When I ask people to think of Glastonbury, they always associate it with music, mud and madness. When I tell people I've been to Glastonbury, they always assume I mean the festival. In actual fact, I've never been to Glastonbury Festival (which actually takes place in a farmer's field just outside Glastonbury in another village). Instead, for the last 6 years, I have visited Glastonbury, the place. Glastonbury is a wonderful, spiritual town that is often overlooked, yet it offers so much more than people think.
HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
Glastonbury is full of history and is the proud parent of several magical monuments. Firstly, there is the Glastonbury Tor. The Tor is much more to the inhabitants and visitors of Glastonbury than just a Tor. The mound has carried with it myths and legends right back from Neolithic times and once at the top, you can really feel the buzzing atmosphere it has built up over the centuries. It is a bit of a climb to get to the top, which wouldn't really be suited to the older generation, but is well worth it so you can see the views and experience the magic you can feel up there.
Another wonderful place to visit in Glastonbury is the Chalice Well. The well is one of the oldest holy wells in Britain that is still used today. The well was used right back in prehistoric times and has been in constant use ever since.
The atmosphere in the Chalice Well Gardens is relaxing and inspirationally spiritual. You can also drink and take away as much natural spring water from the gardens as you want. It is all perfectly safe!! It only costs around £3 to enter the grounds of the well, and the ticket lasts for the whole day, so you can go back as many times as you want. Well worth the price.
Glastonbury Abbey stands proudly in the centre of Glastonbury. It attracts visitors from around the world and has been a sacred site for visitors and pilgrims. The Abbey comes hand in hand with a museum and is also surrounded by beautiful grounds, containing an ornamental lake and lily pond, herb gardens, trees, wildflowers and an orchard.
EVENTS
As well as the Glastonbury festival, Glastonbury runs several other festivals for different people of different ages.
There's the Goddess Festival which celebrates femininity and female sexuality. It lasts for around four days and consists of parades, meetings, workshops and many other events. Additonally there is a Children's Festival which provides a few days of fun for all the kids. Both of these occur during the summer months, between July and September.
SHOPS
Glastonbury is home to some of the most unusual shops in England. Almost every shop (except for Woolworths, the newsagents and the chemist basically) is alternative, unique and quaint.
Bookshops - There are several bookshops in Glastonbury, the Speaking Tree probably being the most dominant. This lovely little shop specialises in books of an esoteric manner and concentrates on the "mind, body and spirit". You can find anything from books about goddesses, famous philosophers and animal rights, to spells, massage and crystal healing. The Speaking Tree is my favourite bookshop in Glastonbury, if not in the country, primarliy because of the types of books it sells.
Giftshops - Giftshops seem to dominate Glastonbury's highstreet, but are also used by the locals for mystical supplies. You'll find a brilliant array of jewellery, vampy clothes, crystals, trinkets, unusual objects, instruments, insence and much more in most of the shops in Glastonbury. Each shop also has it's own theme ranging from Goddess supplies to Buddhist music which leads for a very informative and interesting shopping trip.
Also, there is a street market once a week in the main street which is very good indeed.
PLACES TO EAT
Because of it's alternative attitudes, almost every eatery in Glastonbury is vegetarian. I myself am a vegetarian, so am obviously very please by this, but if you are a meat eater, don't let that put you off. Two of my favourite places to eat in Glastonbury are Rainbow's End café and Blue Note café. Rainbow's End specialises in good, hearty, rustic vegetarian and vegan food. The portions are large and the food is flavoursome. Even the smell of the place leaves your mouth watering. The people are friendly and there is ample seating. Blue Note sells less traditional but still gorgeous vegetarian food. The place is well decorated and even has a lovely courtyard to sit in in the summer, adorned with flowers and love aplenty. The food and drink prices are slightly lower in Blue Note than Rainbows End, but both are brilliant value for money and provide great service.
If Vegetarian food isn't your thing, there's other places you can eat. Including a fish restaurant, quaint local pub and your trustworthy takeaways.
ACCOMMODATION
Glastonbury has several small B&Bs and also a large hotel on the outskirts, which are all pleasant, but the best place to stay has to be the Isle of Avalon campsite. The campsite is situated just down a little country lane and is surrounded by beautiful fields, which mean you can enjoy country walks in the evenings. It is also only a 10 minute walk from the town which is a bonus. The amenities are the best I have ever seen in any campsite in England, and I've been to loads. They are always clean and very large, with enough showers, toilets, washrooms and sinks for everybody. The site has it's own little shop too which provides all camping essentials as well as food, drinks, treats and the odd toy or two. The campsite itself isn't huge, but can still fit a fair few tents on it. The people who work there and the people who camp there are always friendly, and the cost of staying at the Isle of Avalon campsite is well worth it (it costs about the average price you'd expect of a British campsite). I have stayed there 6 years in a row and have never been disappointed. I will definately be returning next summer too.
Overall, Glastonbury is a wonderful place, full of excitement, mystery and spirituality, so the next time you think of Glastonbury, don't think about the festival, think about the place itself and please consider visiting it.
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I;ve never been to the festival OR the town, but after reading your review, I definitely think the town sounds far more interesting than the festival! Great review. P x
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Advantages: Varied and interesting countryside with a wide range of towns villages. Disadvantages: conjested roads in summer , tends to close down in winter.
chrisyboy 23.06.2004 (27.06.2004)
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