By Phil Jones 2009
This is my tale of how I came to discover, then be guided to, an awakening of my Druid path by a place known as the Coldrum stones.
It all started some four years ago, when I had moved to Gravesend, It was a wonderful early summer afternoon, and I was out exploring Trosley Country Park on my mountain bike, I found myself riding down a hill track towards the Pilgrims way. When I reached the road at the bottom something inside told me to ride along this ancient pathway. Eventually I came to Pinesfields Avenue and there, before me, was a signpost to the Coldrum long barrow, intrigued now I peddled faster. Ten minutes later I was crossing a field, I could see the tree with its offerings hanging from the branches. I then crossed over what I would later describe to be the gateway into this most amazing and hallowed place.
The day had been a hot day and as I sat atop one of the burial chamber stones the warmth and energy flowed through my whole being, the love affair had begun. Even then I did not realize how important this place would be for me or how deep my connection to it would grow, it became my sanctuary, a place I would visit after busy days to relax and meditate. This was a place where, when friends came to visit, I "had" to take them to. I started to look for information on the Internet about the site, to go there for the Pagan festivals, and to see it transformed in the different seasons.
I met the Robin, the ancient guardian of the stones and whenever I arrived there he would always appear, sitting and watching me making sure of my intent. I always felt welcomed there and everyone I met at the place shared the same feelings.
Soon the wheel of the year had turned and the summer solstice was upon me, I went there late on midsummer's eve, squeezing my way through the overgrown bushes, the walk from the car park to the stones felt like a kind of birthing. When I reached the tree I could see three figures stood at the back of the chamber, I asked the Ancestors for permission to enter the sacred space then went to kneel in front of the mighty Beech and gave an offering of thanks for the wisdom and peace the stones had given me for the past twelve months.
When I had finished I went to introduce myself to the others, one of them I felt an instant bond to, he told me his name and that he was a wand and staff maker, we started chatting and soon the other two people drifted off as more folks arrived to see the sunrise. We talked about many things, he told me there was three things I should do in the next year, he sang me a song and asked me where I thought I should sing it, I told him that it should be sung in the West Kennet long barrow which was the correct answer. One of the tasks was to find a cave on the hillside near the Coldrum stones; before we parted he gave me a beautiful Rowan staff, and gave me instructions on how to empower it.
Two months later I visited the stones on Lamas day with two friends, all day different groups of people arrived and came to talk and share our food, I asked them all if they knew of the cave, from each group I received a small part of the jigsaw, a few weeks later I returned on my own to see if I could find the place, sitting in the car park I asked to be given a sign to show me that I was walking the right path.
I went to the stones first to talk to the Ancestors, but never expected what happened next. I crossed what I called earlier, the threshold; as I did so an adder came right out in front of me and stopped at my feet, I placed my staff in front of it and she started to bite it, then climb on to the staff.
I sat down and asked this wonderful creature to help me with my quest.
The snake is of course an ancient symbol of sacred wisdom and healing, the first creature to travel between the worlds and bring us the knowledge of plants and the connection to spirit; everywhere that nature and the awakened self are venerated, the serpent appears in the myths and culture of people. After about an hour of communing with this wonderful being she slid away towards the stones, I gave thanks for this encounter and made my way towards a track up the hill.
Known locally as "the hundred steps", I made my way up the path whi
ch was lined with small Yew trees, I had been told the cave was under a large Yew, so this I took as a sign I was on the right path. When I reached the top I found a track that ran through the woods, the tyre tracks had the same pattern as the adders markings, again this was a sign I was travelling on the right track.
It's serpentine flow through the woods also made me feel like I was following the snakes wisdom, for how long I travelled on this way I could not say but soon I came to a fork in the track and unsure of which way to go I took the left hand trail, soon I was reminded of the wisdom of one of the visitors at Lammas, he was a Druid from Sweden and told me that when searching for the cave if I was lost or unsure I should ask the trees, as I came around a corner I found two fallen branches crossed and blocking my way, I sat down and called to the trees to guide me. Suddenly the wind got up and started to blow the branches on the trees back towards the way I had come, I had my answer.
I returned to the fork and took the other track, after a while I came upon a tree that was rotted out and formed what I saw as a cave. Convinced again I carried on, soon the path started to twist and turn and I felt like I was reaching the head of the serpent. I had not eaten or drunk anything for two days prior to this and now was starting to feel a kind of shamanic state of perception washing over me, I felt my Nemeton blending into the forest and the spirit of everything around me.
Walking on for a little further I suddenly saw a large Yew standing on the edge of the ridge line, drawn towards it I made my way through the undergrowth and as I came round the front I saw before me the entrance to the cave. Overwhelmed by the power of this place I sat outside for sometime just soaking up the atmosphere, soon I felt compelled to enter it's dark heart and slowly climbed down into the entrance, 
there was two caves, but due to roof fall one had become almost inaccessible, the one remaining cavern used to have a painting of Herne on the rear wall, but someone has hacked it off, and the other has a short tunnel going deeper into the hillside.
I use this cave entrance as my starting point visually when taking a shamanic journey, and I know that the medicine of the earth snake is so close in this place. Working with the drum or rattle here is so intense, looking out across the weald of Kent, the feelings of connection for me to the Cantiaci and the very soil of the North Downs.
So the wisdom of the coldrum stones flows through my very veins and still today the connections and guidance continue. I have now found a great teacher in Rob Wilson who is a guardian of the stones, and the grove I work with meet on the hillside near both these special places.
If you ever find yourself in Kent then visit this very special and powerful place and try to find the cave, I can promise you one thing the journey is a journey in its self.
LOVE and UNREST the Philthy one 01/01/09
