Celebrate the first harvest with Mother Shipton's guide to Lughnasadh (Lammas). Discover the ancient traditions behind this seasonal festival, learn simple ways to celebrate at home, and embrace the abundance of late summer with nature-inspired rituals, crafts and woodland magic.

There’s something special about visiting Mother Shipton’s as July gives way to August. Beneath the leafy canopy, the ancient woodland is still alive with the warmth of summer, yet nature begins to whisper that the Wheel of the Year is turning once again.

Golden light dances through the trees, berries begin to ripen along woodland paths, and seed heads sway gently in the breeze. It’s a season that invites us to slow down, notice nature’s abundance, and give thanks for everything we’ve grown, achieved and experienced throughout the year so far.

Lughnasadh offers the perfect opportunity to reconnect with the natural world and celebrate the first gifts of the harvest.

What is Lammas/Lughnasadh?

Celebrated on 1st August, Lammas (or Lughnasadh, pronounced loo-na-sa) marks the beginning of the harvest season, sitting halfway between the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox.
One of the oldest festivals in the Wheel of the Year, it was traditionally a time for communities to gather in gratitude for the first grain harvest. The name Lammas comes from the Old English hlaf-mæsse, meaning ‘Loaf Mass’, when the first loaf baked from the year’s wheat was blessed and shared. This festival reminds us to appreciate what we have before summer slips away, celebrating abundance while looking ahead to the changing seasons.

Ways to Celebrate Lughnasadh

Create a Corn Dolly

Weave a simple corn dolly from dried grasses or wheat. Traditionally believed to hold the spirit of the harvest until spring. You can use your corn dolly to decorate your altar space.

Bake & Share Bread

Celebrate Lammas’ “Loaf Mass” origins by baking a fresh loaf to share with family or friends.

Practice Gratitude

Reflect on everything you’ve harvested in your own life this year. Light a candle, spend time in nature, or write a gratitude list celebrating both big and small blessings.

Create a Seasonal Altar

Dress your altar with symbols of the first harvest:

  • Wheat or dried grasses
  • Sunflowers and marigolds
  • Blackberries and apples
  • Moss and woodland treasures
  • Crystals in warm amber and golden tones

Bring the Outdoors In

Cut seasonal flowers such as meadowsweet, mint, marigolds and sunflowers, or collect seed heads to save for next year’s garden.

Create a Corn Dolly With Us

@mothershiptons

Celebrating the upcoming first harvest with a handcrafted corn dolly🌾✨ 🌻🌞 #lughnasadh #lammas #witchtok #firstharvest #pagantraditions

♬ sonido original – Luz y Sonido

A simple craft to honour the season. Follow along as we show you how to weave your own corn dolly using natural materials.

Create a Lughnasadh Altar

Celebrate the first harvest by creating a beautiful seasonal altar.

For our Lughnasadh altar we’ve chosen:

Posted Fri 17 Jul 2026