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The Norse warriors are re-staking their claim on York with a mammoth Viking Festival this week. The whole city comes under Viking reign with encampments, a parade, feasts, sword fighting, mead, folk music, storytelling, shows, crafts, markets and more.
There is a Viking strong man competition along with best beard contest but the spotlight this year will be on warrior women. All this is culminating with a battle spectacular on Saturday night.
You can smell the apples before you can see them at the New Forest Cider Making Weekend. Everywhere you look apples are being squashed by hand presses with good old graft as power, enormous steam powered contraptions and everything in between. Live music and cider in every form – this is how country fairs should be!
There are few places more magical than sunrise at Stonehenge. Standing there as others would have 5000 years ago, watching the same sun rise up between the stones – it doesn’t get more atmospheric than that.
Spring Equinox marks the point in the year when the hours of light and dark are equal – a time of balance. But from now on the daylight will gradually overcome the darkness – warmer, longer days are finally on their way! We like to celebrate by climbing up to the highest hill around, greeting the sun and hurling our eggs into the distance – then on for cake!
Mid-January makes it hard to get outside. The days for the most part are cold, grey and wet, so the thought of cider, warm apple crumble and shrieking with abandon to rid our trees of evil spirits made getting out all the easier!
We have just come back from a wonderful long weekend of Norse fun at the Jorvik Viking Festival in York. Thor did not bring any thunder… I am not sure if that means he was happy or sad? I for one was very happy with the sun beaming down and the lack of raging storms. The whole event was brilliant. If you have even the slightest interest in vikings (or the amazing History Channel’s series) I would recommend you go. Also, if like me you have a thing for grubby, long haired sweaty men with a penchant for natural fibres you will be in heaven….or valhalla!