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June, my sister and I went to Shapwick Heath yesterday, home of wooden tracks crossing the marshiness 5700 years ago. Being amongst all the water is so soothing. Dappled light coming through the stunted trees, reflections on the water, frogs plopping in, such a contrast with the burning conditions outside. I know it's not a spring, but perhaps there was a similar air of watery weirdness and stillness there, closeness to nature. I don't think that's just my judgement - it's quite near glastonbury so you might expect it, but there were more than a handful of hippyish women mooching around looking a bit spaced out!. I don't think they were there for the birds :) There was the most surreal huge lake covered in lilypads, an amazing sight. And we saw a marsh harrier and a bittern. I'm getting off the subject here. It'd be quite a trek for you but if you ever get the chance to go, it's definitely got an ancient squishy vegetationy vibe, I thoroughly recommend.

Rhiannon wrote:
June, my sister and I went to Shapwick Heath yesterday, home of wooden tracks crossing the marshiness 5700 years ago. Being amongst all the water is so soothing. Dappled light coming through the stunted trees, reflections on the water, frogs plopping in, such a contrast with the burning conditions outside. I know it's not a spring, but perhaps there was a similar air of watery weirdness and stillness there, closeness to nature. I don't think that's just my judgement - it's quite near glastonbury so you might expect it, but there were more than a handful of hippyish women mooching around looking a bit spaced out!. I don't think they were there for the birds :) There was the most surreal huge lake covered in lilypads, an amazing sight. And we saw a marsh harrier and a bittern. I'm getting off the subject here. It'd be quite a trek for you but if you ever get the chance to go, it's definitely got an ancient squishy vegetationy vibe, I thoroughly recommend.
An evocative piece of writing Rhiannon, I have never been but have just been reading up on it ...
https://avalonmarshes.org/explore/nature-reserves/shapwick-heath/
I see orchids are found there too. Recently bought Jon Dunn's 'Orchid Summer' for Friend so may suggest a day trip.

Saw a wonderful spring/well near Clonmel on trip to the Burren last month. Called St Patrick's Well with all sorts of early christian and pre-christian folk lore attached to it. Quite astonishing as the water was naturally carbonated - never actually seen that before.
http://www.megalithicireland.com/St%20Patrick's%20Holy%20Well,%20Clonmel,%20Tipperary.html