I am just remembering now that one of my favourite books as a child was a Sunday School Prize, Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan – I am not sure why. I loved the idea of the pilgrim’s journey his adventures and his eventual arrival. I don’t think I was ever concerned with the spiritual significance of his journey in a very deep way but there was definitely something about it which attracted me.
I can think of two pilgrimages I remember from the days of my youth. The first was the pilgrimage(s) on Jersey to St Helier’s Hermitage. I can remember walking across the causeway wearing cassock and surplice.
Not me but it gives the idea
I can remember too while I was living in London in 1973/4 going on a pilgrimage from Guildford to Chichester to the shrine of St Richard. I can’t remeber much about it apart from walking across the Downs and sleeping on the floor of a church hall.
Who would have thought that so many years later I would be walking across the sand again , but this time to Holy Island for a different saint. The featured image records that walk in thick fog. I was struck by the thought that whilst I knew my final destination I could see only a very short way ahead one or two poles and a short way behind. That was such a clear illustration of my journey.
It has struck me recently that I am resuming a journey, a pilgrimage which I began in the days of my youth which had been on pause for so many years.
This morning as Christmas ends and transitions into Epiphany and what in my memory is the coldest part of winter, though with climate change who knows now my thoughts turned to how I might frame this year. Two main things prompted this reflection, my practice of daily prayer and the realisation I hadn’t taken down last year’s calendar
Last year I bought “Growing through the Seasons 2022” from Vital seeds. A celebration of fruit and vegetables. This calendar will guide you on a wonderful journey throughout the year …. I certainly had a wonderful journey in 2022 – several of them as it happens though the poor garden never quite lived up to its expectations with the number of other things crowding into my life. If I had a new year’s resolution it would be to be able to multitask and not to neglect any of my retirement tasks. So this year I hope to embrace distractions as I plan my garden year.
Last year my appreciation of the seasons grew as I walked in so many places. Not just the wide open spaces of Hadrian’s Wall, St Cuthbert’s Way or the varied places I went with the Nordic Walking Group but the regular walks in my local nature park. It is such a joy to be slow enough to be present and to appreciate plants, trees, birds and insects, the wonders of nature. I look forward to more of that this year.
I began a routine of Daily Payer using the Church of England’s Common Worship at the beginning of Advent last year. Seasons were more obvious when I was growing up – I lived on a farm until I was eleven and going to my local parish church was part of life. It just seemed to make sense. I loved the changing colours and decoartions in the church and the rhythms of penitence, relction and celebration.
I want to focus more on the seasons of nature and prayer to frame my thinking and activities, my pilgrimage. I want to reject the commercial seasons and take things at my own pace.
It may be a stereotypical retirement thing but not only have I found out loads about my ancestors I feel connected to the town where I live in a totally new way.
It’s now a long time since I have actively done any research. I have kept up some subscriptions and I hope I will be able to plant some more family history stories into the garden this year.
I have always loved walking, indeed looking back I recognise it’s the best way of helping me to think. As I prepared for my retirement, I was certain that walking was going to be a big part of what I wanted to do.
Walking is a way of slowing down. Working life seemed like a constant round of activity with no time to take notice of the world around me and I wanted that to change.
I have noticed so much that I am routinely amazed by the beauty around me. The way the light transforms bare branches in winter, the vibrant colours of hedgerow flowers and fruit. As I walk around Gateshead where I live, I discover not just the parks both traditional and nature but the footpaths, and wagonways which lead through pockets of woodland or scrub, what I like to call micro countryside.
I am not sure if there are many places where I walk which have not been altered in some way by human activity, but I don’t consider this something bad. These layers of history create a landscape with so much interest.
There also seems to be a lot of evidence that walking is good for our health, both mental and physical. I hope this will keep me active and healthier for years to come.
It all started back in 2005. I was slowly beginning to settle after a time of mid life crisis and decided to take a holiday on my own to Amsterdam. I had already had a short break there and seen some of the sites so on this occasion I was just there to relax and enjoy the experience without any plan. It turned out to be far more significant than I could have imagined, thankfully I wrote a journal for those few days I was there ….
Wander off again and end up at the Homomonument. For some reason I have not noticed the flowers before. I ask at the kiosk and a nice looking lad tells me that people leave them as memorials. He says he himself lays flowers in memory of his ancestors. I decide to sit on the canal side bit of the monument in the sunshine – just think a while then read. The something happens – I don’t know how or why, I am just looking at the flowers. Then I begin to think about the granite of the memorial, Pink Granite the same as Jersey – musing about some deeper significance in all this. Then all of a sudden I am crying ~ not becasue I am sad just that somehow this place just seems to resonate with some real vibes or significance. I suddenly feel like I belong as a gay man
AMSTERDAM ~ 25/09/05 ~ SUNDAY
I’m still overwhelmed by my emotions when along comes this hippyish looking bloke on a bike who starts tidying the flowers and then stops to pray. He notices me crying then comes across and sits down beside me and starts talking. He tells me he has developed full blown AIDS. We speak about the pain of being gay – friendship and God then we end up holding hands and hugging each other just sharing this moment while the tourist boats pass by. Its the first time I have felt some pride in being gay. After he leaves I go back to my wandering, yet now there is somehow at once a deep feeling that this has been a pivotal moment I don’t know how or why . I am so glad it happened though.
Portelet Bay Jersey
A week later ….
I think back to my ‘homo~moment’. I get quite poetic thinking about the granite. The pink granite of Jersey ~ natural ~ from whence I spang contrasting with that of the Homomonement which is polished and shaped but inside the real quality has not chnaged. I know granite to be very durable, yet composed of many different minerals. I hope my life will show that complexity and strength – shaped by circumstances but retaining its real nature.
I don’t know why but one of the first things I did when I rediscovered faith at the bedside of my dying friend was to turn to the Church of England prayer book. In the first instance the Daily Prayer App . Perhaps it was because this was what I had grown up with, not the App of course, first the book of Common Prayer then the Alternative Service Book 1980, but even then this had been something reserved for a Sunday. I had led Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer and even Compline in Holy Week at my Parish Church of St Lawrence in Jersey.
I dipped in and out, not saying it every day. I rejoiced in the fact I could pray without having to think whether I was good enough or had the right words. Even with modern words and forms it has a timeless quality for me. I remember very early on, the day I made my ‘first’ pilgrimage to the Shrine of St Cuthbert, walking from home to Durham Cathedral. I had read Morning Prayer and these words were so powerful I wrote them down.
In your unfailing love, O Lord, you lead the people whom you have redeemed. And by Your invincible strength You will guide them to Your holy dwelling. You will bring them in and plant them, O Lord, In the sanctuary which Your hands have established
Those words sustained me on what was then the longest walk I had done for many many years.
I continued to say or listen to Morning Prayer on an occasional basis then while I was staying on Holy Island in August of 2022 I took the opportunity to go to Morning Prayer in the church each day. It settled my soul and enabled me to take the next step on my new faith journey which was to start going to church.
Morning Prayer has only really become part of my daily routine this year (2023), it had taken several months to develop the habit – I make a point of not making resolutions I don’t keep. But now it’s something I really miss on the occasions It doesn’t happen. It calms and encourages me, being an essential part of each day when I walked the Camino de Santiago and my Walk of Witness. Though I must admit lessons from Morning Prayer are not always remembered in the stress of the day.
What’s prompted this reflection is my experience this week. I had attended a couple of early morning services Morning Prayer at church and last Monday made the effort to get out of bed and walk along the road. These services were just to me sharing my regular Morning Prayer with others, I never thought of them as official church services. So this time I was asked to lead, no big deal even if I was still a bit nervous. It was after we finished and I was asked to sign the book in the vestry as I had led Morning Prayer. This still gets to me days later. I realised that somehow this was not just me saying Morning Prayer in a different place, I was part of the church, it was bigger than just me. It must have been fifty years or so since I had last led an Anglican Service, who would have thought – certainly not me. Where God will lead me next only He knows!
I woke up with a sense of excitement this morning, this was my final day of walking. My excitement was tempered by the weather forecast which was forecasting heavy rain but I didn’t have any choice. I had let everyone know my itinerary for the day but didn’t know for sure who would be walking and which sections. This was another route I had walked before so I knew what to expect.
When the start time approached I had been joined by Lynn and Diane from church. Today wasn’t just about me finishing my walk, this was about us finishing the walk together.
Thankfully the rain had just about stopped by the time we set off.
It was interesting to see familiar places through others eyes.
We stopped in Jarrow as we were well ahead of schedule. Diane left here as she had to get to work so I continued on with Lynn. WhatsApp messages were flying back and forth and we agreed to meet with Rev Danie at the Bill Quay Farm Café. When we got there Russ was there too and we were joined a little later by Arthur and Christine. I was a bit overwhelmed that friends from church who had supported me all the way were with me on this final stretch. We had plenty of time so it was quite a relaxed walk into Gateshead along the river.
I was a bit concerned to try and get my timings right. I had said I would arrive at 14.30 at the Gateshead Basis Drop In and I reckon I was only 5 minutes late which after setting out over a month before wasn’t bad.
And then I was there to the shouts and cheers of the workers, staff and service users at the Drop In and friends who had managed to get time off work. There was congratulations tea coffee and cake. I think I was definitely overhelmed by the welcome and the realisation that I had been and done it. This mad idea to walk from London to Gateshead raising money (£1540) and awareness of the wonderful work of Oasis Community Housing.
Back to the start of the trail for a reasonably late start as today I had friends walking with me again. Joing me at Sunderland was Gillian from church.
Today’s route was familiar to me as I had walked it before in the opposite direction from South Shields. Having company added something special to the journey. WE had perfect weather too for a coastal walk. Clear skies and warm sunshine. The first section takes us down beside the river.
Looking back
We came to the mouth of the river at Roker and turned north along the coast.
We arrived at Whitburn which was the end of this route and half way stage of today’s walk. We were joined here by Mary from Oasis Community Housing together with her husband and their dog.
This was my penultimate day and it was good to be sharing the experience with fellow walkers as well as the great support I had received online throughout my journey.
Mary and family left us at Marsden and on I walked with Gillian. The end was in sight though it was still a way to go before we reached South Shields.
We got there in the end and I was very conscious that my challenge was almost over with just the final day to go tomorrow.
Slow Way Route – Housun one – Houghton-le-Spring to Sunderland
Distance 12km / 7 mi
It was back on the bus to return to Houghton-le-Spring and start of today’s Slow Way. I was not just walking to Sunderland but was visiting Sunderland Basis which is Oasis Community Housing’s drop in centre there.
It was a pleasant walk out of Houghton with some uphill sections out into the countryside. As I had done several times on this walk I thought of access issues for Slow Ways when I met a man in an electric wheeler at the top of this hill. It was as far as he could get as there was a gate which I found difficult to open.
I continued up past a quarry and looked back at the view.
I was enjoying the countryside and appreciating the hills.
When I got to the top I had good views towards the north including Penshaw Monument.
I went downhill past Down at the Farm Attraction then was faced with the first, (and thankfully last) overgrown path of the day.
I battled my way through and was quite surprised to see two walkers in front of me. I caught up with them just before a huge bank of nettles blocking the path and I shared where we were on my OS Map App. Keen to demonstrate my intrepid explorer skills I get busy with my poles to clear a path only to look back and see them retreating in the distance. My ego was crushed! However I had to press on and after getting through the nettles I was given directions from a farm worker which oddly enough confused me. I did eventually get back on the right path and headed off beside the A19.
I crossed the A19 and got details of when I was expected to be at the Drop In. I realised I needed to start speeding up. Thankfully the route into the city was on a shared cycle path so the walking was easy. I was pleasantly surprised too how nice this route was considering I was walking into the city centre.
I arrived with a few minutes to spare and was welcomed by Jo Armstrong. They were short staffed that day but I was given a tour and had some refreshments. I was so glad to be able to visit here today as it really keeps the focus on why I am walking.
It was soon time to return to my Slow Way. As I was being careful to complete each route I had to back track to where I had left the trail. I then continued on into the city centre.
I was up and away early today, grateful I had sorted out my backpack last night. I got the bus into Durham and walked the first bit of today’s route before taking a detour to the Cathedral.
I wanted to start my day with Morning Prayer at the Cathedral. It was being held at the Shrine of St Cuthbert which is my happy place. I arrived quite soon and was welcomed by the Dean who was interested in what I was doing. It was a short service with a small group of people and I was totally amazed when the Dean included me and my walk in the prayers.
It was such a sublime experience and really set me up for the day. I headed down to the Market Place to meet Jo Armstrong from Oasis Community Housing who was walking with me for part of the morning.
Jo had got a coffee and a snack for in my case second breakfast then we set off on our Slow Way out of Durham along the river.
It was such a joy to be walking with someone again. It’s such a different experience. We headed along some paths and roads then passed through a retail park which certainly added variety to the walk.
We didn’t stop though and walked along a section of cycle path.
All too soon it was time for Jo to get back to her normal work so we parted company and I continued on alone again. There were a variety of footpaths and cycle tracks ahead.
I was really enjoying the walk and the varied scenery. County Durham did not disappoint.
I arrived in West Rainton the end of this Slow Way and had a break after getting a drink and snacks from the local shop. There was a chip shop open but I decided fish and chips was a bit much at this stage of my walk.
The walk continued along a road then headed off through the fields.
I looked back and could see West Rainton in the distance
I finally reached Houghton-Le-Spring. I had a few minutes wait but I was soon on the bus home grateful I was one more day closer to the finish.
Today was mostly along the Brandon to Bishop Auckland Railway Path so I was expecting an ‘easy’ day. I was looking forward to getting to Durham, it was my next milestone and from there on it was definitely the home stretch. It wasn’t the earliest of starts as I was waiting for a rain shower to pass over. Here I am posing in front of one of Shildon’s Arches
I walked out of town and was soon rewarded with a view towards Bishop Auckland.
It was a pleasant walk downhill through the village of South Church.
There was a couple of steep up and down bits and I was soon walking through Bishop Auckland.
I didn’t linger and walked straight on over the Newton Cap Viaduct. (No photos because of Vertigo). I joined the Brandon to Bishop Auckland Railway Path at the entrance to the Kynren Attraction. I powered on but did appreciate the scenery as I walked.
I stopped and chatted to a local walker who had lived all his life the the nearby village of Toronto. I got a potted life history and other local information. My stage finish was at the village of Willington. I called in to the local Co-op and got a drink and snacks.
Just a short break then I continued on. There were plenty of cyclists and dog walkers so it felt busy compared with most previous days. I met a dog walker on this section who chatted for a while. He put me to shame with all the adventures he’d been on.
My next way point was at Brandon. A short walk into the village brought me to a community hub where I had a quick sit.
I was a man on a mission so I continued on.
There was a bit of up and down as I got closer to Durham and left the Railway Path proper.
I cllimbed up the steep hill into Nevilles Cross passing the site of the 1346 battle. It was just downhill then into Durham. Being a completist I had to make one final climb to the Railway Station, the official end of this Slow Way.
I was smiling now, not just because I had finished today’s walk but that I was going home! I had decided that once I reached Durham it made more sense to sleep at home and just travel back and forth to the start of the next stage. I was soon on the bus and was so glad to be home. I got stuff into the washer, had a long hot shower and got my backpack ready for the next day.
Slow Ways Route – Shidar one – Darlington to Shildon
Distance 20km / 12mi
I made use of the coffee making facilities as I packed up this morning. The first part of my walk was through the town.
It was very quiet, not just because it was early but also because it was a Sunday. I hadn’t considered the nice bits of the town but as I crossed the river I thought this was a nice natural moment.
My main priority was breakfast of course and thankfully there was a handy Wetherspoons on my route. While I was there I checked my phone to discover I had just reached my fund raising target. It was a great boost at the beginning of my day. I walked out of town and the surroundings opened up with more greenspace.
I came to the edge of the town then I walked beside then under the A1
It was a mixture of tracks, fields and pasture until I reached Shildon. There was a fair bit when I transformed into intrepid explorer mode to find my way along overgrown sections. My main impression was how beautiful the countryside was though distant views were spoilt by the dull and damp weather. I had another moment beside still waters.
I then passed through the site of a medieval village at Walworth. If it hadn’t been marked on the map it would have just been more humps and bumps in the field.
It was all up and down which highlighted how different Co Durham is.
There was a final bit of overgrown path then into Shildon.
I had booked an Airbnb here and there was a bit of delay and toing and froing to get checked in. When I did get it I was surprised and pleased to discover I had the place to myself. I had heard from the vicar here and even though I had already booked accommodation I did get invited for a meal that evening. They insisted they pick me up and drop me off which was wonderful but weird too when I was walking every day.
I very much enjoyed the relaxed hospitality, conversation and meal. They were having a short ‘Zoom’ service that evening which I was pleased to be a part of. It was a wonderful way of ending the day.
I knew today was going to be a longer day with 28km to walk. I had booked an Airbnb room in Darlington so I wasn’t worried about pitching a tent or thinking where to stay. All I had to think about was walking. So by 07.30 I was back in the town centre ready to start my walk.
I headed out of town, passing under the East Coast Main Line, never far from my thoughts and hearing on this stretch of my journey.
U was soon on country roads which made up a large part of today’s walk. I passed through the little village of Yafforth and was attracted by Howe Hill which is described as a Motte on the OS Map.
It was here that my senses were at risk of being overwhelmed, not by the awesome views and the beauty of the hedgerows but by the smell of the pig unit I passed. It was thankfully a fleeting moment as I powered on. I came to the village of Danby Wiske where I found the delightful campsite and facilities at Church Farm. They had an unmanned tuckshop, good toilets and a barn with kettle and mugs etc. I stopped here and made the most of everything. I decided this would have been a great place to stay but didn’t fit with my current itinerary.
On I went through the fields where I found some obstacles. This included the completely overgrown fence/ stile and the field where there was no recognisable path through the undergrowth.
The next obstacle was a field of cows. I wasn’t particularly worried about them as they were on the other side of the field. The problem came when I got to the gate out of the field and discovered it was very firmly tied shut. My only option was to climb over. As I was working all this out I happened to glance over my shoulder and was surprised to see the cows just behind me! Obviously I was the most intersting thing to happen to them that day. I scrambled over the gate as quick as I could.
Thankfully after I passed through the village of East Cowton and the ex railway station I was back on roads and farm tracks.
As I came over the brow of the hill I could see the River Tees and the village of Hurworth-on-Tees in the distance. As I descended the hill the village became clearer and I could see Darlington in the distance.
I was dreaming of maybe a pub in Hurworth and congratulating myself that I had cleaned all the mud off my boots when I came across the next obstacle. At Low Hall Farm I had to cross the farmyard which which several inches deep in slurry. Thankfully my boots were waterproof but they got well and truly covered. I crossed over the Tees and walked into the village.
Hurworth seemed a posh place with lots of very well appointed houses. I stopped and had a look round the church yard to see if there was a water tap to clean my boots but I couldn’t find one. I ended up nipping in to the village shop for something to eat and drink and hoping they wouldn’t notice my boots. I sat on a bench and looked out over the village green.
On I went across more fields and stiles towards Darlington. I saw the stadium in the distance then just before the town I encountered the last obstacle of the day, a building development. It took a bit of hunting around for the way through but I did eventually come out the other side and some woodland.
There wasn’t far to go through the streets until I came to the end of today’s slow ways.
My Airbnb was just a few minutes walk away and I was glad to have crossed the Tees. This was for me another milestone finally reaching County Durham as was and feeling that much closer to home.
Slow Ways Route – Northi one – Thirsk to Northallerton
Distance 18km / 11 mi
It was great to be able to go downstairs at 07.00 and have a Wetherspoons breakfast, it made for a nice start to the day. I took my selfie to prove I had finished and started my Slow Ways Route
I headed through the town past some small shops and then down to the river past the church.
I had another ‘beside still waters’ moment.
I had a few senior navigational moments as I crossed a riverside meadow but continued along the river where I came across the first of today’s diversions. The footbridge was being repaired so I was diverted through the village of Kilverton and beside the roads until I could re-join the path. I managed to understand the map provided. I continued on using farm tracks then headed off across some fields which once again tested my navigational skills. It was one of those days. As I approached the Thornton stud there was another set of signs and maps. The actual route was quite straightforward in the end but in the confusion I apparently missed an obvious statue of the Buddha! I was happy to find a yellow arrow which reminded me of the Camino, navigation was so much easier on that walk.
Past the stud I was treated to some more views. I did notice the rain in the distance and hoped it would stay far away.
I stopped at the village of Thornton-le-Moor for a short break. I couldn’t see anything here apart from houses so made do with a handy bench and what I had in my pack. Going on I came to a field of corn, thankfully there was a way through.
I arrived at the town of Northallerton. It was only 13.45 so it was off to Wetherspoons for some refreshment.
It was too early to be thinking about checking in to my Airbnb but thankfully I found a handy booth in Wethersppons where I could settle in for the afternoon and charge my devices and get my Slow Ways Route review and my social media posts sorted. When it was time I headed to my Airbnb which turned out to be very nice.
Slow Ways Route – Thieas two – Easingwold to Thirsk
Distance 21km / 13mi
It was a wet start to a wet day today. I was up and about without seeing anyone at the restaurant and set off in the rain. I was tempted to take the direct route into the village along the road but my conscience wouldn’t allow such a departure from the official route.
Easingwold looked a really nice place with a lovely market square and interesting shops. I found an open café for some breakfast and a chance to get out of the rain. Sadly the rain showed no signs of stopping so I got my waterproof jacket back on and set off again. Another selfie, this time I seem to be smiling even in the rain!
As I left the village I was so surprised to find I was walking up a hill. It wasn’t a massive one but on this walk I just wasn’t used to them. I walked on up a country lane then headed off across the fields. There was lots of mud, and even more wet grass. I was thankful I had changed my footwear in Lincoln.
As I walked through the fields, even in the rain, there were interesting views.
I was climbing steadily and was rewarded with views over the surrounding countryside when the rain abated.
Once over the hill I looked down towards the village of Husthwaite. My map told me there was a pub there and I was ready for a break. I wasn’t focussed on my surroundings so much when thinking about a break so I missed the white horse on the hillside in the distance. Sadly the pub in this village was shut and there didn’t appear to be much else to stop for so on I went to the next village of Carlton Husthwaite.
Thankfully I had arrived in the village just as the pub opened so just stopped for a drink as it was a bit soon for food. The barman was happy to chat and I enjoyed my brief time there. He mentioned that I would see the white horse so I did look out for it. I set off again past an attractive church and obligatory thatched cottage. The cottage was handily labelled but I thought fairly obvious.
Once out of the village I looked across at the hills and there was the white horse carved into the hillside. I blame the rain obscuring my view earlier.
It was still raining and the town of Thirsk just couldn’t come quick enough, unfortunately it wasn’t that quick. I finally arrived and checked in to my room at the Wetherspoons pub in the town square just as the sun began to shine.
Once I got changed out of my wet things I went downstairs for a pint and something to eat. I was so glad that this day was over though disappointed that the rain had taken the edge of what was a beautiful walk.
