Via di Francesco

Once the idea of a pilgrimage to Assisi was planted in my head – it wouldn’t shift. I invested in a guidebook and amongst the varied routes I could choose Florence to Assisi via La Verna was the one I kept coming back to.

How do you begin a journey? When you have the initial idea, when you begin preparations, when you start travelling or perhaps when you actually start walking? I chose to begin at my home church, St Alban’s, Windy Nook.

Day 2 on the Via di Francesco The day began with final, final packing making sure I had everything I needed packed away in my trusty backpack. Of course there is always something like the realisation that I had left my glasses at church but that was ok – I have another pair. I walked…

Day 3 on the Via di Francesco It wasn’t the best night’s sleep, the bed was comfortable butmy brain was far too active. In the end I was up by 04:30. My first train wasn’t until 05:52 so I had time for Morning Prayer and my Community Obedience. It reminded me of days on the…

Day 4 on the Via di Francesco Today was a day to pause, prepare and relax. As I lay waking up I decided that all I ‘had’ to do that day was to go to the Basilica de Santa Croce, pray and get my credential stamped. The rest of the day was free. It was…

Day 5 on the Via di Francesco. I was out of the hostel round about 6 o’clock. I think I just wanted to leave Florence. Nice as it was it wasn’t where I wanted to be, I wanted to be on the trail. I got as far as a bench between the hostel and the…

Day 6 on the Via di Francesco This is the day which had loomed large in my thoughts as I planned my journey and it loomed just as large as I woke up that morning, One of the take aways from my Morning Prayer routine was from the Psalm – “I called to you and…

Day 7 on the Via di Francesco Today was a day spent almost entirely walking through forest. I was reminded of the idea of ‘Forest Bathing’; a definition being ” the practice of intentionally immersing oneself in a forest atmosphere using all five senses to reduce stress, improve mental health, and boost immunity. I am…

Day 8 on the Via di Francesco This was not a ‘Rest Day’ as I walked 12km but looking back this was one of the most wonderful experiences of my journey so far. It started out a bit flat to be honest with my morning prayer routine and what I thought was a careful pack-up.…

Day 9 on the Via di Francesco I woke up and looked out of the window. It looked about the same as when I had arrived the day before, misty and raining. To compound it I read in one of the Psalms in Morning Prayer You visit the earth and water it,you make it very…