Somerset's 'Month of Mud' Festival Celebrates Anglo-Saxon Tradition
In the misty uplands of Somerset, where the mud is thick and sticky after relentless winter rains, a unique celebration is underway. Jon Barrett, a community engagement officer for the Quantock Hills National Landscape, is leading the charge to help people see the "bright side" of engaging with mud. With a broad grin as he negotiates the ooze, Barrett explains, "I know for some, mud may be their nemesis at this time of year, but we're trying to celebrate it, get people to embrace it."
Inspired by Ancient Traditions
Barrett and his colleagues are running a Month of Mud festival throughout February, drawing inspiration from the Anglo-Saxon name for this time of year – Solmōnaþ, which is sometimes translated as "mud month" (with a second possible translation being "month of cakes"). This ancient tradition is being revived to reconnect modern communities with the earthy benefits of mud. The landscape team has organised a series of events, ranging from squelchy hikes to art sessions where participants learn to mix the region's distinctive red-hued mud with honey to create natural paint. Storytelling sessions focusing on earthy legends are also part of the programme, aiming to foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world.
"We're keen to reconnect people with mud," Barrett emphasises. "Children love splashing through muddy puddles, but I think adults can forget that joy. We want people to remember that feeling of freedom when you splash and stamp through muddy puddles."
Embracing the Muddy Reality
February has proven exceptionally muddy in the English West Country due to repeated pulses of heavy rain, which have caused flooding affecting scores of homes and businesses. The Met Office reported around 88 warnings and 223 alerts in England, primarily in the south-west and Midlands, noting that it has rained almost every day in the south-west so far in 2026. Despite these challenges, the Quantock Hills team is determined to find positivity in the mud. During a hike around Cothelstone Hill near Taunton, where pied flycatchers and dark green fritillary butterflies flit about in summer, the focus this time of year is unmistakably on the mud. Trail runners enjoy the slippery paths, and tyre tracks indicate that mountain bikers make good use of the bridleways. "But we want to encourage more people to get out and walk," Barrett adds.
Mud as a Sacred and Transformative Element
Barrett encourages people to get up close and personal with the mud, even smearing some on his cheeks during demonstrations. While he lacks scientific evidence for skincare benefits, he extols the aesthetics of the Quantock mud, describing it as a "lovely rich red" that leaves a distinctive mark on boots and clothing. He sports fleece-lined wellies by French bootmaker Aigle, though he notes they were a charity shop find, highlighting inclusivity for those without waterproof footwear. The festival offers walks with ratings from "one welly" (minimal mud contact) to "five welly" (extremely muddy), ensuring accessibility for all, including those with limited gear.
Andy Stevenson, a Quantock Hills ranger, points out that mud serves as a valuable habitat for flora and fauna, from brittle stars on the Somerset coast to earthworms. "Mud created by people or grazing animals can also be beneficial for invertebrates such as bees and wasps to burrow into and drink from the shallow pools, or use as hunting grounds for their prey," he explains. "Once dry, the muddy patches or bare soil provide a bed for new plants. Wildflowers such as bluebells and primroses in woodlands may have been covered over, but once the ground receives sunlight, water, and warmth, the plants will grow."
Climate Impacts and Cultural Connections
Extreme rainfall is becoming more common and intense globally due to climate breakdown, and the Quantock team has observed early signs of this locally. Adders are emerging from hibernation earlier than usual, possibly driven out by flooding, while patrols report increased numbers of palmate newts, toads, and frogs. Dan Broadbent, a West Country storyteller, notes that mud provides fertile ground for writers and poets, citing Samuel Taylor Coleridge's references to being "stuck in the mire" in his poem Devonshire Roads. Broadbent highlights global myths where humans are created from mud or earth, embracing the Anglo-Saxon concept of "mud month" as a positive, hopeful symbol. "Mud appears as the hard ground becomes softer and ready for ploughing and sowing after winter," he says. "Mud therefore becomes something almost sacred, to do with regeneration and renewal. Mud can have a transformative power."
Through this festival, Somerset is not just enduring the mud but celebrating it as a sacred and transformative element, reconnecting people with nature's rhythms and the joys of getting messy in the great outdoors.
