Morris Men welcome in Mayday

The Ashdown Forest is an area of outstanding natural beauty, situated 40 miles (48 km) south of London. It’s here that A.A.Milne’s (the creator of the Winnie the Pooh stories) memorial looks out across one of the most un-spoilt areas of land in the United Kingdom.
At 05:32 am this morning (1st May) when most people are still asleep, The Shalesbrook Ladies Morris team and The Ashdown Forest Morris Men gathered together with their large sticks, ribbons, jangling bells, oversized hankies, ​and baldrics, for music and dance for the annual May Day celebrations.
The origins of Morris dancing are lost in the midst of time but there are references to Morris reaching back to the fifteenth century. For many the gestures of the dance are symbolic; the waving of hankies will chase away evil spirits, and the clashing of sticks wakes the earth from its winter slumber. On May Day, for some being able to see the sunrise symbolizes good fortune and this is why some celebrations start so early in the day. The Morris is generally associated with bringing good luck and fertility to the land and those who watch its performance.
Conditions were chilly with a light breeze. This didn’t seem to deter the Morris dancers or the assembled spectators some of whom came prepared with blankets and flasks of hot drinks. The morning's festivities commenced with the ladies dancing first followed by the men. Both sets of Morris teams danced the “Cotswold Style” of Morris dancing.