2011, the year when plans come to fruition

[MordenMarauder]

Hi, I'm Simon from Morden - if you don't know it, it is the last stop on the Northern line! For anyone not from London, it is south London. I'm newly retired with some juice still left in the tank to adventure far and wide. Not one to do things half-heartedly, I started my pilgrimage last May by starting out on the St. Swithins Way, from Winchester in Hampshire. Up to the 12th. C., this was the end of the road for many pilgrims paying homage to St. Swithin, man of great miracles allegedly. Then Thomas a Beckett came to a sticky end in Canterbury cathedral and St Swithin wasn't the big draw anymore. Canterbury was where it's at from then on and pilgims would do Winchester and go on to Canterbury via the trackways. Hampshire County Council have enterprisingly created a St. Swithins Way which is a series of public footpaths seemingly cobbled together by a felt-tipped pen on a map which winds a very circuitous route to Farnham where the North Downs Way takes over the baton onwards to Canterbury. Enough of my version of the history of the walk - we are now within 3 days walk of the first goal - Canterbury. My walking partner and I have been doing this so far on a daily basis since last year when we can fit it in but in March we expect to complete. Then I'm on my own with the next stage- Canterbury to, probably, St. Jean by bike in May/June trying to follow loosely a pilgrimage route through France. Then if still sound in mind and body, set off by foot to Santiago in late September/October.
Enough for now
Now, having committed that to print, I'll have to do it!
If anyone has done the French route by bike I would be interested in the route taken and their experiences - the ones to avoid would be even better.

 

[WolverineDG]

Buen Camino!!! Sounds like you're having a great time. BTW, I've been interested in doing a Canterbury Pilgrimage. Is there a good guide out there, or do you just follow the highway?

Kelly

 

[Theo]

Hi Simon,

Why not to use the “Three Saint’s Way” by starting from Winchester in England to reach St-Jean-d’Angely on the Via Turonensis ?

For your bikeride, you could use English guide books (Click HERE) which describes what the authors call the “Three Saint’s Way”.

Theo

 

[Deleted member 3000]

St. Swithin, the English groundhog (but on July 15):

St. Swithin's day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St. Swithin's day if thou be fair
For forty days 'twill rain nae mair.

 

[andy.d]

Hope this goes well! I'm planning to walk the first half of the Pilgrim's Way from Winchester to Canterbury in May and finish it off later.

Kelly - the original Pilgrim's Way is mainly under busy roads. The modern alternative is the 34 mile St Swithuns Way, which then links to the North Downs Way Long Distance Foot Path, which takes you to Canterbury.

There's also a route from London for those who want to walk in Chaucer's footsteps, although I should think this would be on alternative footpaths as opposed to the A2.

Andy

 

[WolverineDG]

Thanks for the info, Andy. I figured the old pilgrim roads would now be paved-over highways.

Kelly

 

[skilsaw]

Hi, I'm Simon from Morden - if you don't know it, it is the last stop on the Northern line! For anyone not from London, it is south London. .

Isn't there some kind of contradiction there? "The last stop on the Northern line is in South London."

Gotta love the Brits!

Sounds like a great plan. Enjoy every stage.
David, Victoria, Canada.

 

[MordenMarauder]

Kelly - here is a link to a Hampshire CC web page that explains the St Swithins Way and give details of how to get the walker's pack - priced £2.99.
http://www3.hants.gov.uk/longdistance/s ... ns-way.htm
It is beautifully illustrated with 3 separate maps if you want to take 3 days to complete - we split it into 2 days of 17 miles each as the terrain is quite gentle. The pack is a great souvenir of the walk but if I were to walk it again, I would take an OS map as well as some of the walk details are a bit vague - we managed to go off-piste many times.
David - we need people like you to point out things we take for granted. The Northern line runs from Edgware in the north of London almost due south to Morden as it's end point - nearly the longest tube line, 36 miles mostly underground.