Brython meet-up at Lydney Spring 2015

[lorna]

Thanks for your positive responses for a meet-up at Lydney. Again, here are the opening times:

Lydney Park Gardens

OPENING DAYS AND TIMES FOR 2016

Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holiday Mondays from

Sunday 27th March to Sunday 12th June

Opening times: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Tea rooms open: 11.00 am to 5.00 pm

1) We need to choose a Sunday between 27th March and 12th June.

2) We also need to put together a 'plan' for the day. As a rough outline I suggest:

* We should have a devotional focus - the most obvious choice would to be to spend some time at the temple of Nodens in meditation and perhaps do a small ritual either close to the site or in a discreter location. Whilst I think we should focus on honouring Nodens there was also a (headless) statue of a mother goddess found there associated with the pins offered for childbirth so I'd like to find a way of honouring her too. So any ideas towards this would be welcomed.

* We also need to do 'business' - we could do the more official stuff in the tea rooms. We probably need an agenda. I'm going to make some suggestions. Please add to them.

AGENDA

- The Future of the Brython Site
- Reaching a wider community
- Future print publications: Gwyn Devotional, Introduction to Brythonic Polytheism
- Brython Camp (suggested by Heron)

3) Do you think we should restrict this initial meeting to this core group or open it to the public with an ad on the front page of the Brython site and advertise it through our own blogs and social media? (I'm *attempting* to use twitter at the mo...)

[potia]

I'd be very surprised if Neil and I can make a gathering during that time frame so if it goes ahead can someone take good notes on the business end of things and fill us in

[Heron]

Dec 16, 2015 9:26:55 GMT -1 lorna said:

Thanks for your positive responses for a meet-up at Lydney. Again, here are the opening times:

Lydney Park Gardens

OPENING DAYS AND TIMES FOR 2016

Sundays, Wednesdays and Bank Holiday Mondays from

Sunday 27th March to Sunday 12th June

Opening times: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

Tea rooms open: 11.00 am to 5.00 pm

1) We need to choose a Sunday between 27th March and 12th June.

2) We also need to put together a 'plan' for the day. As a rough outline I suggest:

* We should have a devotional focus - the most obvious choice would to be to spend some time at the temple of Nodens in meditation and perhaps do a small ritual either close to the site or in a discreter location. Whilst I think we should focus on honouring Nodens there was also a (headless) statue of a mother goddess found there associated with the pins offered for childbirth so I'd like to find a way of honouring her too. So any ideas towards this would be welcomed.

* We also need to do 'business' - we could do the more official stuff in the tea rooms. We probably need an agenda. I'm going to make some suggestions. Please add to them.

AGENDA

- The Future of the Brython Site
- Reaching a wider community
- Future print publications: Gwyn Devotional, Introduction to Brythonic Polytheism

3) Do you think we should restrict this initial meeting to this core group or open it to the public with an ad on the front page of the Brython site and advertise it through our own blogs and social media? (I'm *attempting* to use twitter at the mo...)

Thanks for this positive input Lorna. Doing this would put us on a firm footing both devotionally and as an organised group.

I think it's probably best to restrict it to a core group (including anyone else wishing to be part of a core group) as a beginning as we may not be in a position to provide a structure for 'newbies' until we get going. And that will also allow us to have an exploratory discussion about future developments. What would be really nice in the long-term is to have a camp which others could be invited to attend- a bit on the lines of Nick Ford's Grey Mare Camp in the New Forest. I think a few people from here attended that in the past but it's a long way south and quite eclectic in its focus - though it did - and I presume still does - feature a dawn rite for Rigantona!

For the present, however, I agree that the future of a web presence should be a priority. And how that is managed: allowing free access to posting on a site can lead to it having a very diverse focus, while not doing this means that a few people are providing all the content and the focus may be too narrow. How to achieve a balance and produce guidance for content?

[potia]

Had a better look at this and for us this would be about a 720 mile round trip and take between 6 and 7 hours travel each way. There's no way we can do that for a Sunday meeting so will definitely want notes from the day when it happens please.

[lorna]

@ Potia

Apologies. That does sound very long. My train journey is about 4hrs, so yes, I imagine by either train or car you would be looking at another 2hrs +. It looks like my fare will be about £75.

Out of interest, Lee and Heron, how long are your travel times and how much do you estimate your transport costs coming to? I think it's important to strike a fair balance. At this point the Lydney option isn't set in stone, although I would like the meeting to centre on a Brythonic sacred site.

@ Heron

Yes, you're probably right about restricting this to the core group for now. Once we've worked together a couple of times we'll have a better rapport as a group to accomodate others.

Yes, the possibility of a camp is good idea. I'll add this to the 'business' list.

[Heron]

I don't think I could get there by public transport in less than six hours but that's because I'd have to go the long way round because of where I live. The car journey would something like three hours. I'd probably consider an overnight stay and take the opportunity to spend some time in the Forest of Dean, which is always a pleasure.

[Lee]

My trip there would be about 3-4 hours and about £70-80 at a guess. I would probably want to go up on the saturday and spend some time in the area and make a weekend of it too.

[lorna]

If we go for Lydney I think I'd have to stay a night somewhere too. Possible Gloucester as it's on the way and I'm interested in the history of Caerloyw. I'm not working at the moment but do have savings and wouldn't have suggested Lydney if it wasn't do-able.

However I don't want to eliminate the possibility of Potia and Neil coming so am going to suggests a second alternative. I live in Preston and it's on a central train line. There's a local nature reserve called Brockholes four miles away with a new stone circle I attended the opening of last year where we could do a ritual to the spirits of place and goddess of the Ribble, Belisama. It also has a nice cafe where we could do business. This would have the advantage of one of us having a long-standing relationship with the place whereas I think only a few of us have visited Lydney. I've only been once.

Train tickets for a day return on a randomly picked date of Sat 8th Feb are:

Neil and Potia - Glasgow to Preston return train 2 X £40.00 = £80.00 Glasgow to Preston car £28.86 journeyprice.co.uk/
Heron - Borth to Preston return train £54.40 Borth to Preston car £22.87
Lee - London to Preston return £87.70

Francis, I believe you're Conwy? Conwy to Preston return train £56.40

This would make it more expensive for Lee, Heron and Francis but would make it doable for Potia and Neil. To make it fair in terms of cost perhaps we could divide the transport fares between us equally.

Of course Preston doesn't have the allure of Lydney and the Forest of Dean but it's a nice place. My friend Peter may be able to put one person up and I can point out inexpensive B & Bs for those who want to stay.

[Francis]

Preston would be fine with me. I agree with Lorna that there is a great advantage to being somewhere where at least one person has a long-standing relationship.

[potia]

Nothing against the idea of visiting Preston but the main issue as mentioned before for us is going to be lack of availability this year.

[Lee]

Preston would be great

[Heron]

[quote author="lorna" source="/post/23634/thread" timestamp="1450711271"

...
There's a local nature reserve called Brockholes four miles away with a new stone circle I attended the opening of last year where we could do a ritual to the spirits of place and goddess of the Ribble, Belisama. [/quote]

It would be lovely to be introduced to Belisama by someone who knows her.

[lorna]

@ Potia, if you could let us know whether yourself and Neil could spare a day in Preston - I'm thinking a Saturday or Sunday in February or March that would be grand. If you can make it we'll definitely do Preston. If not we'll return to discussing the merits of Lydney and Preston. Speak soon x

[Francis]

My vote would still be to meet at Preston, and walk the banks of the Ribble with Lorna - it's rare to have the chance to be somewhere with someone who knows its story intimately.

[lorna]

If everyone is happy with Preston, Preston it is. I'm happy to provide some money toward other peoples' transport costs as I won't have any. Brockholes is approximately 4 miles from Preston. It's a nice walk but probably not there and back after several hours travelling. There are a couple of buses from Preston Bus Station that stop nearby. If anyone is planning to drive it would be good if said driver could pick others from the train station. If the weather's horrendous I could possibly borrow a friend's car (but I don't drive often and you may fear for your lives!).

I'm currently part of a group of volunteers building a labyrinth which will be ready for the Spring Equinox. This is kind of intriguing in relation to my research on Gwyn as 'Bull of Battle' and Gwyddno Garanhir ('Crane Legs'), Tarvos Trigaranus (Bull with Three Cranes) and the geranus dance (a form of crane dance) performed by Theseus with intricate moves mirroring his battle with the minotaur in the labyrinth. And with the association of Taurus with vernal rites. I was thinking we could have our meeting once the labyrinth is built so we can walk it. Maybe Sat April 2nd? (Don't worry we don't *have* to crance dance!).

Let me know how you feel about the date, this isn't set in stone.

[Lee]

2nd of April will be fine for me too

[potia]

Unknown for us at the moment but not very likely to make anything this year