Day 2: arrival in London Heathrow airport, transfer by minibus to the medieval town of Tenby (Pembrokeshire, South Wales), old fishing harbour with a spectacular view across the Carmathen Bay and towards Caldey Island.  Pembrokeshire is a unique breathtaking 200 miles Atlantic coastline, in a countryside providing a contrasting idyllic rural setting , full of Welsh mysteries and Celtic remains. 

Tenby beach & town / Wales 

Tenby is a small town historically known as " Dinbych y Pysgod", meaning in Welsh the "Little Fortress of Fish". The old city is lined with buildings dating from the late Middle Ages and the Tudor Period. It has spacious golden beaches.

Evening presentation of the Keltic and early Christian sites visited by the tour, first investigating Arthurian legends and Celtic saints and the medieval period. First lecture by Dewi Bowen (landscape of Pembrokeshire from Cambrian epochs upto the Iron Age) and Eric Talbot (Senior Lecturer in Medieval History at Glasgow University) from the Iron Age upto the Medieval time.

It is believed that St. David was born to his mother, St. Non not far from the town of St. Davids. Legend states that St. Non used supported herself on a nearby stone during the birthing of her son David. Afterwards, imprints of her fingers remained on the stone. Additionally, a well sprang forth from the spot where David was born, and runs still today possessing healing, sanctifying powers according to centuries of pilgrim testimony.

Today, the holy well can be visited and the birthing stone can be viewed. One can even place his or her fingers into the ancient imprints of St. Non.

In the town of St. David's, a Norman cathedral sits on the site, that David's original monastic settlement occupied. The cathedral houses the relics of St. David and many other artifacts of Christianity and local history. Edmund Tudor, grandfather of Henry VIII is buried in this twelfth century cathedral.

 

St. David's was the largest and most important diocese in medieval Wales. An episcopal residence was built near the cathedral and eventually expanding by Bishop Henry Gower in the early 14th century. This became known as The Bishop's Palace. It was an imposing structure, suitable for receiving high-ranking guests and dignitaries.

After Gower's death, the palace began to fall into disrepair. Eventually, the palace became obsolete, with the chief episcopal residence moving to Carmarthan, and it fell into ruin.

The ruins of Bishop's Palace quietly haunt the grounds near the cathedral.

"To enter the land of David is to enter in the 'David Stream', that process of consciousness, which connects with the presence of otherness."

St. David's with its majestic Norman cathedral, its ruined Bishop's Palace, and its nearby holy wells, standing stones and high crosses is a testimony to continuing presence of the Divine - spanning the ages - always constant. This site, which predates all the other great monastic sites in Britain including Iona, Lindisfarne and Canterbury, has drawn holy men and women to it - and sanctified them connecting them to that which is on the other side - in the eternal world.

Behind the Gumfreston Church, bird songs, shimmering hawthorne leaves and the gentle sounds of running water lead to three "eternal" springs thought by the earliest Christians to be a holy well.

At Easter in medieval times, pilgrims came to holy wells to drink the water and pray to be healed. They often brought a bent iron pin as an offering. Iron was regarded as a wondrous thing by earlier Pagan Celts, hence its value as a gift to the gods. This belief in the magical, mysterious properties of iron lingered long into the Christian age and iron was often used to ward off evil.

Pagan Celts viewed a whole multitude of gods and  goddesses as kin, and strengthened ties with them by offering gifts. As family, they were presumed to give gifts in return. The otherworld overlapped ours, seeping especially through its waters, so wells and springs were entrances to the underworld, where Celts, and subsequently, Christians, would leave offerings.

While the early Celtic Christians incorporated aspects of nature mysticism and religious practices that preceded them, Pagan beliefs and practices were not peacefully adopted by all Christians. The Reformation aimed at ripping out every lively Pagan root. Inside the gray stone church, a riot of colorful paintings meant to instruct illiterate people in the stories of the faith were plastered over by Puritans.

 

We leave the Gumfreston Church and come to the Carew Cross, one of the finest 6th century stone crosses in Wales, and a stop on the pilgrims' route. The "endless knot" pattern carved along its slightly crooked length is the symbol of eternity attributed by some to the Picts of ancient Britain. Beyond is the village of Llawhaden, and the Road of Song, where pilgrims walking from the east would first glimpse the church tower and start to sing.

Two pilgrimages to St. David Cathedral equalled one to Rome in the Middle Ages. The glorious cathedral stands where St. David build his original church and monastery . Behind the High Altar are the relics of St. David and St. Justinian. Adjacent to the cathedral are the magnificient ruins of the Bishop's Palace, where they lived in great pomp and state. On the way, exploration of ancient stones and the old Pilgrim sites of Ancient Britain. Participation of Norna Rees on St. Davids cathedral. 

St David of Wales or Dewi Sant, was a saint of the Celtic Church. He was the son of Sandde, Prince of Powys, and Non, daughter of a Chieftain of Menevia whose lands included the peninsula on which the little cathedral town of St David's now stands. St David is thought to have been born near the present town of St David's. The ruins of a small chapel dedicated to his mother, Non, may be seen near St. David's Cathedral

David became the Abbot of St David's and died on 1st March 589. An account of his life was written towards the end of the 11th century by Rhygyfarch, a monk at Llanbadarn Fawr near Aberystwyth. Many miracles were attributed to him. One miracle often recounted is that once when Dewi was preaching to a crowd at Llandewi Brefi those on the outer edges could not hear, so he spread a handkerchief on the ground, and stood on it to preach, whereupon the ground rose up beneath him, and all could hear.

He was buried in what is today St David's Cathedral in Pembrokeshire. His holiness was such that medieval pilgrims equated two pilgrimages to St David's were worth one pilgrimage to Rome - a great saving in journeying at that time! Fifty churches in south Wales alone bear his name.


Evening lecture on the possible historical and modern links between the early Buddhist missionaries (Ashoka Period), the Celts of Ireland, as well as the current activities on Holy Island , given by a member of the Samye- Ling Tibetan Buddhist Community.

 Old Bishop Palace, St Davids Cathedral

Day 05: All day freetime or an optional " Thousand Island " boat- excursion (2 hours) to Ramsey, Skokholm and Skomer islands and their Natural Wildlife Reserve. This boat excursion will be a fulfilling experience of the myriad of natural wealth and beauty of the Pembrokeshire Atlantic coast and will enable a close encounter with colonies of seals, dolphins, seabirds niched along sea-caves and sea-cliffs.  Evening 2nd lecture by Dewi Bowen on the Mesolithic and Neolithic transition.

Day 06: Morning excursion day devoted to Celtic Arts and Handicraft Workshops in Fishguard and Newport. Visit of the Celtic Iron Age Village at Castell Henllys. Afternoon presentation of publication and documentation on the Celtic Heritage, at the Catell Henllys. Early evening lecture by a Member of the Bards and Druid Community of Wales on the Celtic tradition and shamanism ….

Day 07: Day free (...).

Day 08: - early morning talk on the Mesolithic and Neolithic archeological sites of Pembrokeshire, which will be visited later in the day. This day constitutes the core of the presentation of stones, wells, graveyards and chambers which will be discussed in the evening lecture. 

Evening lecture on "Phenomenology of Landscape" and methodology for increasing the empathy with the sacred sites of the Celtic tradition, as a preparation to the next day excursion and exercises. Lecture given by Mr. Christopher Tilley , author of the " Phenomenology of Landscape " (published by BERG, Oxford , Providence USA, 1994)

Day 09: Interactive day excursion to the sacred Celtic sites. Experientials in phenomenology of landscape, the resulting empathy and intuition with the sites, their sacred geometry and astronomy. The day follows the ancient pilgrimage route linking the heart of Pembrokeshire to St. Davids. Evening optional / invitation to a typical Welsh evening with food, drinks and Celtic music.

Day 10: Day excursion to the prehistoric landscape of Skomer Island. Guided visit of the site by the Warden of Skomer Island. Interactive exercises. Evening preparation of a Celtic Shamanic Purification or the Solar Solstice Ceremony.

Day 11: Celtic Shamanic Purification or Solar Solstice Day Ceremony , visit to Stonehenge and Glastonbury , evening back to Tenby.

Day 12: One day excursion and visit of the Tintern Abbey , and the castle of Caerffilli. - evening lecture on The Arthurian Grail and Politics , given by Brian Davis (at Pontypridd Historical and Cultural Centre),

Day 13: free day evening special Welsh Entertainment & Celtic Music (party).