Hedgewitch craft and Hedgeriding.

I have put off writing about hedgewitch craft and hedge-riding as it can be kind of confusing. I believe if you are interested in this side of witchcraft, it is better to study, read a lot, and then make your own path.

Ask several hedge witches what a hedge witch is, and you will get several different answers!

There are also so many different paths you can follow, for example, Celtic, Druid, or shamanic.

For me, hedgewitchcraft is as much about the land beneath my feet as it is about crossing into other realms. I enjoy tending to my garden at home, where I grow herbs and flowers. I also find hiking grounding. Woodlands are my favourite place to walk, they always help to balance and clear my mind. Folklore weaves into practice, too. The old stories are tied to plants, animals, landscapes, and the people who lived among them, along with tales of gods and goddesses.

So what exactly is a hedgewitch?

Rae Beth brought the term Hedgewitch to the mainstream in her book Hedgewitch: A Guide to Solitary Witchcraft. However, the word has been used in many forms over the years.

The term hedgepriest was used for someone who had no established congregation or church. These priests usually practiced from the hedgerow, hence the term hedge priest.

There is also the German word ‘hagazissa’ meaning ‘hedge sitter.’ Then we have the early Saxon word haegtessa’, which means hedge rider’. Both of these words refer to hedgerow, a symbolic term that describes the divide between the everyday human world and what is beyond it.

A hedgewitch is not part of a coven or group; they are usually solitary. This doesn’t mean they don’t occasionally get together with others. They do not usually follow any set rules or guidelines. Which suits me just fine, thank you!

Some hedgewitches choose to work with gods and goddesses, while others prefer to walk their path without them. Personally, I walk a Celtic path and honour a few goddesses who guide and strengthen my practice.

When it comes to spellcasting, hedge witches don’t have a strict set of tools they use. For me, that’s a few candles, a small cauldron for herb work, some incense, and the journals I keep, one for writing and one for dreams. Most of what I do is with the spirits of this world, the land, and the unseen realms. I also work closely with the earth itself. Divination has always been a big part of my practice as well. Sometimes I keep an altar table, especially during seasons, like Samhain, but more often I end up at the hearth in front of the log burner, if I need to do a ritual.

A hedgewitch may incorporate green witchcraft into their path and work with the natural world, partially with herbs and plants. They may also choose to work with crystals.

Any of these things can be balanced with the main focus of a hedgewitchcraft, which is working within liminal spaces. For a hedgewitch, this is known as hedge riding.

What is hedge-riding?

Hedgeriding is the journey a hedgewitch takes into other realms. To take these journeys, a hedgewitch may use mild trance, deep meditation, or astral travel to visit the otherworlds. The otherworlds consist of different realms; however, this does depend on which path you follow. It can get very complex, and it is best to read up all you can about hedgeriding before you practice. I have listed a few books I have found helpful. I have been practising hedgewitch craft for a long time, but I am still learning. You do not stop learning.