Friday 4th August 2017 – saw a return to my favourite Somerset ‘Mump’ – Burrow Mump. The Mump rises like a mini Glastonbury Tor above the watery, green Levels.

After inching our way closer – the tower of Burrow Mump finally sprang into view above the trees.

Burrow Mump on Friday 4th August 2017 was virtually ‘NO GO’ unless on foot or a bicylce – and even then it would have been a squeeze! We literally inched our way there in every dimension – because all roads leading to the Mump were utterly gridlocked! We found the whole jam quite a giggle but for anyone with an appointment to keep – or an emergency to attend – it must have been a complete and utter nightmare…

We were stuck in this position – on this stretch – for a ‘good’ hour!

With just a ‘couple’ miles to go to the Mump – we were going nowhere fast. The whole ‘event’ just goes to show what happens once today’s traffic is diverted – and spills into smaller roads. Like the Levels in 2014 – the roads around the Mump were almost impassable only this time with vehicles rather than flood water.  I have to say – because time was our own – this modern day phenomenon was something to witness – even funny dare I say it – especially witnessing the antics of some of the other road users! Despite the frustrations – I have to say everyone caught up in it – seemed to keep their cool and for the most part were good-humoured; I think Burrow Mump’s vibes saved the day!  

Pilgrim footsteps to the top of Burrow Mump.

Finally, we arrived on the Mump – phew! 

Traffic jams as far as the eye can see…

…and in all directions. Views from the Mump!

Burrow Mump was our island getaway from the Sea of Chaos. Once we reached the top of the hill – all was calm as if a million miles away…

Sanctuary from the modern world.  View from the inner sanctum of restorative ‘Burrow Mump’…

Aah peace – perfect peace. Glastonbury Tor is in the distance.

I say ‘perfect peace’ – until my son Archie introduced me to the wonders of ‘Snapchat’!  He wanted me to do a little piece to camera about our experience of driving to the Mump!  What a giggle! I have come to the conclusion that I have the perfect face for distortion!  I did about three or four takes – and morphed into several ‘Muggle-Mump’ characters! Here they are intermingled with my own takes of magical Burrow Mump. I hope you enjoy them all! 

“The Swifts and Swallows are darting over Burrow Mump…”

Holy Holey! Detail on a gatepost to the ‘Mump’.

Burrow Mump from under a Somerset Willow…

A fairy ring at the foot of the Mump…

Spider’s web. Doorway to a quieter world beneath a magical Hawthorn…

Parallel Universe.  Just Time and me standing still at Burrow Mump.

Slowly moving around the trees – around the Mump…

…back towards the car – and ‘home’.  Treasures gathered from around the Mump – including a funny old twisted lump of Ivy that I found lying in the wet grass…

Oh – and not forgetting my pilgrim’s staff which had to be left behind for reasons explained…

‘Andersea Wheat’.  A sea of sparkling, waving wheat after the ‘flood’ – and rain – somewhere along the now empty road in the Somerset parish of Westonzoyland.   A perfect sounding place for a ‘Muggle-Mump’ to zign off until next time…

Souvenir of the day.  Not ‘just’ a funny old twisted lump of Ivy but a ‘Muggle-Mump Mouse’ from Burrow Mump!