Written by Janet Our pilgrimage was thoroughly enjoyable. Walking and sharing stories/experiences with lovely people who ‘get grief’ was therapeutic. I cried at times but laughed much more. Simply being with others and enjoying beautiful scenery, abundant wildflowers and the kindness of strangers was such a blessing. Tea and cake at various cafes was aContinue reading “Pilgrim’s reflections – 2”
Author Archives: Abi May
Pilgrim’s reflections – 1
What a special time we had in Durham! Pilgrims have been sending me their reflections, so this is the first in a short series of posts written by those who took part. From Kate Here are my snapshots of what made the pilgrimage special for me. John J and his staff.. icon of pilgrimage, sturdyContinue reading “Pilgrim’s reflections – 1”
24 miles, 3 days, 14 pilgrims
We did it! Our 3 day pilgrimage is complete. 24 miles, 3 days Here we are at the door of a church, ready to get our “pilgrim passports” stamped. Unfortunately in this case we were unsuccessful, as the church was closed. We completed our route at Escomb, an 8th century Saxon church, which happily wasContinue reading “24 miles, 3 days, 14 pilgrims”
Day 2 – Houghall to Whitworth Church
Written by Karen Over the stile, and into the woods we went – 14 pilgrims full of hope for the day ahead with the steps of doom distant both in miles and memory. Along the way a stop for a cuppa, and for 3 peeps something a little stronger then a delightful picnic stop byContinue reading “Day 2 – Houghall to Whitworth Church”
Tapas!
Everyone arrived safely. Lots of getting to know each other conversations, greeting old friends and making new ones. We’re not in Spain but in honour of the fact that we are walking the Camino Inglese – the English way – which has Santiago as its distant destination – we enjoyed a Spanish tapas meal toContinue reading “Tapas!”
Settling and sorting
John and I arrived early. There is lots to sort out – food, finalising rooms, going over the pilgrimage route. As we are ferrying people with cars, the parking needed checking. Google maps didn’t give us all the info needed and plans have been adjusted. And now we are just waiting for everyone to arrive.Continue reading “Settling and sorting”
The Finchale Camino: A Living with Loss group gets ready to walk
We are looking forward to our first Living with Loss Pilgrimage next week. Our route is the Finchale Camino in County Durham. It is officially part of the Camino de Santiago and is signposted with the typical yellow shell markers. We begin at Finchale Abbey and finish at Escombe Saxon church. We’ll be visiting DurhamContinue reading “The Finchale Camino: A Living with Loss group gets ready to walk”
I’ve been walking…but not blogging
This blog was almost entirely forgotten – by me! What a shame, as since my last post, I have done loads of walking – Cornwall, Peak District, Northumberland, Wales, etc. etc. Now I’m getting ready for a new challenge. Instead of my usual walking by myself, this is a 3 day pilgrimage I’m leading –Continue reading “I’ve been walking…but not blogging”
Two Saints Way – Cannock to Trent & Mersey Canal (Day 2 – S-N)
As I explained in the previous post, I’ve decided to avoid walking through urban areas during this pilgrimage. The first part of the walk was from Cannock to Milford. Then, instead of going to Stafford, I went via Tixall on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal up in the direction of Stone. I didn’t get thatContinue reading “Two Saints Way – Cannock to Trent & Mersey Canal (Day 2 – S-N)”
Pilgrimage, plagues and pandemics
What a wretched title for a post: Pilgrimage, plagues and pandemics. It’s clear from the historical record of the Middle Ages that pilgrims were one of the vectors for the spread of the Black Death or Bubonic Plague. According to a recent study of the Center for Scientific Research in which 1,311 medieval settlements haveContinue reading “Pilgrimage, plagues and pandemics”
One Step Camino 