WASSAILING — the ancient custom of visiting orchards in cider-producing regions of England, reciting incantations and singing to the trees to promote a good harvest for the coming year — began in earnest on New Year’s Day for Meavy-based Dartnoor Border Morris.

The dancers are carrying on the winter festivities with three wassails and a traditional mummers play in January, the first of which was at Cornwood on the first day of the month.

There was traditional Morris dancing outside the Cornwood Inn before the musicians led everyone to the Millennium orchard.

From there, kids of all ages in wellies were banging pots and pans, make loud noises and placing pieces of toast in the trees and pouring apple juice, collected from last year’s crop, around the roots. Then is was back to the Cornwood Inn for much cider and Morris music.

On Sunday (January 8), Dartmoor Border Morris will be back in action at the National Trust`s Buckland Abbey, where at 1pm they will perform a traditional mummers play in the Great Barn. Like Morris dancing itself, these plays come from the depths of time and were performed by ‘local workers’ trying to earn an extra penny over Christmas, when work might be slack.

The theme of these plays is how good always overcomes evil, and being Buckland Abbey, the group has tweaked a traditional play so it’s all about how Sir Francis Drake overcame the evil King Philip of Spain, with the use of good Queen Bess, a horse called Chatterley and a good doctor with a host of characters.

This 20-minute play is typically family friendly and performed in the Great Barn. From there, Dartmoor Border Morris will be dancing outside before heading into the ancient orchard where kids of all ages in wellies will bless the apple trees with more noise, apple juice and toast in the trees!

It’s always a competition to see which adult can bring the noisiest object to scare away the evil spirits and wake up the apple trees from their slumber. Old car hooter or French horn anyone?

The last wassail is the Bere Ferrers Wassail, held in church hall on Saturday, January 21 from 6.30pm. This is organised by the Tamar Valley fruit growers, and along with Dartmoor Border Morris, the Tavy Tars will also be giving an evening of song anddance.

There is an entry fee for this event which covers the pasty supper. As usual, wellie boots and noisy children of all ages are encouraged to help scare away the evil spirits and wake up the trees.

For more information go to www.dartmoorbordermorris.com or the Facebook page for any changes due to the weather.