Somerset is embracing the infamous 'month of mud' with a Saxon-inspired festival that aims to celebrate this time of year's soggy splendor. The Quantock Hills national landscape is transforming into a muddy playground, where participants can get up close and personal with the earthy delights.
The event, led by community engagement officer Jon Barrett, features squelchy hikes, art sessions, and story-telling sessions that delve into earthy legends. Participants will learn how to mix the red-hued mud with honey to create paint, while others will enjoy splashing through muddy puddles – an activity often forgotten by adults but cherished by children.
February has been particularly muddy in Somerset, with heavy rainfall causing widespread flooding. The Quantock Hills team is determined to find the silver lining, highlighting the beauty and benefits of mud. "Mud created by people or grazing animals can be beneficial for invertebrates like bees and wasps," notes Andy Stevenson, a Quantock Hills ranger.
The festival also celebrates the aesthetic appeal of mud, with Barrett sporting a pair of natty fleece-lined wellies that he found at a charity shop. He's not afraid to get dirty, happily smearing mud across his cheeks and hands – although he admits it has no scientific skincare benefits.
Mud is also providing a fertile topic for writers and poets, according to Dan Broadbent, a West Country storyteller. The Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote about being "stuck in the mire" and searching for "mud-lost sandals" in his poem, Devonshire Roads.
The Quantock Hills team is keen to attract people who would not normally venture out in inclement weather. Some of the walks have a "five welly rating" – extremely muddy – while others are more accessible. The festival aims to reconnect people with mud and remind them of the joy of splashing through muddy puddles.
As Barrett says, "Mud appears as the hard ground becomes softer and ready for ploughing and sowing after winter." In Anglo-Saxon times, this time of year was known as Solmōnaþ – a "month of cakes" or "month of mud". For the Quantock Hills team, it's a celebration of regeneration and renewal.
The event, led by community engagement officer Jon Barrett, features squelchy hikes, art sessions, and story-telling sessions that delve into earthy legends. Participants will learn how to mix the red-hued mud with honey to create paint, while others will enjoy splashing through muddy puddles – an activity often forgotten by adults but cherished by children.
February has been particularly muddy in Somerset, with heavy rainfall causing widespread flooding. The Quantock Hills team is determined to find the silver lining, highlighting the beauty and benefits of mud. "Mud created by people or grazing animals can be beneficial for invertebrates like bees and wasps," notes Andy Stevenson, a Quantock Hills ranger.
The festival also celebrates the aesthetic appeal of mud, with Barrett sporting a pair of natty fleece-lined wellies that he found at a charity shop. He's not afraid to get dirty, happily smearing mud across his cheeks and hands – although he admits it has no scientific skincare benefits.
Mud is also providing a fertile topic for writers and poets, according to Dan Broadbent, a West Country storyteller. The Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote about being "stuck in the mire" and searching for "mud-lost sandals" in his poem, Devonshire Roads.
The Quantock Hills team is keen to attract people who would not normally venture out in inclement weather. Some of the walks have a "five welly rating" – extremely muddy – while others are more accessible. The festival aims to reconnect people with mud and remind them of the joy of splashing through muddy puddles.
As Barrett says, "Mud appears as the hard ground becomes softer and ready for ploughing and sowing after winter." In Anglo-Saxon times, this time of year was known as Solmōnaþ – a "month of cakes" or "month of mud". For the Quantock Hills team, it's a celebration of regeneration and renewal.
and i am literally dyin to attend it!! they r makin mud into paint lol who knew?? 
and gettin muddy wellys is a thing now 
i mean its not like we didn't know mud was cool but this is just on another level 
i love how they r tryin to show ppl the good side of muddy puddles 
and the fact that bees and wasps like it too is just wild 
cuz thats whats life is all about, right? enjoying the messy bits 
, but now I'm all about appreciating the aesthetic value of mud! It's like nature's own art project 
, and I love that they're encouraging people to get out there and get dirty (well, not literally, Jon 
). Who knew mud could be so... lovely? 
. I mean, yeah it's great for bees and all that, but still, gettin' to play in the mud sounds like a right old blast! 
They're doin' some good stuff with the art sessions too, showin' people how to make paint from mud and honey. That's somethin I'd wanna try out 
!! mud is just the best right now 
. and of course who can resist splashing through those muddy puddles?! 
. And I love how it's all about reconnecting with nature and finding beauty in the mud (or should I say, earthy delights?). The squelchy hikes and muddy puddle splashing sounds like so much fun 
.
and did u know that mud can be good for bees and wasps? 
February is literally the perfect excuse to get outside and enjoy nature's messy side - who needs sunshine when you can wade through muddy puddles? 
I love how this festival is embracing the soggy splendor of Somerset, transforming it into a fun and quirky celebration. It's great that they're highlighting the benefits of mud for invertebrates like bees and wasps (bees are basically the unsung heroes of the natural world).