Planning my trip has made me feel so alive. Now Iām just flattened.
I can understand the pull of a short pilgrimages anywhere from Saint-Jean to Compostela. The infrastructure is more than complete and the vistas generally commanding, even on the meseta.
Someone has already mentioned walking from Le Puy. My suggestion there would be from Le Puy (and especially attend the early morning (7am) pilgrims Mass and the sending out is unique. I would suggest a stop at Saint-Come d'Olt or up the road at Espalion. Then I recommend fast forwarding to Moissac and continuing from there as far as you can.
I hesitate to suggest a pilgrimage in the UK as, from my not vast experience, infrastructure is quite limited and what there is (mainly B&Bs) is quite expensive and breakfast can often chew quite a bit of the morning (which, in my view, is often the best part of the day for walking).
One I suggest is from Saint Mungo's Cathedral, Glasgow (or Paisley Abbey if you prefer) to Whithorn, the site of the first church in Scotland. It progresses down through Ayr to Girvan. From there I recommend a train or bus to Barrhill and continue from there. Here is a
link to WayMarkedTrails for the first stages of this way. Scoll back to see more. This is just under 200 km when restarting at Barrhill and is intended to be a "practical" route and avoids walking on major "A" roads with there voluminous traffic and no shoulders. After Ayr the indicated route
A more modest pilgrimage in distance (but equally challenging at just on 100 km) is
Saint Cuthbert's Way at this link. A fitting conclusion to this pilgrimage is to continue (by public/private transport) to the Shrine of Saint Cuthbert at Durham Cathedral. For the same admission (free) you can observe a silence at the black marble table tomb of the Venerable Bede and note the inscription around sides rhymes in the original Latin and also when translated to English.
If a pilgrimage to the martyrdom of Saint Thomas (a Becket) of Canterbury is closer to home then I suggest a start from Rochester Cathedral. From there down south-east towards Aylesford and along the so called Pilgrims Way for a few days before heading north-east towards Canterbury. The pilgrims/visitors centre is most welcoming and as a pilgrim those at the ticket gate will direct you there if you look like a pilgrim (back pack etc) without having to pay the entrance fee.
Also in that area is the Augustine Camino. This goes from Rochester, through Canterbury to Ramsgate for around 100 km.
Here is the link.
I wish you happy planning. Kia ora (good health) - kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going when you can).
PS: I hear from my Galswegian family there is scuttlebutt talk of closing some border or other. āŗ