The Enchanted Path: A Travel Podcast: Recent Episodes

View Details

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

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/enchanted-path-podcast/support

View Details

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

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/enchanted-path-podcast/support

View Details

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

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/enchanted-path-podcast/support

View Details

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

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/enchanted-path-podcast/support

View Details

"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

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/enchanted-path-podcast/support

View Details

Welcome to The Enchanted Path--where the road narrows to a trail and magic blooms to life.  I'm your host, Jessie--here to guide you on a journey through story.  The open road holds a memory, and a promise--it calls to each one of us to see beyond the surface and awaken to all possibilities.  Join me at the place where lore and history converge, whispers turn to music, memory becomes myth, and the Earth speaks.  Where the moments that enchant us unlock the magic of the everyday.  

Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/enchanted-path-podcast/support