There is a magic and mystery about Glastonbury that tugs at my spirit.
When going there I still get excited when we near the town.
My first glimpse of the Tor fills me with joy and well being.
It isn't a place I would like to live, that would spoil the magic.
I need to visit.
I need to sit in the Chalice Well Gardens and feel my connection to the land and the elements found there.
I need to take the waters and to dip my feet in the healing pool.
I feel my mind and body synchronising with my surroundings.
It isn't a way I could live all the time either.
Too balanced.
We need the peaks and the troughs. It is what makes us human.
These balancing sessions help to make sense of it all.
A breathing space.
I have travelled to many places in this country over the years but Glastonbury is always the first place I choose when I am asked where would you like to spend a few days?
3 nights, 4 days is enough. Most times we go for 2 nights and 3 days. Any more would spoil it ,any less would be frustrating. I need that time to get into the Glastonbury time line. It works differently to the rest of the UK.
It is a gradual unwinding, a deep breath or two and then I'm there.
This last time we visited Wells , I haven't been there for many years and Mr Mog has never been there.
The cathedral and grounds are lovely but what a rip off.
I am sure I never paid last time I went, mind that is over 20 years ago.
I must admit I did feel like quoting the Bible at them. Money changers etc.
Firstly we were confronted with signs and several people asking for a "suggested" donation of £5.50 each to visit.
No I didn't pay it, house of god etc, why pay to visit there? The church is more than wealthy enough to pay upkeep.
It didn't get any better.
If you wanted to take photos it was £3 for a permit. Why? What upkeep is there from visitors taking photos?
I didn't pay that either.
Cathedral is ok, some very nice stonework to be seen but £14 worth? I don't think so.
I then wanted to show Mr Mog the actual well and the bishop's palace gardens. Yes you've guessed they wanted an additional £5.50 each to go in there.
So we didn't.
Can you imagine if you were visiting with 2 or 3 children? The cost even before you purchased drinks or food would be horrendous.
Wells itself was lovely but very busy and mainly full of foreign visitors. Maybe that is what made the church authorities start charging, the thought of all that foreign loot:)
We did find a great cycle shop for Mr Mog to browse in and that is always good in his book.
After coffee we decided to take the bus back to Glastonbury and I certainly won't be visiting Wells cathedral again in a hurry.
4 comments:
Last September when we were in England, Wells Cathedral and Bishop's Palace Gardens was on our tour itinery too but when that afternoon came, we were tired and just stayed in Glastonbury instead. Sounds like we made a good decision.
The one and only time I visited Wells it was the for Association's exhibition a few years ago, and we were gobsmacked that a place that charged entry fees was regarded as suitable! Lovely place, but as you say, moneychangers....
I love Glastonbury too, and will be visiting in passing on my was back from Bodmin in a month's time. I love standing on the Tor and looking out, imagining it all flooded as it once was.
In other countries, there is often one price for nationals, and another, higher, for tourists. Time that started over here methinks.
That said, in this country, we rarely go to anything that isn't NT, EH or RHS because we purchased life memberships to all of those years ago, as/when we had a few quid to spare, and they were comparatively cheap. Free entry forever!
One of the best gifts that can be given for a special occasion is a membership to one of those organisations, I think. I wish more people would give 18 or 21 year olds such things - the recipients would probably hate it at the time, but love it when they were older!
Happy Birthday!
I remember having an argument about the same thing at York Minster some years ago. I said I would only offer a donation after I'd walked around and then only what I felt was appropriate. The guide could not or would not see my point of view but when questioned directly admitted that he could not stop me from entering. I wandered around and left a donation on my way out ~ 1p.
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