future pilgrim from west yorkshire

[horburylawrence]

looks like i'll be walking from home in yorkshire next year. good to see such a busy website. would like to hear from anyone about their experiences, but in particular anyone who has walked from the north of England-I'm still working out a route in England and also where best to pick up the camino proper in france. So many questions!
thanks
Lawrence

 

[Caminando]

Hi! and welcome

Good luck if you can find a suitable way from your home in N England. It's not a country which embraced long distance paths, I think.

I'd say that the 'camino proper' begins at your door. (I only found that out the hard way, I must add!) In France it begins at Calais, or Boulogne or Dunkerque or Caen or St Malo.

Buen camino !

 

[ivar]

Welcome to the forum Lawrence!

Gareth walked from England last year, don't remember where he started from. He is walking the Frances right now. More on Gareth here:
member2652.html
http://albergue.caminodesantiago.me/pro ... rethThomas

Greetings from Santiago,
Ivar

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Hi Lawrence

We have been cycling from our door near Ely in 2 or 3 week stages, via Harwich and Hook of Holland, Belguim, France - Reims, Vezelay, then the Voie de Vezelay . We transferred over to the Camino del Norte and have got as far as Gernika so far. We have a blog (see below) which will give you an idea of our route.

We followed the RAvel slow routes in Belguim (see http://www.wallonie-tourisme.be/contenu ... /1220.html) which are for walkers as well as cyclists and follow rivers and canals.

There are pilgrim routes (pilgrimspad) through Holland to Maastricht which connect with the GR 654 (or similar) which goes down the Meuse into France and takes you to Vezelay. See http://www.ffrandonnee.fr/topos/topoGui ... px?ref=654 for a guide to this route which includes suggestions for overnight accommodation.
There are plenty of other possible routes, of course.

Check out the following for a couple who walked from London a year or so ago.
http://verylongwalks.blogspot.com/2007_ ... chive.html

If you come through East Anglia to Harwich you are welcome to stop for the night with us near Ely. Just PM. The Hereward Way comes from Peterborough.

Good luck if you can find a suitable way from your home in N England. It's not a country which embraced long distance paths, I think.

Caminando - there are loads of long distance paths in England.
http://www.walkingenglishman.com/ldp/ldpindex.htm
http://www.ramblers.org.uk/info/paths/r ... m#National
http://www.fatbadgers.co.uk/Britain/longdist.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-dista ... ed_Kingdom
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/go/england/w ... hs-guides/
http://www.enjoyengland.com/ideas/rural ... ng-routes/
http://www.xs4all.nl/~keizee/north.html

I wouldn't want you to think you have annoyed me but .... really! To suggest the English do not embrace long distance walking is like suggesting the Americans don't watch baseball (whatever that is) or the South Africans don't know how to barbecue.
Maybe I am misjudging you and you thought that because we are a small island we do not have routes as long as the Appalachian Trail - true, but our long distance paths criss-cross so, for example, I could begin on the N Norfolk coast walking south on the Peddars Way, link with the Icknield Way and continue south west to the Ridgeway, and then continue on to the south west coast via the MAcmillan way and then round the south west coastal path to the Bristol channel, and then get to the Offa's dyke path and so on - and that was just off the top of my head.


Ivar, I've asked before - could we have a sub-forum for routes from before Paris, Vezelay, Arles, Le Puy etc, where people could find what others who start from home or further afield have done?
Maybe I should start a group in the Albergue? Would anyone want to join?

 

[Canuck]

Good luck if you can find a suitable way from your home in N England. It's not a country which embraced long distance paths, I think.

I wouldn't want you to think you have annoyed me but .... really! To suggest the English do not embrace long distance walking is like suggesting the Americans don't watch baseball (whatever that is) or the South Africans don't know how to barbecue.

Well done!
I was hoping someone would ''pick up the gauntlet''. :mrgreen:
Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[Caminando]

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[Caminando]

Hi HL

I see you're doing supply - a thankless task which doesn't do justice to your degree and ability. As soon as possible, I hope you can do your camino, and avoid stress.

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Lawrence and welcome [belatedly] to the Forum
I live in Tynemouth and in 2005 walked from home - walked to ferry at North Shields and then on from Amsterdam. I had decided that walking down through England wasn't very attractive and felt that to get onto mainland Europe was a good thing to do. I didn't investigate routes south very much thinking that there weren't many long distance paths, London seemed a big barrier, but there is also the possibility of using the cycle routes. Other things that affected my decision was the fact that I thought that a medieval pilgrim might take a ship rather than walk south from so far north, and I also thought that the pilgrimage was not so well known in the UK - through Holland, Belgium and Northern France it seemed that everyone was familiar with pilgrims and were encouraging.
I decided to walk down to Le Puy via Vezelay on the basis that from Amsterdam it is more or less a north-south route and then from Le Puy there are plenty of gites d'etape. The whole journey took about 4 months starting beginning of March. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Best wishes for your planning and eventual pilgrimage - buen camino
Brendan

 

[Bridget and Peter]

I was not suggesting a particular route for HorburyLawrence , just demonstrating the inaccuracy of the assertion that England is " not a country which embraced long distance paths" by conjuring up a long distance walk off the top of my head.

But, still being sure that there ARE plenty of possibilities for a suitable walking route from Yorkshire south I have now done some internet research and come up with the following possibilities for walking from Yorkshire to a sea port, based on the English sections of the E2 european route from Galway in W Ireland to Nice. (marked on more recent OS Landranger maps, certainly on the one covering this area)

http://www.walkingontheweb.co.uk/Euro_R ... tml/E2.htm

I quote

'There are two routes that can be followed through England with separate departure points to Europe: Harwich or Dover

Depart via Harwich

Pennine Way Section from Kirk Yetholm to Middleton in Teesdale

Teesdale Way Full length including the section shared with the Pennine Way from Dufton to Middleton in Teesdale

Tees Link

Cleveland Way Section from ...... to Filey Brigg

Wolds Way Full length from Filey Brigg to the Humber Bridge

Viking Way Almost the full length from the Humber Bridge to Whitwell on Rutland Water a short distance from the finish in Oakham

Hereward Way

Fen Rivers Way

Icknield Way Path

Stour Valley Path

Essex Way Section from ..... to Harwich

Depart via Dover

Pennine Way Section from Kirk Yetholm to Standedge

Oldham Way

Tameside Trail

Goyt Valley Way

Goyt Way along the Peak Forest Canal to Whaley Bridge before climbing up to Park Moor in the Lyme park Country Park to join the....

Gritstone Trail

Staffordshire Way

Heart of England Way

Oxfordshire Way

Oxford Canal

Thames Path

Wey Navigation

North Downs Way'

The profusion of paths surely suggests rather a prolific embracing of walking routes, from which any long distance walker can choose to suit their purposes. And of course, no one says you have to walk on a specific long distance path. With maps (paper or on line) one can tailor make a route of any length to suit. And in England we DO have very good maps with well-marked public footpaths, bridleways etc. In my experience these are clearer and more accurate than the equivalent French and Spanish maps.

In earlier times when all pilgrims walked out of their front door on to their road to Santiago most of them would have had to choose their own routes, using existing roads with intermediary destinations - no doubt they visited other pilgrimage shrines, distant relatives, commercial centres, famous landmarks, whatever, on their way towards Galicia. As we have done on our pilgrimage.

Whether you cross to mainland Europe from N Shields, Harwich or Dover, Lawrence, I'm sure you'll have a great time! (In Vlissengen we came across a channel crossing from the Isle of Sheppey. That would be different!! I'm sure you could walk east on the south bank of the Thames!)

Bridget

 

[sillydoll]

The End2End path goes through W.Yorkshire. Perhaps when you get to the south you could follow the Thames path to London and then on to Canterbury and the east coast?
Hope you have been spared the flooding?

http://www.landsendjohnogroats.info/



http://www.thames-path.org.uk/

 

[TerryB]

Hi Lawrence,
Keep your options open because there are plenty of them! The end2end path above links up with the 2Moorsway from Exmoor, over Dartmoor to Plymouth - ferry to Santander. I walked from Exeter to Plymouth and the ferry in April this year because I felt that was a likely 'Pilgrim Route'. I even stayed with the monks at Buckfast Abbey as did mediaeval pilgrims!
You do not give a starting point? Our son is in Sheffield and I was born in York - still speak the language. Yorkshire vowels actually help with Spanish pronunciation - no dipthongs.

Blessings on your walking
Tio Tel

 

[TerryB]

The End2End path goes through W.Yorkshire.

hi Sil
Just looked again at your map of the End2end. It goes through Lancashire not Yorkshire. I could repeat a joke about a southerner at a 'Roses' cricket match but it would be too long for here!!

blessings
Terry

 

[Caminando]

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[Caminando]

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[Bridget and Peter]

I have found a link for a map for the E2 route, although it doesn't show the Irish part.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:E2_route_map.png

And I'm sure it must meet the Macmillan Way somewhere which would take you to the Dorset coast, and then by the SW coastal path to Plymouth for Santander or Bilboa

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=http:%2 ... DVMAWA.KML
(map for Macmillan way. We walked three days of this once. One is encouraged to seek sponsorship for the Macmillan nurses - I think we managed to send about £250.)

http://www.southwestcoastpath.com/

NB In the cycling world they seem to use LEJOG or JOGLE (depending whether you start at Land's End or John O'Groats) instead of End2End!

 

[TerryB]

Yorkshire vowels actually help with Spanish pronunciation - no dipthongs.

Tio Tel

You may need to revise the reference to diphthongs, Tio. I'm sure a Yorkshire person pronounces boil, or toy like every Anglophone? And in Spanish think of the word "hay"for example; there's a diphthong there.

Hi caminando,
We spent 7 years in Argentina so my Spanish is there but rusty. It throws some of the locals in Spain when they hear Argentine Spanish with a Yorkshire accent! In my youth out in the sticks of the North / East Riding border it was bo-il. Iron was I-ron etc! Not heard much now even in my native village. Sic transit gloria or as the Bible would say - 'Ichabod' (The glory has departed).

Blessings
Tio Tel

 

[Caminando]

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[Caminando]

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[Sagalouts]

Aye up ah 'ope everyone is well,veree interested int' post,an' ta bridget 'n sill for gerrin uz thinkin,'appy wi' t' paths i' englan',but 'a menny long distance paths as france getten.
sith thee ( neer cast a clout till may is out)
Ian

 

[sillydoll]

Ian - your post reminded me of a sign we saw near Shap whilst walking the Coast to Coast.

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Ian,

I note your new picture (avatar?) is 'baht 'at, 'appen.

Or as they say in Norfolk,
Int ye gorra 'at, bor?

Bridget

 

[Sagalouts]

"This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,--
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England".
This post has reminded me how much I enjoy walking Englands green and pleasant land so like my fellow Yorkshireman, this Leeds Loiner's 2010 Camino Starts when I close my front door-hey I may even zig-zag a bit.
thanks Bridget and Sil for reminding me .
(the straw hat was lost in Los Arcos-drink was involved !!)
Ian

 

[nellpilgrim]

" B+ P suggest a route which involves the biggest zigzag I can imagine. There is a huge gap from the English Midlands to Kent. So I am quite right. The post is about walking from Yorkshire to the Channel coast, isn't it?"

Well I must say I have a fondness for routes 'less direct' myself! but I'll leave last word to GKC

Before the Roman came to Rye or out to Severn strode,
The rolling English drunkard made the rolling English road.
A reeling road, a rolling road, that rambles round the shire,
And after him the parson ran, the sexton and the squire;
A merry road, a mazy road, and such as we did tread
The night we went to Birmingham by way of Beachy Head.

I knew no harm of Bonaparte and plenty of the Squire,
And for to fight the Frenchman I did not much desire;
But I did bash their baggonets because they came arrayed
To straighten out the crooked road an English drunkard made,
Where you and I went down the lane with ale-mugs in our hands,
The night we went to Glastonbury by way of Goodwin Sands.

His sins they were forgiven him; or why do flowers run
Behind him; and the hedges all strengthening in the sun?
The wild thing went from left to right and knew not which was which,
But the wild rose was above him when they found him in the ditch.
God pardon us, nor harden us; we did not see so clear
The night we went to Bannockburn by way of Brighton Pier.

My friends, we will not go again or ape an ancient rage,
Or stretch the folly of our youth to be the shame of age,
But walk with clearer eyes and ears this path that wandereth,
And see undrugged in evening light the decent inn of death;
For there is good news yet to hear and fine things to be seen,
Before we go to Paradise by way of Kensal Green.

Nell :lol:

 

[Rebekah Scott]

This calls for a round of drinks! Bartender!

 

[sillydoll]

Here's one for when you are on the road.

As travelers oft look back at eve
When eastward darkly going,
To gaze upon that light they leave
Still faint behind them glowing
So, when the close of pleasure’s day
To gloom hath near consigned us,
We turn to catch one fading ray
Of joy that’s left behind us.
-The Journey Onwards: T Moore.

 

[Caminando]

:::

 

[Deleted member 3000]

"I prefer not to"

http://www.bartleby.com/100/

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hello Lawrence. There are 2 links here that might help you plan. One gives a good selection of walks in England, http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/index.php. It should be possible to walk from York to the West Country if you want to take the ferry from Plymouth.
Brittany Ferries, http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/quote-book, runs routes to both France and Spain from there. They take foot passengers and we found the online booking search excellent, looking at all sorts of variants before making our booking for 2010. E-ticket in our hands. Much quicker and easier than using the travel agent like Terry did last year.
Terry went to Santander to walk the Camino del Norte and the Primitivo. A fellow passenger went to Santander then took the bus to the start of the Camino Francés, but you could go direct to France and walk from a French port.
Do please post what you decide, as a fellow Yorkshireman he is particularly interested in which route you decide to follow.
Buen Camino,
Tia Valeria