Mayday, May 1st, is a complicated celebration of spring, or winter turning to summer. More complicated here because the Mayday bank holiday is always on a Monday. Created in 1978 by a Labour govt. This year May 2nd. Ancient, or revived, customs in Kent include Rochester Sweeps festival, Jack in the green, morris dancing at Blue bell hill. Celebrating spring and fertility.
Another aspect is Mayday the workers holiday, celebrated by trade unions and all kinds of leftwingers, socialists and communists. Some years i join the London Mayday march from Clerkenwell Green to Trafalgar Square. A reminder of the many struggles against war and injustice.
Other years i’ve driven to Blue Bell Hill, on the north downs way north of Maidstone. At 530 a tree comes alive in a circle of fires. Morris sides dance while the sun rises. Even if it rains. This year, covid hasn’t gone. Avoid train trips. Avoid long car drives because of petrol price. Simpler to take bus to Whitstable.
Dancing by the Library, led by Dead Horse Morris, Creekside Cloggers. Group from Margate. Garage coffee. Pint in plastic from Duke of Cumberland. Short procession. Giant figure of Neptune. Dancing by Horsebridge. By this time finding hard to deal with crowds. As though covid never happened. Brief walk on stony beach: views of Sheppey, somewhat misty. Neptune pub and Seasalter. Dead Horse women, or Broomdashers, danced to tune of Chattanooga choo choo. Learned they dance on May 1st at five near the Hotel Continental in nearby Tankerton, where the sun rises out of the sea.
The dancers moved on, ending up at the Lions fair in Castle Gardens.
I walked up a tarmac path to the grassy Tankerton Slopes. Modern beacon. Flagpole with national flag. Two cannons. View east. Herne Bay rising above Hampton. Remains of Herne Bay pier. Icecream. Ate it on seat “In loving memory of Ted and Florrie Scott”. Walk past tennis courts to bus stop.
This is one of my favourite walks, done in reverse. The crowds that made me nervous meant that Whitstable’s first May Day since lockdown was a success.
Rambling Brummie 