Hawthorn, Quickthorn, May, Mayblossom, Whitethorn, Haw, Faery Tree…

‘Just’ one of the things that I love about Dartmoor – are the small, hardy Hawthorns that grow amid the granite clitter of the moorland slopes…

With sturdy, gnarled trunks – and thick, thorny tangles, of wind-sculpted branches – they give shelter from the biting chill of a Dartmoor Winter – to animals and birds that inhabit the Moor.  And in Summer – their dense canopies of dark, green foliage provide a cool refuge – shielding sheep and wild ponies – and even a weary wayfarer – from the heat of the day.

Anytime now, Hawthorns will be budding with soft, new leaves – heralding longer, warmer days ahead – and Mayblossom…

For me though – Autumn is the time when the Hawthorn is at its zenith – laden with blood-red berries – it presents the crowning glory of the turning year.

A glut of berries help sustain the bird population throughout the harshest season…

The ‘humble’ Dartmoor Hawthorn – and its holy cousin, the fabled Thorn of Glastonbury – both grow upon sites that are linked by an invisible energy – a mystical ley line that tracks across ancient and sacred places – from Cornwall to the Norfolk coast – and beyond…

Several Dartmoor Tors – most notably Brentor…

– are directly linked by the Saint Michael Alignment…

as are Glastonbury Tor – and the Hurlers stone circle, near Pensilva – the place where I was born!  (The haunted house that I was born in is listed here on the Pensilva History Group website.)

It is probably no coincidence then – that I always feel energised by the simple act of touching a Hawthorn tree – or an ancient stone – when visiting these sacred places and when walking on the hills…

Inspired by Hawthorns here, there and everywhere – and especially those closest to my heart – on Dartmoor, Bodmin and at Glastonbury – I made a token sprig to hang within my home – to me it symbolises the powerful, magical, inspirational – and everyday practical virtues of this most characterful of native trees…

In tree lore – it is considered unlucky to bring real Hawthorn inside – so a small sprig crafted from glass, copper and lead is a wise precaution…