England – a Spiritual Odyssey
A Magical Tour of Merlin’s Britain
from Stonehenge to Cornwall
June 6 – 15, 2023
Tour operated in cooperation with Gothic Image Tours
Our small group tour of sacred sites in England is a journey of self-discovery that opens you to an awareness of life’s possibilities.
Stonehenge and Avebury are highlights of our England tour of sacred sites. Avebury is first and a Stonehenge tour is last. On that day, we rise before dawn for our pilgrimage to this great megalithic temple.
Inside the circle, we hold a Druid ceremony to honour the land and the ancestors, and to celebrate the soul journey we have shared together.
Here’s how one of our spiritual pilgrims described the experience.
To be inside the circle at Stonehenge and experience the energy of that place was wonderful. Each one of us brought our own spiritual energy into the circle and left, inspired and grateful to have been together in that sacred space.
Highlights of your spiritual travel adventure include:
- Avebury and West Kennet long barrow
- Glastonbury – Chalice Well, the Tor, Glastonbury Abbey
- The giant hill fort of Cadbury/Camelot, believed to be the location of King Arthur’s Camelot Castle
- Tintagel and surrounding area – Tintagel Castle, Merlin’s Cave, St Nectan’s Glen
- Boscastle – Museum of Witchcraft and Magic
- South Cornwall – Boscowen-un stone circle, Merry Maidens stone circle, holy wells of Madron and Sancreed
- Stonehenge tour
- Tarot readings in sacred sites, which reveal insights into your own spiritual journey.
Your Hosts on This Journey:
Jamie George
Director of Gothic Image Tours, Jamie has been taking spiritual pilgrims on tours since the mid 1980s. “It’s been an honour to journey with so many interesting and inspiring people, helping them tune in to the history, mystery and magic of ancient sacred places, where every site has a story to tell. I imagine myself coming there for the first time, and if you put yourself in that position, all kinds of things can open up. For me, it’s a dance between memory and revelation. Some of the most memorable times are those when we’re just having fun. You find yourself laughing and joking because you’re opening up, you’re becoming much more at one with yourself and the land. Over the years, I’ve had the pleasure of organising this spiritual England tour many times and look forward to warmly welcoming you to this magical land.”
Linda Marson
A professional Tarot reader, teacher, video producer and founder of Global Spiritual Studies, Linda has been in a working partnership with Gothic Image Tours since 2013. “The Tarot cards tell a story about the universal human journey…from the big challenges in life to the mundane,” she says. “Travel is a way of life for me and those 78 cards are my favourite travel companions. Consulting the Tarot as you travel can yield amazing insights into stuff that’s going on in your life. Think of those cards as a GPS, one that puts you in the driver’s seat and alerts you to road blocks and shortcuts to where you want to be in your life.” During this mystical tour of Britain, Linda facilitates a process for using Tarot to explore the messages sacred sites and landscapes have for each person.
Your Tour Guests on this Journey:
Penny Billington is the editor of the magazine for the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD). She is an author who regularly speaks on all aspects of Druidry, and leads ceremonies and workshops in England and Europe. Her books include The Path of Druidry; walking The Ancient Green Way, a best-selling practical Druid study course and guide. She also wrote a series of Druid detective novels and contributes to books on Druidry, ancestral connections and meditative practice. For more information visit Penny’s website.
Arthur Billington is an honorary Chief Bard of OBOD, leading music workshops and playing at major events. As bluesman, ZZBIRMINGHAM, he plays clubs and festivals nationwide and presents the weekly Blues Cruise for Glastonbury FM radio. His latest CD, Kozmick, is a magical blues/Druid fusion
Paul Broadhust is one of Britain’s most original authors about the mysteries of ancient landscapes. He has written seven books, including The Sun and the Serpent. a classic work for anyone interested in Earth Mysteries. The dramatic coastline and legendary Cornish landscape where he lives with his partner Gabriele have inspired a number of books. These include The Secret Land which presents new discoveries about how the origins of the Arthurian myth can be traced back to ancient cosmology. Axis of Heaven: The Greenwich Meridian – Britain’s Secret Axis of Power reveals a new and previously unknown side to Britain’s history. He uncovers a secret concealed in the landscape, which influenced successive kings and queens throughout the ages. Click here to visit Paul’s website.
Steve Marshall was a professional musician and sound engineer for 30 years. But now, he is an independent researcher in the field of archaeology. Ten years of researching and photographing the Avebury landscape and monuments led to the publication in 2016 of his ground-breaking book, Exploring Avebury, the Essential Guide. New areas that Steve explored in depth, are sound and acoustics and the connection between the siting of prehistoric monuments and moving water. “I visited and recorded over fifty springs within a five mile radius of the Avebury Henge,” he says. “During the winter of 2012-13 when water levels were unusually high, I made significant discoveries around Avebury – notably that the great ditch surrounding Silbury Hill is lined with springs that supply most of its water. The springs had never been seen before.”
England Tour Itinerary
Day 1 – Tuesday, June 6: London to Amesbury (B,D)
Rendezvous at 12 noon – London Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5, Arrivals Building, ‘The South Meeting Point’ near Costa cafe. Transfer to coach. Lunch en route to Amesbury. Overnight: Amesbury.
Day 2 – Wednesday, June 7: To Glastonbury Area (B,D)
Today we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site and sacred landscape of Avebury, the perfect place for a brief ceremony to celebrate the start of our journey together. The henge, the largest stone circle in the world, has an imposing bank and ditch, and inner stone circles. We also view the largest artificial structure in Europe – the enigmatic Silbury Hill. Overnight: in or near Glastonbury.
Day 3 – Thursday, June 8: In Glastonbury Area (B,D)
We spend the day in Glastonbury, the Ancient Isle of Avalon with its intriguing blend of Christianity, Druidry and Arthurian legend. According to tradition, Joseph of Arimathea arrived with his 12 companions in 37AD, bringing the Chalice of the Last Supper or the Holy Grail. We visit the beautiful gardens of Chalice Well and drink deep of the well’s healing waters. Here is the legendary burial place of the Holy Grail. We climb the magnificent Tor hill with its three dimensional labyrinth. In this landscape, the veil between the worlds is thin, and we tune into its special energy through Tarot and meditation. Overnight in or near Glastonbury.
Day 4 – Friday, June 9: In Glatsonbury Area (B,D)
This morning we visit the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey – the ‘Holyest Earthe of England’. The Abbey is said to be King Arthur’s final resting place and a stone in his honour has been laid in the grounds. The afternoon is free for shopping, visiting other landmarks in the town such as St Margaret’s Chapel, a trip by public bus to Wells with its magnificent cathedral or just chilling out. Overnight in or near Glastonbury.
Day 5 – Saturday, June 10: To Tintagel (B,D)
Today we travel to North Cornwall, to Tintagel, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur. En route we visit the holy well and chapel of the Celtic St Clether, set in a beautiful valley with a bubbling stream and rocky outcrops. A place of rare peace and sanctity. We arrive in Tintagel in the early afternoon. Weather and tide permitting, we explore the ruins of Tintagel Castle, set on an island peninsula amid the rugged Cornish coastline. We descend to the awesome Merlin’s Cave, said to be haunted by the spirit of the great sage. We visit the fogou (iron-age underground ceremonial cave) and the King’s Inauguration Footprint, set in stone at the highest point of the island. Overnight in Tintagel.
Day 6 – Sunday, June 11: In Tintagel (B,D)
After breakfast we visit the enchanted fairy glen of St Nectan with its wonderful waterfall, kieve (initiation bowl), saint’s hermitage and chapel. Here is a precious nature site of outstanding beauty. We walk in silence to the waterfall, leaving ourselves free to tune into the energy of the water sprites, fairies and other elementals that inhabit the glen. According to legend, King Arthur and his knights found refreshment here. We then proceed to the lovely little fishing village of Boscastle for lunch. In the afternoon we visit the Museum of Witchcraft and Magic which houses the world’s oldest and largest collection of items relating to witchcraft, magic and the occult. Overnight in Tintagel.
Day 7 – Monday, June 12: In Tintagel (B,D)
After breakfast we embark on a day trip to south Cornwall and the little district of West Penwith with its stone circles, wayside shrines and holy wells. This is a day for crossing over into the otherworld through Tarot, ritual and meditation. We travel to Mount’s Bay where we view St Michael’s Mount. Onwards to the evocative stone circle of Boscowen-un (‘house of the elder tree’), secluded amongst bracken, with a central leaning pillar stone and a quartz stone with healing qualities. Next is the Merry Maidens stone circle, named after a group of girls caught dancing on the Sabbath by the Devil, who turned them to stone. In the afternoon, we visit the holy wells of Madron and Sancreed. We return to Tintagel for dinner and our last night in Cornwall. Overnight in Tintagel.
Day 8 – Tuesday, June 13 (B,D)
Today we travel to Amesbury. Our lunch stop is at the Oxenham Arms near Dartmoor, one of England’s oldest hostelries. A unique architectural feature of the building is the 5,000 year old standing stone that supports the ceiling! Our next stop is at the spectacular hill fort known as Cadbury/ Camelot – the likely site of King Arthur’s citadel. We walk the perimeter of the 21 hilltop acres that constitute the fort, which was an important defensive site for thousands of years, However, its charm lies in its links to the myth and legends of the Arthurian period. Here we are joined by our guests Penny and Arthur Billington. Overnight in Amesbury.
Day 9 – Wednesday, June 14: In Amsesbury (B,D)
We rise before dawn for a pilgrimage to the great temple of Stonehenge where we hold a Druid ceremony inside the circle of stones to honour the land, the ancestors and the end of our journey together. We return to the hotel for breakfast and more time with our guests until lunch. In the afternoon 
we enter the largest burial mound in Europe – West Kennet long barrow. Our guide is Steve Marshall, author of Exploring Avebury and creator of Avebury Soundscapes, an album of music inspired by sites in the Avebury landscape. At West Kennet long barrow, we listen to his composition, Bone Ceremony, which is an imaginary coming-of-age ceremony in the barrow, complete with an incantation to summon the ancestors. Overnight in Amesbury.
Day 10 – Thursday, June 15: (B)
After breakfast we depart for London Heathrow Airport for international, domestic flights and transfers. We arrive by 10am in time for flight departures from 1 pm onwards.
Please note: We reserve the right to vary the itinerary as necessary to provide the best possible experience under the circumstances prevailing at the time.
Tour includes:
- Quality, comfortable accommodation
- Coach travel
- Full English breakfasts and dinners each day
- Entrance fees
- Guide fees, taxes and gratuities (excl. driver)
- Plus protection by BMSJ’s $1,000,000 per traveler Errors & Omissions coverage
What to expect on the tour
We always spend a good amount of time at each site so that you benefit fully from the ambience and subtle magic of the experience. Ours are not ‘now you see it – now you don’t’ tours. Our focus is on experiencing the ‘spirit of place’ and the peculiar enchantment that each site offers, and learning something from it.
We visit inspiring locations where the ancient spirits of each place still reside. In addition, some of you will be returning to the homes of your ancestors. This can raise spiritual and emotional issues. On our tours we seek to build a supportive atmosphere, and your fellow travellers tend to be of a supportive and understanding disposition. At different sites that we visit, you will be given opportunity for reflection and peace. This inner dimension is what makes our tours especially memorable – a pilgrimage and nourishment for the soul.
The pace is not rushed. There are some areas where we climb steps or hills, but otherwise each site is easily accessible and within walking distance from the coach. Nevertheless, you will get some physical exercise!
The above video highlights places we visit on our small group guided tour of sacred sites in England, with commentary by people who made this journey in 2017. May their reflections inspire you to join us!
Please read the Terms and Conditions for this tour.
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PRICING
ALL INCLUSIVE PRICES FOR 10 DAYS (LAND ONLY)
Price Per Person
Double Occupancy: $3,179 by check or money order, $3,339 by credit card
Single Occupancy: $3,660 by check or money order, $3,849 by credit card
Special Discounts
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL DISCOUNT (if prepaid by December 31, 2022) Price Per Person
Double Occupancy: $3,059 by check or money order, $3,219 by credit card
Single Occupancy: $3,539 by check or money order, $3,719 by credit card
Deposit Schedule
FIRST NON-REFUNDABLE PAYMENT
(Due as soon as possible in order to ensure a place on the tour)
Per Person Double or Single Occupancy: $700 by check or money order, $735 by credit card
FINAL PAYMENT
BALANCES for payments (other than Early Bird reservation, in which the total balance is due in full by December 31, 2022) are due on or before April 6, 2023 as per your invoice.
All prices are in U.S. dollars.
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