The British Pilgrimage Trust!!

[hecate105]

Just found this website http://britishpilgrimage.org/where/great-routes/ which has many routes of pilgrimage, long and short in Britain. Some beautiful walks which had me longing for spring and better weather (just a tad warmer for camping, surely..!)
It is an interesting site with lots of info and discussions about pilgrimage. Also has (rather expensive) guided pilgrimages which look good too.
The Trust has been set up to encourage an 'open spiritual activity' in undertaking pilgrimage... and hopes to establish places for pilgrims to stay as well. A big thumbs up from me...!
and now I'll just get a map out to check that Celtic Way.....

 

[domigee]

Thanks, great website!

 

[Kitsambler]

And they are looking for pioneers! http://britishpilgrimage.org/old-way/ from Southhampton to Canterbury.

 

[kelleymac]

And they are looking for pioneers! http://britishpilgrimage.org/old-way/ from Southhampton to Canterbury.

What's a pioneer? I may be in England in September and am looking for a place to walk. The Stone Way is interesting, but a bit short. What about accommodation? Are there any pilgrim places? All I can find is tourist places.

 

[kelleymac]

Also-- Am I the only one that can't look at the ruins of the churches and abbeys in England without imagining their destruction?

 

[Kitsambler]

What's a pioneer? I may be in England in September and am looking for a place to walk. The Stone Way is interesting, but a bit short. What about accommodation? Are there any pilgrim places? All I can find is tourist places.

I think prospective pioneers should contact the BPT. They have a prospective route mapped out; but they need pioneers to actually walk it, assess the markings and connections and interfaces with other footpaths and roadways, not to mention lodging availability and logistics. You would be answering those questions for future pilgrims following in your footsteps.

 

[AlwynWellington]

All I can find is tourist places.

In my experience (see my journeys at left) back packer type hostels are only found in the major cities. In my 500 km or more walked in the UK I could find hostels in Oxford (2, booked out), central London (many) and Canterbury (1).

My work around was a 2-person tent that weighed, including an air matress and ground sheet, less than 800 grams.

I learnt from my Scottish rellies that all their long distance walking trips involved either:
a tent, food and the means to cook it; or
a car and driver who dropped you off at the start point each day and collected you from the agreed end point for the day and drove you to a hotel / bed and breakfast which had been booked months before.

By contrast the gite and albergue I encountered in France and Spain were convenient, luxurious and relatively very cheap.

 

[kelleymac]

In my experience (see my journeys at left) back packer type hostels are only found in the major cities. In my 500 km or more walked in the UK I could find hostels in Oxford (2, booked out), central London (many) and Canterbury (1).

My work around was a 2-person tent that weighed, including an air matress and ground sheet, less than 800 grams.

I learnt from my Scottish rellies that all their long distance walking trips involved either:
a tent, food and the means to cook it; or
a car and driver who dropped you off at the start point each day and collected you from the agreed end point for the day and drove you to a hotel / bed and breakfast which had been booked months before.

By contrast the gite and albergue I encountered in France and Spain were convenient, luxurious and relatively very cheap.

Well I am impressed! 800g! Wow. I went up to my attic to weigh my gear (again). -- My two person tent, sleeping bag and thermarest together weigh 3.3 kg. My one person tent with bag and thermarest are 2.86 kg. What do you use for a tent?

What are the rules for camping in England?

thanks-

Kate

 

[Kitsambler]

Zpacks solplex tent @ 435g http://zpacks.com/shelter/solplex.shtml
Thermarest Neo Xlite pad @ 12 oz https://www.rei.com/product/881574/therm-a-rest-neoair-xlite-sleeping-pad
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 30degree quilt @17.25oz https://enlightenedequipment.com/revelation-850dt-30-burnt-orange-charcoal/

 

[kelleymac]

Zpacks solplex tent @ 435g http://zpacks.com/shelter/solplex.shtml
Thermarest Neo Xlite pad @ 12 oz https://www.rei.com/product/881574/therm-a-rest-neoair-xlite-sleeping-pad
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 30degree quilt @17.25oz https://enlightenedequipment.com/revelation-850dt-30-burnt-orange-charcoal/

Thanks for the links. That is a really light tent. My 2 person Flashlight Tent is 4.2# using the poles that came with it. Using walking poles it's 4#. My one person is 3#.

I am used to camping here in the US-- which can be either free on the trail (Appalachian and Fingerlakes Trail), or about $25/night for a campsite (up to 6 people) at a state park. Have you pitched your tent in England-- Do you have to be at a campground?



Kate

 

[Kitsambler]

I haven't walked in the UK myself; I was citing info from my friend Roger, who walked from Shrewesbury to Santiago last year. He blogs extensively https://rogerbreakell.wordpress.com/2017/04/page/15/ I think he wild-camped (no campground) many nights. European campgrounds are different; more services, often restaurants, often tents or cabins available.

 

[hecate105]

There are plenty of places to wild camp in the Uk. So many unused corners, especially next to churches (they usually have a tap for water which is handy) or village halls, picnic areas etc. Most locals will tell you of a spot. Just leave nothing behind...!
In Scotland it is enshrined in law that you can camp anywhere on unenclosed land (except a few hotspots like Loch Lomond) but keep at least 30m away from dwellings/gardens etc.
There are also 'Certified locations' which are under the 'Camping and Caravan Assoc. which are small, usually cheap campsites with basic facilities. Then there are a range of proper campsites, some can be reasonably priced, but many are geared up for the holiday trade and charge a fortune (£20 a night !!) because there are lots of facilities...
The Trust (and other aligned associations) are trying to set up cheap/free accommodation for pilgrims, including opening up churches and church halls etc. This is still patchy, but worth contacting the Trust and asking at churches along the way.
There are also excellent reciprocal organisations like 'Couchsurfers' and , for cyclists 'Warm Showers' where folk will put you up for the night, give you access to facilities and often feed you too..! The Uk also has a 'Youth Hostelling assoc, which is for all ages... but it is not particularly cheap - but worth a look.
Hope you enjoy our beautiful country!

 

[Kathar1na]

And they are looking for pioneers! http://britishpilgrimage.org/old-way/ from Southhampton to Canterbury.

It was really interesting to read about this: The British Pilgrimage Trust has rediscovered one of Britain’s great pilgrimage routes – a 350km journey from Southampton to Canterbury and to have a look at the historic Gough Map on the website!

We happened to visit Pyecombe Church last year which is on this route (and on the South Downs Way) and I was surprised to see that you could access an apparently new kitchen and toilets, directly from the nave of the church. There were kettles, teabags etc and an invitation to make use of it. There were also post-its with messages apparently from hiker-pilgrims in one corner of the nave. It was quite unexpected and I had wondered about it ever since but it all makes sense now.

 

[AlwynWellington]

Well I am impressed! 800g! Wow. I went up to my attic to weigh my gear (again). -- My two person tent, sleeping bag and thermarest together weigh 3.3 kg. My one person tent with bag and thermarest are 2.86 kg. What do you use for a tent?
Kate

I found all my light weight gear at zPacks.com in Florida, USA. My only relationship is as a customer. My pack is around 600 grams and sleeping bag (5 c) around 400 grams.

For the tent I bought a Hexamid Solo-Plus with bug screen and stakes etc: a total of around 400 gram. For the ground sheet I bought the double poncho (covers the pack if used for wet weather gear) adding 150 gram for an all up total of around 550 grams. Then add your thermarest - mine is Neoair xlite small at about 250 grams.

I used when walking Thames Path (source to Windsor) and North Down (London to Canterbury) and did not encounter bugs*. Also found the bug floor (by design underneath the ground sheet) always attracted moisture, even without rain. This worried me when bagging up each morning. So, keeping an open mind on removing the floor part of the bug screen to reduce by about 100 grams,

I would agree this tent would be tight (cosy!!??) for two - depends on size. I wanted to have my pack etc inside and a single tent didn't weigh much less.

My base weight is:
..600 g pack
..400 g sleeping bag
..800 g tent etc
..700 g tablet 10" screen and keyboard
1000 g water
3500 g total before clothes and other stuff

@kelleymac , hope that helps

*on the other hand my Scotttish rellies tell me midges can be a large worry in many places in that realm.

 

[hecate105]

There is a 'midge forecast ' site - https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/ - for Scotland. I have relatives who live up there and on the West Coast the midges are a problem all summer - in fact all the time it isn't really windy! But on the East coast you rarely get them... and hardly any wind either. So there are plenty of pilgrim routes in the East that I will be trying first!

 

[MaryLynn]

There is a 'midge forecast ' site - https://www.smidgeup.com/midge-forecast/ - for Scotland. I have relatives who live up there and on the West Coast the midges are a problem all summer - in fact all the time it isn't really windy! But on the East coast you rarely get them... and hardly any wind either. So there are plenty of pilgrim routes in the East that I will be trying first!

A Danish friend and I walked the John Muir Way in July from Helensburgh to Dunbar and I expected midges, but they were nowhere to be found! Lucky us!!

 

[Kathar1na]

They have a prospective route mapped out; but they need pioneers to actually walk it, assess the markings and connections and interfaces with other footpaths and roadways, not to mention lodging availability and logistics.

Will Parsons, one of the co-founders of the British Pilgrimage Trust, is currently walking this new Old Way from Southhampton to Canterbury and can be followed on Facebook. I think this would be a great path to walk if there's enough accommodation infrastructure for pilgrim-walkers. However, I don't see the local councils build or support albergues as they do in Galicia and other Northern Spanish regions ...

 

[onwayhome]

Will Parsons, one of the co-founders of the British Pilgrimage Trust, is currently walking this new Old Way from Southhampton to Canterbury and can be followed on Facebook. I think this would be a great path to walk if there's enough accommodation infrastructure for pilgrim-walkers. However, I don't see the local councils build or support albergues as they do in Galicia and other Northern Spanish regions ...

Thanks for that news. It would be great if the enthusiasm of BPT and others helps to revive British Pilgrimage routes. I agree that it is currently difficult to walk as a pilgrimage (as opposed to a walking tour) without much in the way of pilgrim orientated accommodation. Apart from the cost this means there are few opportunities for meeting fellow pilgrims, something I value on the Caminos. At present this only seems possible by walking together as an organised group.

 

[Kitsambler]

I think this would be a great path to walk if there's enough accommodation infrastructure for pilgrim-walkers. However, I don't see the local councils build or support albergues as they do in Galicia and other Northern Spanish regions ...

I agree that it is currently difficult to walk as a pilgrimage (as opposed to a walking tour) without much in the way of pilgrim orientated accommodation.

It is really unfortunate that so many have their first (or only) pilgrimage experience on the Camino Frances, because the situation on the CF really is an outlier in the universe of pilgrimage paths: frequent and quite inexpensive accommodation, thousands of fellow pilgrims, and a hospitality infrastructure that has evolved over the past 30 years to match that business opportunity. The other routes in Spain aren't like that. The routes in France aren't like that. Or in Switzerland. Or in Germany. Or in the Czech Republic. Or Norway. People still manage to walk long distances in a pilgrim frame of mind, even if it costs a few Euros more.

 

[Bradypus]

It is really unfortunate that so many have their first (or only) pilgrimage experience on the Camino Frances, because the situation on the CF really is an outlier in the universe of pilgrimage paths:

The unique infrastructure of the Camino Frances certainly attracts large numbers of first-time walkers. Nothing wrong with that in itself. However, it is unfortunate that so many people then go on to assume that it is the model by which other routes should be judged. Walking the extraordinarily diverse and rewarding Via Francigena I was saddened on a number of occasions hearing other walkers complain that it was "not as good as the Camino Frances" because it lacked the vast number of albergues, bars, restaurants, luggage transport, taxi adverts and so on. My heart also sank when reading a question about a pilgrimage route in Japan where the OP stated that he would only consider the route if a luggage transport service was available. Many pilgrim routes demand more planning, heavier loads, longer stages and greater costs. For those of us who value solitude and a less commercialized experience that is a price well worth paying. I would be sad to see other pilgrim routes evolving along the pattern set by the Camino Frances.