At last I have a moment to draw breath and am putting pen to paper. My life seems to be early to rise and late to bed at the moment and even then I have not managed to do all the things that are on my list!!!
The summer solstice has just passed and gatherers at the ancient and prehistoric site at Stonehenge enjoyed a splendid and memorable sunrise, so often denied them due to bad weather.
This is the time of the year when we enjoy the longest hours of daylight as the sun reaches its highest altitude in the northern latitude as seen from the geographic pole. A time of joy, celebrated by rituals and festivities.
On clear evenings I can wander around my garden until late watering the plants.
The earliest I had to get up this year was at 4:30 am, last week, on the 19th June. Producer Jo Woolf of Windfall Films had been in touch with me at the beginning of the year. They were shooting films of 12 episodes for a programme called Hidden Britain by Drone presented by Tony Robinson and is due to be shown on Channel 4 later this year. Crop circles were considered to be an intriguing subject and worthy of inclusion. However this was a completely new venture for the producers as first and foremost they were surprised that we could not set a definite day ahead — this baffled them for starters until I explained that crop circles have a habit of appearing when they want and will not be at the beck and call of a film crew or permanently stand still for them such as Nelson on his column. All this was a hard learning curve for them and to give them a quick course on the subject made me realise just how much there is to know about this very idiosyncratic, wayward and often bewildering subject! They were fast learners and keen to take on board as much as possible in a very short time including the brutal fact that as all the episode filming had to finish by mid-June, that if there were no suitable circles, there would be no crop circle episode! QED.
We kept in constant touch and with the crew on standby and one week left, a circle fortunately appeared at Hackpen on farmer James Hussey’s land. So, it was decided that with James Hussey’s permission and despite it being a few days old, that this would be the one selected for filming.
The day was to start from Heli Air at Thruxton Airfield from whence they would film me flying over a circle in a helicopter. All of a sudden-- great excitement, as a circle had just appeared at Winterbourne Stoke Down, Near Stonehenge, Wiltshire within the past 48 hours. Perfect, what could be better?
However on closer scrutiny it was found to be lying inside the Salisbury Plain Training Area, on top of which they were due to start exercises later that morning. Salisbury Plain is the UK's largest training area, with live firing taking place an average of 340 days a year. It covers 300 square miles and is used extensively by the Army for ground, air and tank training. Aerial entry is strictly forbidden during those periods and I can assure that in no way would I like to tangle with them as they use live ammunition firing up to a height of several hundred feet. However the previous evening, they had agreed that if we could lift off by 7am and be out of the area by 8am, then we could enter their space.
I set my alarm for 4.30 am and whereas it was completely light and a magical time of day with the animals rubbing the sleep out of their eyes and the birds fluffing up their feathers, any vestige of sun was nowhere to be seen.
I am a born optimist and as I was driving over to Thruxton I felt cheered by glimpses of sun and patches of blue, only to find my hopes dashed as the clouds were thick over Thruxton and not a scrap of blue. Hoping that the weather might clear, pilot Jim Hughes and I were interviewed. The film crew were all there, director Johanna Fry, deputy director and cameraman, Jonathan Hanney, Martin and Toby in charge of drones and David, the invaluable runner.
Also, in order for the drones to fly over an airfield, they had to get permission to fly when the airfield was closed before 9 am or after 5 pm. Paper work galore, telephone calls and lots of cups of coffee before we eventually gave up and decided to remove to the crop circle in Wiltshire at Hackpen lying obliquely under the famous chalk white horse.
As mentioned in previous letters, situated on the famous 5000 year old Ridgeway that stretches from Avebury in Wiltshire to the Chiltons in Hertfordshire, and reaching the end of it journey at Ivinghoe Beacon, near Tring, lies the Hackpen chalk White Horse. Thought to have its origin in 1883 to commemorate the coronation of Queen Victoria it stands proud on the edge of the Marlborough Downs overlooking the countryside below.
Hackpen Hill has longed been associated with the faery folk and legend has it that on certain nights of the year, the top of the hill rises up. Wonderful music is heard and those who venture in to join in the song, the wine and the dance may never be seen again, or if they do reappear it is said they are never the same again after their time with the inhabitants of the hill.
This area is also associated with the Knights Templar founded by Hugues de Payens or Payens (c.1070 – 24th May 1136) who was the first Grand Master. The Knights Templar was also thought to be connected to the Knights Hospitallers (The Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem). At their peak they numbered some 15,000–20,000 members.
Though its original purpose was to protect pilgrims from danger, the Knights Templar progressively expanded its duties. They became defenders of the Crusader states in the Holy Land and were known as brave, highly skilled warriors. They fell into disrepute and the order ceased to operate in 1307.
On our arrival, the cloud base had lifted and the sun had come out and was shining brightly. The drones took over and flew over the circle and surrounding area for some considerable time. Next James Hussey, the wonderful farmer who opens his fields to all crop circle visitors was first to be interviewed. We are all only too happy to contribute to the splendid charity set up in memory of this lovely wife Gill who sadly died after a long and brave battle with cancer. The charity is to raise money to equip a breast screening radiotherapy unit to be built on the site at the Great Western Hospital, Swindon, as the closest unit was in Oxford and for Gill and others to have to travel many hours for a daily treatment lasting a few minutes each time over a period of six weeks was altogether too exhausting and draining. He is close to his target of £2.9 million as the charity has been sponsored by several events and businesses. This is a really splendid and worthwhile charity to support.
Next to be interviewed was Paul Jacobs who started a group called CGI (Core Group Initiative) some years ago. Paul realised that the farmers were having problems with visitors trampling their fields so when a circle arrives, he will arrange to come along and station his caravan at the edge of the field, collect the money donated by the visitors and show them down which tramlines they should walk in order to reach the crop circle; thereby preventing any additional damage to the crop. He then gives all the donations collected to the farmer concerned. Many farmers now get in touch with Paul and ask for his services. This is a thoroughly good enterprise without any recompense to Paul himself. Just the joy of living in the countryside and performing a really invaluable service which is welcomed by everyone concerned.
Then came my turn. Martin and Toby were instructed to fly the drone alongside me as I walked down the tramline and then into the field where they followed me around as I examined the crop. It was a distinctly un-nerving experience having a deafeningly loud drone flying right by my left ear as I walked into the circle and not being able to turn round and look at it — just ignore it!!
Sadly the circle was quite worn so there was no hope of finding any physical evidence but it was interesting nevertheless. Johanna Fry and camera man Jonathan Hannay joined me in the circle after the drones had departed and we conducted quite a long interview.
The crew than went on to interview Monique Klinkenberg who organises a really wonderful Crop Circle photograph exhibition which attracts enormous attention and gives great pleasure to everyone.
I made my way back to Heli Air at Thruxton Airfield where the crew joined me later. Eventually we took off in clear blue sky, with drones photographing the helicopter as we lifted off and gained height. Cameras were placed at different areas round the windscreen of the helicopter, plus we had audio connection so that Jim and I could be heard chatting to each other. We flew down to Keysley Down, near Chicklade, Wiltshire just along the A303 from Thruxton passing the wonderful Yarnbury Castle Iron Age Hill Fort on the way. As the circle had arrived on the 10th June it was very worn and you could see where people had been in and damaged it. This was a useful exercise as it showed why the farmers are so concerned for their crops and livelihoods. The circle was so worn that there was no definition remaining and the camera found it hard to focus. None of my overhead pictures were any good at all and this is the only one that shows the circle and you can see how the crop has risen up and the circle has lost its sharpness and clarity.
In this hot weather we can fly in shirt sleeves and it is wonderfully cool up in the air!
So ended a very busy but happy day. The crew were all marvellous and professional. We hadn’t had time to stop and have anything to eat but David had thoughtfully provided us with energy bars etc. and poor Heli Air at Thruxton is completely out of biscuits!!! I got home after 7pm and was glad to have an early night. I do hope you are not exhausted after reading all this; indeed I have only given you a potted version so as not to exhaust you more!!!
Since then I have been on another really special flight taking two people, Bob and Paula with me. It was a birthday present for Bob. They were so excited to be flying in a helicopter. We lifted off about 3.30 pm and flew over to the new crop circle at Hackpen just across the road from the first one! It was a glorious afternoon and Jim Hughes flew us with great skill.
On the way home we circled Avebury Stone complex and Silbury Hill. Both Bob and Paula were really interested not only in crop circles but in the landscape over which we were flying and it was a real joy to have them with me. As always I sent them several of my pictures and they were thrilled.
I received this lovely email from them.
“Hi Lucy
Bob and I want to say a big thank you for arranging the helicopter ride over the crop circles and other places of interest in the area yesterday. For us it was an experience of a lifetime which exceeded all expectations and it was a real delight to meet you. Please also pass on our thanks to all the guys at Heli Air, especially Jim the pilot who skilfully and safely got us close to the crop circle to allow us to take some great photos.
Bob has said he would love to do it all again for next year’s birthday so we may well be in touch again!
With best wishes,
Paula and Bob”
Glastonbury Symposium, the longest running conference week-end is taking place on 27-29th July. I can highly recommend it as not only will you hear interesting speakers on many diverse and fascinating subjects (including crop circles) but you will probably meet old friends. It is a MUST in my diary.
There are still a few places left on my tours. Also I have managed to get a couple more tickets for the private entry evening visit to Stonehenge on the 24th July.
With my love and best wishes,
Lucy.