The Lymm Rocks Fairy Glen

It’s that festive time of the year where the Lymm fairies come to stay

This December sees the return of the magical Lymm Rocks Fairy Glen, where over 200 painted rock fairies gather in their glen, awaiting to be found and taken home for Christmas. The location of the Fairy Glen changes each year, with clues to find the Glen being provided on the facebook group – Lymm Rocks.

We were lucky enough to catch up recently with the Fairy Rock Mothers who, along with the Fairy magic, help create the Fairy Glen.

Hello, and thank you Fairy Rockmothers for speaking to us today, I know it is a busy time of year for you all!

It is yes, we have been non stop since October planning the Fairy Glen. We find and prepare a suitable location, and of course create over 200 fairies. It is a very busy time of the year, especially with other projects ongoing (Remembrance and St Mary’s Tree Festival displays) but also a time of year filled with lots of magic and fun for us, children and families.

Can you tell us, what is a Lymm Rocks Fairy Rockmother?

Of course, a Fairy Rockmother is someone who helps create and look after the Lymm rock fairies. We look after the fairies, both before they choose a Fairy Glen to settle in, and we also keep an eye on them whilst the fairies are there. We take daily (sometimes twice daily) trips to look after them, tidy them.

How long have you been a Lymm Rocks Fairy Rockmother?

The Lymm Rocks Fairy Glen has now been running 6 years, so there have been Fairy Rockmothers since then. There can be a few of us or just a couple each year. It really varies. Fairy Rockmothers perform a variety of roles, creating fairies, looking after them, finding a suitable Fairy Glen, keeping things tidy, and supporting the team. We work really well as a team, but we do like to keep ourselves a magical secret.

How long do the Lymm rocks fairies stay in their Glen for?

This can vary. The Lymm rocks fairies usually fly into their Glen just as the local primary schools finish for the Christmas break. They stay usually until around New Years Eve, but this can vary on a few things. We only have a limited number of fairies, therefore when these run out the Fairy Glen has to close. We ask families to only take one fairy away, that the fairy they choose is a family fairy (not a fairy per child or per person). The families that respect this ‘fairy rule’ make a huge difference to how long the Fairy Glen lasts. There are usually around 200 fairies painted for the Fairy Glen. If each family only takes one, then 200 local families get to visit and choose one . If each child takes one, then often that means only 60/70 families get to visit, which is a huge difference.

We also close the Fairy Glen if it gets too muddy, and slippy. So far this year that hasn’t happened but one year we did make the decision to close it a day or so early due to the mud.

It must be lovely seeing some of the posts on the Lymm Rocks facebook group? We have taken a look and some of them are just lovely.

It really is so heart warming to see the joy that is brought to the families as they find the fairies. Some families actually consider searching for the Fairy Glen as being part of their Christmas traditions which is just lovely to hear. A Fairy Glen post, and the comments about it really make all the hard work worth while.  We truly do appreciate the posts we do get, letting us know the Glen has been found and the fairy chosen. It is these posts that inspire us to create a Fairy Glen in future years.

Over the last few years, finder’s posts have decreased quite a lot. This has led to some painters not painting as often, and therefore less rocks out and about, so a finder’s post really does encourage them.

I’ve heard that the fairies bring with them some fairy rules?

That’s right. The Lymm Rocks Fairy Glen is an act of Festive Kindness, and we just ask vistors to the Fairy Glen to also share this kindness. Christmas is the season of Goodwill and we hope that the fairies are taken in the spirit that they are given. The fairies ask that;

Only one fairy is taken per family (not per person or child). Then the fairies last longer and more families can visit and choose one.

We ask that a Fairy Glen post is made on our Facebook page. The group has nearly 5k members, not all who are local or who can get to the Fairy Glen, so by posting, it really does bring smiles to them as well as the Fairy Rockmothers.

We ask that fairy rocks are not taken for others. The rocks are a ‘reward’ for finding the Glen. It would not be in the fairy festive spirit to take more away. Again this limits the number of local families who can visit as there is not an endless supply of fairies.

We mention all this daily on the Lymm Rocks facebook page, and we also have rocks and signs in the Glen to remind visitors.

Do you think the Fairy Glen will return next year?

We can never say for certain, but we do hope so. It is the comments and posts we get that inspire us to carry on with the tradition.

Finally, do you enjoy being a Fairy Rockmother?

We must admit, this role can come with some detailed planning and some worries, however the lovely comments we have received, and photos on the page, have truly made it all worth while. We would like to thank every single person who took time to post on the Lymm Rocks page.

Many thanks to the Lymm Rocks Fairy Rockmother team for spending time with us today.

You can find out more about Lymm Rocks and the Fairy Glen on the Lymm Rocks Facebook Page.