By Jane Knight (Trustee)
Chesil Beach leading to Portland
It was an auspicious start to the Pilgrims Weekend. The sun was shining brightly as three Gatekeeper Trustees, namely Angela, Charlotte and myself, descended on to Portland, meeting up within 15 minutes of each other from Sussex, Devon and Staffordshire. Fellow trustee Mike and Vivian joined us later from Manchester having travelled the furthest distance.
I planned to make the most of the long weekend as it was the first time this year I had come together with fellow pilgrims. Some people I had met before, some remotely over zoom, but most people were new to me. As always with fellow pilgrims it’s as if we were all old friends. Local people who were not part of Gatekeeper but who had been invited by one of our hosts, Hannah Sofaer, commented on the welcoming and supportive energies. A number commented on how they didn’t know what to expect but were drawn to extend their time with us and tarry a while longer. I certainly felt this pull to soak up the nurturing atmosphere.
The Drill Hall
Angela and I were staying at the Drill Hall where the talks would be held on the Saturday so we walked through the cavernous space full of fossils, rocks and lots of items of interest so we could unpack the food shopping and organise ourselves as best we could. It was really hard not to get distracted with all the fascinating displays and indeed with Hannah being in the kitchen too I had to drag myself away from a fascinating discussion to the business end of organising to make sure our pilgrims would be nourished through the day.
250 million years
Angela and I were meeting up with Sarah (Dawkins) and Andrew (Clark) at the Heights Hotel for them to prepare for the following day’s celebration. Angela was our inspiration and driver for this wonderful project and to date only she and Charlotte from Gatekeeper had visited the stones. Sarah, Andrew and I were equally impressed with the memory stones and our own special Gatekeeper Stone. We traced the path we would be taking the next day from the Drill Hall and across to the start of the walk through the green corridor and up to the stones. We made our way up to the memory stone with, for me, a sense of reverence. This did indeed feel like an important moment.
Taking our time to let the surroundings and atmosphere permeate and explore at close quarters the stones, I certainly felt as if it was almost a moment out of time where we could begin or in Angela’s case continue to build our relationship with the stones and all their individualities. I felt rather in awe of the magnitude of the project which brought so many different elements and interests and indeed passions together.
St George’s Church, Easton
That evening nine of us met in a reserved room at the George Inn, a Grade II-listed 18th-century pub within the village of Easton at the west end of the hamlet of Reforne. Angela told us about the nearby St George’s Church. Unfortunately it was dark by the time we emerged from the pub so I have marked up mentally that the church is a place to visit on my next visit to Portland.
On the Saturday morning we gathered for a talk by Hannah with additional information from Paul Crabtree introducing the work of the Tout Quarry Nature Reserve and Sculpture Park and talking us through the fascinating geology of the stone samples and how they had each formed.
This was followed by presentations by Gary Biltcliffe and Roma Harding about Portland and the surrounding countryside. Those who wished to walk round the areas described had signed up for the walks on the Sunday and Monday. We were in a smaller room for the slide show as the main space was too light for the screen to be seen clearly. For me this seemed to amplify all the energies and I found myself zoning in and out. I find I do this when in powerful groups whether over zoom or in physical gatherings. I always feel as if Spirit just says ok we’ve got some work for you to do while you’re watching and listening and off I go! I suspect others reading this will have similar experiences.
The Gatekeeper Stone
In the afternoon we made our pilgrimage from the Drill Hall across into the Quarry. Sarah and Andrew set the scene and focused us as Gatekeepers asking permission to enter. We walked in single file at first then were able to spread out into the quarry.
Bob the Butterfly man then pointed out various points of interest and we all looked out keenly for the Gatekeeper butterfly. Eventually our positive vibes and persistence paid off as we finally spotted a Gatekeeper butterfly who even stayed long enough for us to take a photo. We walked through the archway under the old rail track bridge and up to the Gatekeeper Stone. Andrew read out a beautiful poem which Angela had written to honour the stone and we all took our time to connect with the stone before moving up to the memory stones.
Explaining the Memory Stones
Hannah and Paul had arranged for chairs to be taken from the Drill Hall up to the stones so that we could sit down as well as stand. Peter (Dawkins) set the scene then Sarah led us through some paneurhythmy movements so even novices like me could follow in a circle and join in.
What struck me as really interesting was that there were a few people who were by the stones when we arrived. Some chose to move on when we began our celebration while others asked if they could join in. A man and two women joined in with our circle and thanked us afterwards.
Paneurythmy
They had a white dog with them who lay curled up on a blanket at the foot of a stone and within the circle while we processed round.
When we had finished, the people asked who we were and what we were doing. They were going to look at joining as they had really enjoyed it. I mentioned how important it was to have the dog there. In all my years of being in the land my dogs have always been an integral part of my experiences. They naturally hold the space and ground it, I believe. Some of my dogs have definitely known what they have been doing whilst others have followed the lead of the humans or experienced dog or just behaved in their usual instinctive way.
Singing with Andrew
Andrew completed our ceremony with some wonderful singing alongside the stones. It was a truly fitting and magical welcome to our relationship with the stones and especially the Gatekeeper Stone.
That evening a group of us met up for a meal at the Heights Hotel where several were staying. Again there was the perspective of looking out from the high point and seeing the coastline as it lit up as darkness approached and as the moon became visible later.
Hannah & Butterfly
The next morning some of us gathered for stone carving. We each chose our offcuts to carve. It left me with a huge respect for the skills of stone carvers. With help from Hannah who drew the butterfly motif for me on my chosen stone I managed to complete the carving to my satisfaction. It’s now by my front door at home welcoming people into my space. I also managed to bring some Portland stone back with me unintentionally. I noticed when I got home that I must have caught some stone as I maneuvered in the Drill Hall car park as I had a white covering on the arch of my front driver’s bumper. Oops!
Setting off on Gary’s Walk
In the afternoon some stayed on to complete their carvings whilst others joined Gary and Caroline for a walk round Portland. We all discovered more than we would ever have seen, had we come as tourists. It was a beautiful afternoon as we took our time to visit Rufus Castle and the ruins of St Andrew’s Church. Gary pointed out features like fossils incorporated into garden walls and fossilised trees. Again there was so much to take in that it certainly warrants another visit.
Abbey Farm flower beds
On Monday morning a group met in Abbotsbury where Roma was leading us. First we walked along the path from the car park past the church (which we visited on our way back) and on to the priory ruins. From that vantage point we looked over the Abbey Farm flower beds, where you can pick your own flowers or buy already bunched flowers, up towards the ruined St Catherine’s Chapel standing proud on the nearby hill. Alas there was no time to walk up this time but I always think it’s rather nice to leave some reason for you to return for another pilgrimage.
Feeding the swans
From there we travelled to the Swannery. This is the world’s only managed colony of mute swans. Having for the last 30 years lived by the River Teme near Ludlow, a disused branch of the Shropshire Union Canal and now the Trent-Mersey Canal I am used to pairs of mute swans and their offspring for much of the year being very territorial with fellow swans and walkers and especially dogs who get too close.
The swans are quick to hiss and flap their wings in warning and disapproval if anyone displeases them. So to see the hundreds of swans co-existing seemed almost miraculous.
Pond looking over to the Church
We had ambled from the car park to gather at 12 noon for the first of the two scheduled feedings. Was there an ancient call from the swanherd to draw all the swans to the feeding station? It turned out to be a loud, sing-song call of “Come and get it!” It worked. With a very informative commentary about the swannery children were invited to enter the hallowed ground and feed the swans too. The invitation was opened up to adults once all the children had had their go (quite rightly). This was not an opportunity to be missed. Throwing scoops of feed to the masses of swans was fabulous, bringing one into such close proximity with these regal creatures.
From the swannery Roma took us up to the nearby Abbotsbury Iron Age hillfort where on a very windy but by then sunny day we were able to look back at Portland and over Chesil Beach to see it from a different perspective.
Iron Age Hillfort
Looking over the English Channel and with its panoramic views it was easy to see why in its day it was a front line of defence from invasion. I hadn’t been aware till I subsequently checked its history that it had been occupied by the Celtic Durotriges tribe who had abandoned it when the Romans invaded in AD 43. Coming from North East Wales originally and feeling very much of the Celtic tribe myself, although unaware of it at the time, this was obviously a form of homecoming.
Indeed from there I made my way home to Staffordshire. As is often the case my Satnav took me back a different route to which I had come, namely cross country up to the M32 by Bristol. On the way I’d travelled via the M5 down to near Bridgwater. As usual I decided to follow the Satnav instructions and threaded my way seemingly along weird and wonderful routes through the Dorset countryside which in all fairness mostly kept me away from what had become peak time queues. On reaching the A37 I then followed a straight road up to Bristol ... that is until Satnav inexplicably indicated I should turn left off a clear straight A road on to a narrow country lane without any signpost.
I followed and then the Satnav was indicating that after a mile or so I would come to a roundabout and turn back 180 degrees ... as the Cheshire Cat would say, “Curiouser and curiouser.” However having had similar experiences before with Satnav taking me supposedly random routes which then turn out to be significant, on the way to my turnaround point I passed on my right a sign for Tout Quarry ... the same name as the Portland Quarry. It was as if I was being guided to return to Tout. Maybe there are other messages which have not yet been revealed to me but I’m happy to comply with returning to Portland. Maybe it will become an annual event.
