The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast

Season’s greetings, travelers!  In this holiday-inspired episode of The Enchanted Path, we’ll be exploring the history of Yule traditions and a host of colorful characters unique to this magical time of year.  We begin with a little backstory on how the significance of Yule and the midwinter season came to be.  From there, we kick off this episode's journey in Italy with the legend of La Befana, the kindly Christmas Witch.  Then, we'll head to the Alpine heart of Austria and dive into the rich folkloric heritage of St. Nikolaus, Krampus, and the Perchten.  Our final stop is an adventure to the South of Wales, to unveil the details surrounding the mysterious tradition of the Mari Lywd.  I had a lot of fun with the research for this one, and especially enjoyed writing and recording the musical arrangements.  May a light burn brightly through the darkness of this winter season, and guide you to days of merriment and joy! The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast is a production of The Adventures of Jessie and The Grumpy Gnome, LLC.  Original music, transcripts, research, and production by Jessie Howe.  All resources and episode transcripts are available on my website, https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com.  Please consider supporting the show by joining our Patreon, for fun travel-inspired content, monthly gift boxes, and early access to episodes! Show Notes: Our Website: https://jessieandgrumpygnome/the-enchanted-path-home Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jessie_and_grumpygnome BOOKS: The Krampus and The Old, Dark Christmas: Roots and Rebirth of the Folkloric Devil, by Al Ridenour Resources: https://stores.renstore.com/history-and-traditions/yule-history-and-origins https://nerdist.com/article/yule-curious-past-and-present-day-importance/ https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/Welsh-Christmas-Traditions/ https://youtu.be/YU5pk-Hc758 https://youtu.be/oKZjFH_PEas https://youtu.be/bqW8ioL-Ik8 https://rhinwedd.cymru/blogs/news/the-story-of-mari-lwyd https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/the-strange-legend-of-the-swedish-yule-goat https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6290300 https://youtu.be/9VFZqFehsZ8 https://www.aroadretraveled.com/la-befana-festival-in-urbania-italy/ https://youtu.be/AcvvWcDLagY

Welcome, travelers!  Tonight, we venture bravely forth on a midnight tour, and search for the heart of All Hallows Eve. This journey opens in Ireland with the lore of the Jack-O-Lantern, then dives deep into the ancient history that laid the bones of the haunted holiday we love to celebrate.  The mysterious Celtic people, the significance of Samhain, wandering spirits, harvest superstitions, ghostly legends, and tricks to divine the future are all explored.  I'll examine how traditions and philosophies evolve over time, and shape our relationship to the spirit world.  We'll then leap into the ethereal land of Scotland for a spectral walk through its Halloween history and most macabre destinations.  This night's revels come to a close with a chilling personal account of a local ghostly legend, at Reder Road in Griffith, Indiana.  The interpretation of death through the lens of travel can give us profound insight into cultures worldwide, as well as ourselves. The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast is a production of The Adventures of Jessie and The Grumpy Gnome, LLC.  Original music, transcripts, research, and production by Jessie Howe.  All resources and episode transcripts are available on my website, https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com.  Please consider supporting this show by joining our Patreon, for fun travel-inspired content, monthly gift boxes, and early access to episodes! SHOW NOTES: Our Website: https://jessieandgrumpygnome/the-enchanted-path-home Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jessie_and_grumpygnome RESOURCES: https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/history-of-halloween https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/celts https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands-islands/3552705/scottish-halloween-traditions-from-guising-to-keeping-spirits-away-with-fire/ https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/scottish-ghost-stories-witches-murder-and-folklore https://greyfriarskirk.com/visit/kirkyard https://www.visitscotland.com https://www.scotsman.com https://www.indianahauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/reeder-road.html BOOKS: The Halloween Tree-- by Ray Bradbury The Hidden History of Holidays-- by Hannah Harvey, The Great Courses The Ghosts of Scotland: A Collection of Ghost Stories Across the Scottish Nation-- by Sean Mcloughlin, Charles River Editors PUB & CAFE MENTIONS (Edinburgh): Banshee Labyrinth (underground cave at 29-35 Niddry Street) Frankenstein Pub (embodies Mary Shelly's novel at 26 George IV Bridge) The White Hart Inn (oldest haunted pub at 32 Grassmarket) The Elephant House (Cafe is temporarily closed) George IV Bridge

Welcome to this week’s episode of The Enchanted Path! Before we venture on from Wiltshire, there is one megalithic site we simply must explore--the epic enigma that is Stonehenge. Join me for a deep dive into the history, construction, lore, and centuries-old curiosities surrounding this remarkable ancient wonder of the world. We also stop by the largest prehistoric artificial mound in Europe--Wiltshire’s Silbury Hill, located at the Avebury World Heritage Site. If legends of wizards, Druids, magical stones, giants, British history, celestial maps, ancient burial sites, and Neolithic-age mysteries speak to you, well then--this is one journey that I think you’ll enjoy :)  The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast is a production of The Adventures of Jessie and The Grumpy Gnome, LLC. Original music, transcripts, research, and production by Jessie Howe. All resources and episode transcripts are available on my website, https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com. Please consider supporting the show by joining our Patreon, for fun travel-inspired content, monthly gift boxes, and early access to episodes!  SHOW NOTES:  Our Website: https://jessieandgrumpygnome/the-enchanted-path-home  Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jessie_and_grumpygnome?fan_landing=true  Resources:  https://www.history.com/news/why-was-stonehenge-built  http://www.history.com/news/solving-the-riddle-of-stonehenges-construction  https://www.history.com/news/7-things-you-should-know-about-stonehenge  https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/history/sources/ https://www.jstor.org/stable/1259494 Grinsell, L. V. “The Legendary History and Folklore of Stonehenge.” Folklore 87, no. 1 (1976): 5–20. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1259494.  https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/building-stonehenge/ https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/history-and-stories/history/  https://mikepitts.wordpress.com/2015/08/01/a-short-blog-about-axe-blades-carved-onto-stonehenge-megaliths/  https://www.historytoday.com/archive/stonehenge-and-imagination  https://alchetron.com/Wally-Wallington https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/06/19/stonehenge-theory/  https://www.astonishinglegends.com/astonishing-legends/2019/1/19/silbury-hill  Podcast: Neil Oliver’s Love Letter to the British Isles--Episodes 12 & 13

Welcome, travelers, to the very first episode of The Enchanted Path Podcast!  Today, we journey to Wiltshire, England--and explore the enigmatic wonders of this mysterious region’s history.  Home to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Stonehenge and Avebury, this rolling green landscape in the southwest of England is home to remarkable ancient sites and innumerable legends.  Have you ever wondered what it might be like to live in a village surrounded by a Neolithic stone circle?  Or venture into the local pub of such a place?  Did you know that you can visit and walk inside one of the oldest known barrows in the world (earthen tombs, dating back over 3,000 years)?  Have you ever heard of a Moonraker?  Do tavern ghosts, crop circles, and UFO sightings spark your curiosity?  Join me for an adventure to some of the best-loved destinations and stories of this region, including Avebury and The West Kennett Longbarrow.  After I dive into the historical context and lore of these places, I’ll share stories from my own experiences visiting Wiltshire with Brian (“The Grumpy Gnome”), and what we discovered there. The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast is a production of The Adventures of Jessie and The Grumpy Gnome, LLC.  Original music, transcripts, research, and production by Jessie Howe.  All resources and episode transcripts are available on my website, https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com.  Please consider supporting the show by joining our Patreon, for fun travel-inspired content, monthly gift boxes, and early access to episodes! Show Notes: Our Website: https://jessieandgrumpygnome/the-enchanted-path-home Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jessie_and_grumpygnome Resources: https://weird-wiltshire.co.uk/ https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/wiltshire-england https://www.haunted-britain.com/ https://weird-wiltshire.co.uk/2021/09/04/moonrakers-of-wiltshire https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/wiltshire/churches/avebury.htm https://reginajeffers.blog/2014/10/09/legend-of-the-black-dog/ https://hauntedspotslibrary.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/weekly-haunted-spot-2-the-barghest-whitby-england/ https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/community/getcom.php?id=47 “The Moonrakers” poem (1881 edition) by Edward Slow--read in a Wiltshire dialect by Alan Doel (video):  https://youtu.be/5pQdzqxyx9E “Neil Oliver’s Love Letter to the British Isles” Podcast Series: Episodes 10 and 12 https://classroom.ricksteves.com/videos/britain-s-stone-circles-stonehenge-and-avebury

"All journeys begin in our minds." An introduction to the intentions of this podcast, and the inspiration that fueled its creation.  Travel begins in the Imagination. ***** Discover more about travel, art, and this podcast's origin story on my blog: 'The Adventures of Jessie and the Grumpy Gnome.' https://jessieandgrumpygnome.com/the-enchanted-path-home *original music and vocals by Jessie Howe