeze now.

Peace and Friendship,

Morgane(Sophie)

[wolf560]

We walked Tintagel in December 2005..... and it was truly remarkable.
Since you are in the area, I would suggest Avebury Ring as well.

I'm sure you will go to Stonehenge, but dont forget to visit Woodhenge nearby as well as Old Sarum in nearby Salisbury. There is a very nice Pub and Restaurant within walking distance of Old Sarum that I highly recommend as well.