A Brilliant Beltane at Almond Valley

A special long weekend of family fun when we can all wish each other a Brilliant Beltane.

Turning our backs on the cheesiness and chocolates of an increasingly commercial Easter, we’re celebrating happier, simpler days when life was closer to nature, and ancient traditions marked the passage of the seasons.

There is a daily programme of lighthearted family activities that delight in the mysteries and wonders of a traditional springtime. Around the old buildings and watercourses of Livingston Mill there are mischievous sprites who will reveal secrets of fire and flowing water. Children can create masks that will change them into green boys and girls, with tickely mystical wands that have the power to surprise. Scribble down your secret hopes for the year to come, tie these with wool, ribbon or slices of fabric to decorate our clootie tree. Out in the gardens, craft a living bower to take home and nurture, while on the farm, the animals will be in their springtime finery.