How wonderful to be up in the air again. My first flight this year - what joy! Putting on the safety harness so that I can lean out of the helicopter safely, then walking out to the helicopter, getting in and clicking on our safety belts. Two friends came with me, one of whom had never flown in a helicopter before and was tremendously excited.
Up in the air and away! Looking down as the land falls away, leaving a wondrous tapestry beneath, green fields, houses, tennis courts, barns, farms, roads, rivers, villages and - less attractive - sprawling and expanding towns. We were flying down to Dorset, the county of Iron Age hill forts, over 20 in number, some of the main ones being Maiden Castle, Hambledon Hill and Badbury Rings. Over the years, I think I must have flown over most of them and am amazed at their vast construction often built as huge landscape marks to express the power and prestige of the local Durotrigian tribe leaders. Others were built as defensive man-made fortification structures to ward off other tribes. People did live in them, and some like Chalbury were very densely populated.
My heart always gladdens as I fly over the endless green fields stretching as far as the eye can see - no concrete to be seen anywhere! The very air seems different and surely it must be, away from pollution; just pure glorious fresh air! This is an ancient landscape and the wonderful hill forts serve as a constant reminder. It was a long flight to reach the crop circle lying just beyond the famous chalk figure, the Cerne Abbas Giant, etched into the hillside, dating back to the late 17th century. He has been likened to Hercules, a Saxon deity or some Celtic figure, but whatever he is he looked magnificent yielding his mighty club to ward off all attackers. Despite his splendour, he is nevertheless a relative newcomer in this historic landscape.
Sadly it was a hazy evening, and the crop despite being having been flattened only two days before when the crop circle appeared, had risen up quite dramatically, owing to the original sparse crop (shown in the overhead photograph) and the very hot weather, with the result that the circle no longer had a clear definition. Trying to capture circles in their perfect state is a problematic exercise as some are heavily laid, others very lightly as with Cerne Abbas circle; also one needs to fly when it is sunny, a pilot is available and before the circle has been cut out by unhappy farmers, or damaged by many visitors; so all in all several factors are involved which sometimes do not always work out!!
Crop Circle Tours
The time speeds by so fast and it is now the end of May. If you would like to join me on either of my tours, the places are filling up and there are four places free for the 24th July tour with optional extra of a special private entry evening visit to Stonehenge and three places left for the 1st August tour with the optional extra of a flight over the circles in the evening. Both will be happy and relaxed tours full of excitement and like-minded people. We will have a wonderful time. Those who maybe cannot walk as fast as others can come at their own speed.
If you would like the amazing experience of the private evening entry to Stonehenge, you can book separately without going on the crop circle tour, but I need to know before the 13th of June.
Sharing helicopter flights with me is another special excitement and I have quite long list already of people longing to come. It is often at short notice as I need to get up in the air quickly as previously explained.
Happy summer, with my love and best wishes,
Lucy.
Flying is very expensive, so I thank you so much those who have contributed to my work. If you do feel able to donate please visit my website's funding page.