If you happen to be sightseeing in the West Country during the month of January you may stumble upon a group of people singing to trees! This quirky annual tradition has been going on for hundreds of years in this part of England. Known as "Wassailing" the festival is about appeasing the spirits of the apple trees to ensure a good harvest for the year ahead. A good harvest means good cider which is one of the region's most famous alcoholic drinks!
Interesting fact: over 50% of the apple trees you see in England are for producing cider!
The wassailing festival involves singing, praising and making offerings to the apple trees in an orchard (and of course involves cider-drinking!)
For a glimpse into this quirky English tradition check out the video below which I took this January at the Wassailing event that was held at the Avalon Orchard under the iconic Glastonbury Tor. The tor itself is steeped in legends - relating to King Arthur, the Holy Grail and the Celtic Underworld. In the near future I will be introducing a tour to give visitors a fascinating insight into this so get in touch if this is of interest to you!
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