By Pamela McGowan

Last updated at 15:29, Friday, 24 September 2010

Magic is in the air in a Cumbrian wood, where pixies and fairies have been gathering over the summer.

The fairies have said goodbye

They have made their homes in trees in a remote country lane on the outskirts of Brampton.

Tiny doors just inches high have been spotted by walkers at Greenwell, near Gelt Woods, since the start of the spring.

Children have taken them to heart, leaving heaps of berries and bunches of flowers while hoping for a glimpse of their magical residents. But as autumn comes in, the pixies have been in touch with The Cumberland News.

Colder weather means they are preparing to say farewell to the people of Cumbria and head to warmer climes for winter. They left this message with The Cumberland News for their friends who have looked after them – and say they hope to return again next spring.

Dear People of Greenwell,

Now we can smell winter in the air, see the browning leaves and feel the crisp morning dew, it’s time for us to go. The swallows will take us south for the winter. We won’t forget you and we hope we can return; but until then we must cast a spell of invisibility over our homes.

We have spent another summer in your hedgerows and would like to thank you all for the gifts of flowers, berries, nuts and sticks – and the pencils and a wooden door.

We watched all you big and small people coming to see us.

Some of you were so quiet our lookouts only just warned us in time to hide, and some scared us off with big, wet-nosed dogs.

Some of you looked in our houses – but you couldn’t see anything as we cast spells when we go out. Some helped us when the weather damaged our homes and we all thank you for this kindness.

We hope we didn’t disturb you with our parties.

There were more of us this year as our friends wanted to see the magical place we told them of during long winter nights.

When spring is in the air we hope to return. Look for us when the last frost melts and the first swallow appears.

We wish you well,

The Pixies and fairies of Greenwell

First published at 14:19, Friday, 24 September 2010
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk