AcrossTheWater3008
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- C Frances x 2 - 2016, 2017
C Portuguese x 2 2016, 2017
C Muxia/Finisterra x 2 2016, 17
CdM
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That description really made me laugh and made me want to sign up now for next Easter! I have never done Student Cross though I know a good number of people who have in the past, all of them people I would quite happily walk with for a week or more! But I am a priest and as they say, "Easter is our busy time!"Or if you fancy walking for a whole week before Easter with a group of friendly nutters carrying a large cross, singing, praying and laughing quite a lot you might want to look at Student Cross (walking to Walsingham), Northern Cross (going to Lindisfarne) or Scottish Cross (heading for Iona).
There is a resurgence of interest in pilgrim routes in Ireland at the moment.
Two good books:
Tochar by Darach MacDonald (very cheap on Kindle) and
Pilgrim paths in Ireland by John G O'Dwyer
The first is more narrative, the second is more of a practical walking guide, that you would carry with you as a guide, though also an entertaining read. The books are quite different in style and very complementary.
And do explore this website www.pilgrimpath.ie which gives up to date information.
and a Facebook page.
Most of the walks described are do-able in one day, and remember Ireland is only smallso you could do several in a week!
Tim
But I am a priest and as they say, "Easter is our busy time!"
Hi
I am interested in doing some pilgrimages within the UK and Ireland in the future. I have walked some routes around Canterbury.
If anyone know of any good guide books of these routes, or easy (dont understand ordinance maps) maps, or point me to websites, walking groups etc would be most appreciated.
Cheers G
Right now one of the forum members, Andy, is walking the Cistercian Way in Wales.
Any current info you can share would be interesting - about the Thames path
There is a resurgence of interest in pilgrim routes in Ireland at the moment.
Two good books:
Tochar by Darach MacDonald (very cheap on Kindle) and
Pilgrim paths in Ireland by John G O'Dwyer
The first is more narrative, the second is more of a practical walking guide, that you would carry with you as a guide, though also an entertaining read. The books are quite different in style and very complementary.
And do explore this website www.pilgrimpath.ie which gives up to date information.
and a Facebook page.
Most of the walks described are do-able in one day, and remember Ireland is only smallso you could do several in a week!
Tim
Hi
Try http://britishpilgrimage.co.uk/
Lots of options in UK but not all advertised / signed so well
Not sure where in UK you are?
I'm doing the Peak Pilgrimage next month
See http://www.peakpilgrimage.org.uk/
I've done St Cuthbert's Way
I've walked Winchester to Canterbury
The LDWA has lots of long walks and some of them have "history"
Where are you based?
Ned
I obtained both of these excellent books earlier this year (or maybe last) when researching the possibility of a long pilgrimage in Ireland. The Irish heritage website is also good.
The problem is taht these are all short walks, some of which are not accessible by public transport, so if you are a visitor, alone and don't have a car, forget it. A pity because these are important places of pilgrimage.
If you fancy a pilgrimage route a little longer in the tooth than the blessed Frances try the Ridgeway http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway. A prehistoric camino to the greatest neolithic temple complex in the known world. Non-pagans welcome....
Edit: Frankly I think most of the 'information' on the National Trails website is inaccurate and appallingly presented but there are good resources for anyone seriously interested in this ancient way.
Not a pilgrimage but hiked England's Coast to Coast last year and had a great time. After struggling with less than perfect maps, found the AZ Adventure Series with 1:25,000 scale map booklets (which means they are blown up quite a bit larger). The trails were marked in beautiful red dots so it was just walking dot to dot! They do have accurate topography, roads, landmarks and such, too. I love maps and use them more than a GPS. This was the most user friendly I've ever seen.
It looks like they have the Lake District, Brecon Beacons, North York Moors, SW Coast Path, Peak District and the Ridgeway. I have no idea if there are pilgrimages in any of these areas but if so, I would use these maps. Looks like Amazon has at least the Coast to Coast one. If you click on the image, it will blow up so you can see the trail's red dots.
View attachment 28932
Right now one of the forum members, Andy, is walking the Cistercian Way in Wales. He started last Sunday and will walk (I think) 700 miles in 6-7 weeks. He's also a priest, and posting a blog...
https://pilgrimpace.wordpress.com/
I think the Confraternity of Saint James has some information on British pilgrimages, and as mentioned above, the British pilgrimage website.
@AcrossTheWater3008 -
For Ireland, here is a site for the better known Holy Walks: http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/landscape/initiatives/the-pilgrim-paths/tochar-phadraig/
My wife and I have climbed the Croagh Patrick; no time time to do the walk from Ballintubber then but will pick it up later. (Those of you who remember the walk from Cruz de Ferro down to Acebo might not believe that climbing up and down the Croagh is an order of magnitude worse. Seriously!)
Not holy walks but still quite enjoyable are the Dingle Way (coming to be known as the "Kerry Camino") and any of the day hikes around the English Lake District.
I would get the OS maps for the Dingle Way from here: http://www.dingleway.com/trail-maps/index.php
The guide book sold from the site is pretty well dated. Good for overall briefing on what is there, the instructions for walking not so much. But, have no fear, the path is extremely well marked.
For updated information on any of the Irish walks, there seem to be lots of regional walking clubs that you could consult for information via the web. (Wish that I had known before going.)
The walks are beautiful, the local food and brews excel but the best memory for the beloved and I were just how great the people were. Good heavens - the friendliness, humor and helpfulness were off the charts!
I highly recommend!
B
I have 2 guide books on pilgrimages in England by Revd. John N. Merrill:
London to Canterbury
London to Walsingham.
He has written lots of others, have a look
http://m.johnmerrillwalkguides.co.uk
PS I have only walked to Canterbury, not yet to Walsingham!
Te Wicklow way outside Dublin is good, the Sheepshead Peninsula in Cork is good too, not sure if you could call them pilgrim routes but they are spectacular.Hi
I am interested in doing some pilgrimages within the UK and Ireland in the future. I have walked some routes around Canterbury.
If anyone know of any good guide books of these routes, or easy (dont understand ordinance maps) maps, or point me to websites, walking groups etc would be most appreciated.
Cheers G
Yes, I am sorry to say that is true. I live, by appointment, not by choice, in very rural Ireland, in an area of outstanding natural beauty. I am originally from Liverpool and a "city person." I often find myself longing for the whiff of diesel, the scream of a police siren, the bustle of a crowded pavement and the beautiful sound of the bin lorry. (This is a minority view.) What I have is green fields, purple mountains, foxes, pheasants and deer. Oh dear!The problem is that these are all short walks, some of which are not accessible by public transport, so if you are a visitor, alone and don't have a car, forget it. A pity because these are important places of pilgrimage.
The other walk (?pilgrimage) I know about is an 830 mile walk by Ajahn Amaro, Theravadian Buddhist monk, currently the abbot of Amaravati Monastery.... in 1983, he walked the Long Road with a companion from Cithhurst monastery in Sussex to Harnham Vihara in Nortumberland. He documented the walk, with maps etc in his book Tudong - The Long Walk North.. if anybody is interested..
If you google peak pilgrimage it should come up???Hi @nedspencer, thanks and I am in London..... Wow.....! that peak pilgrimage will be something I would love to do!I belong to several walking groups but we do not do religious walks although we do walks that might merge with pilgrims paths. So, yes, I have done some of those paths.... thanks for the websites, I did google but the peak pilgrimage did not come up. I will be in the peak district beginning of October for a weekend before I go away but we will be doing the peak walks,
Have fun and thanks again! Cheers G
Hi Dominique
Hoping to walk from Saltwood Castle to Canterbury this weekend...
Cheers G
I have slept the night at Waylands Smithy - well I guess 'slept' is using the term a little loosely but it was an interesting night. I've rough-camped the Ridgeway a few times - easily enough done - though there is plenty of B&B & pub accommodation not far off-route.we even lunched at Wayland's Smithy! But we didn't have horses nor did we camp overnight!
@Dael, thank you
I've just read an online review of Yeoman's book. And I am in the process of ordering one from Amazon UK.
Conscious that Caledonia got (the Christian) faith long before those a bit further south, I googled "pilgrimage in Scotland". The three links below are from the first page of what was found. And the first link below seems most relevant to walking today.
http://www.scotlandspilgrimjourneys.com/
http://www.medievalists.net/2014/04/09/researchers-trace-medieval-pilgrimage-route-scotland/
http://www.scottishheritagehub.com/content/443-pilgrimage-medieval-scotland
From a brief scan:
both look distinct possibilities.
- A pilgrimage from Edinburgh to Whithorn and S Ninian's monastery; and
- A pilgrimage from Melrose Abbey to Lindisfarne and from thence to Durham to the final resting place of the Scot S Cuthbert (who was very much taken to heart by the northern English);
Hi
I am interested in doing some pilgrimages within the UK and Ireland in the future. I have walked some routes around Canterbury.
If anyone know of any good guide books of these routes, or easy (dont understand ordinance maps) maps, or point me to websites, walking groups etc would be most appreciated.
Cheers G
If you fancy a pilgrimage route a little longer in the tooth than the blessed Frances try the Ridgeway http://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/ridgeway. A prehistoric camino to the greatest neolithic temple complex in the known world. Non-pagans welcome....
Edit: Frankly I think most of the 'information' on the National Trails website is inaccurate and appallingly presented but there are good resources for anyone seriously interested in this ancient way.
North Wales Pilgrims Way is a beautiful little camino. Little in terms of not taking many days; however, not in terms of the difficulty of the terrain or navigation. Lovely churches along the route and met some local residents who were very supportive of this Pilgrims Trail and some working hard to promote it."...If you prefer the wind ( and some rain) try the Llyn Peninsular Walk www.llyn.info/info/walking. Stunning cliff top views of Bardsey Island, Ynys Enlli in Welsh, the legendary "Island of 20,000 saints"...
Or perhaps the North Wales Pilgrim Way which runs from Holywell to Ynys Enlli? (or at least to Aberdaron which is about as close as you get without a boat or swimming)
http://www.pilgrims-way-north-wales.org/
Hi @nedspencer, thanks and I am in London..... Wow.....! that peak pilgrimage will be something I would love to do!I belong to several walking groups but we do not do religious walks although we do walks that might merge with pilgrims paths. So, yes, I have done some of those paths.... thanks for the websites, I did google but the peak pilgrimage did not come up. I will be in the peak district beginning of October for a weekend before I go away but we will be doing the peak walks,
Have fun and thanks again! Cheers G
Looks interesting! Thank you for this link.Here is link
http://www.peakpilgrimage.org.uk/
North Wales Pilgrims Way is a beautiful little camino. Little in terms of not taking many days; however, not in terms of the difficulty of the terrain or navigation. Lovely churches along the route and met some local residents who were very supportive of this Pilgrims Trail and some working hard to promote it.
HelloHi Lucy
I was hiking with The Ecumenical Hiking Group in North Wales in Aiugust for 2 weeks this year ... unforutnately I had to leave after a few days due to a family emergency . We slept in church halls, community centres etc and it was beautiful countryside the few days that I was with the group.
We started in Bangor via Holyhead to Bangor and then to Holywell - a total of 192 miles (but unfortunately I had to leave at Holyhead
Wonderful, beautiful country!
The Wild Atlantic Way is for carsYou should google Wild Atlantic Way. Some of the most spectacular scenery you can imagine.
I know this post is a few years old but I was so happy to find it. We are heading out at the end of this month to do the Cotswold Way. We did the Coast to Coast last August; the result was my newfound love for long distance walking (hiking) with a goal to do the CF in 2020. I think England is an excellent training country for the Camino - all those amazing walking paths and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).Apart from the link to the glorious account of the young Buddhist monk walking the Cotswold Way, there has been no mention of this 100mile walk, probably because it is considered relatively new.
But part of it follows an ancient (prehistoric?) route linking Iron Age hill fortresses, from Leckhampton to Haresfield.
There is an old pilgrimage route on some maps from Droitwich to Bristol - the old Roman Saltway. This 'ridgeway' crosses the Cotswold Way - perhaps at Saltridge Hill near Sheepscombe.
And not far away from the Cotswold Way is Laurie Lee's village of Slad. Last week I walked an ancient hollow-way named King Charles's Way; the threatened king rode along it during the Civil War while travelling to Painswick (a small market town through which the Cotswold Way passes) - the church tower still bears the cannon-ball scars.
The Cotswold Way may not be a pilgrimage, but it is certainly worth considering if you want a challenging walk: so many steep hills!
The replies above make fascinating and almost mirror a certain political event in the UK a little over two months ago.
With roots in the up lands (and capital) of Scotland as well as northern Devon I am left with the impression, reading the posts above, that Christianity (and related pilgrimages) has no existence in those places.
Can someone, with knowledge, please redress the balance so far as walking pilgrimages are concerned?
If you are stopping over in Painswick (approx mid-way point on the Cotswold Way) or nearby - let me know - maybe we could meet for a drink and talk all things Camino! I've walked the Frances, Kumano Kodo, and part of the Portuguese. And you are right - the hills in this part of England are excellent training for the Camino!I know this post is a few years old but I was so happy to find it. We are heading out at the end of this month to do the Cotswold Way. We did the Coast to Coast last August; the result was my newfound love for long distance walking (hiking) with a goal to do the CF in 2020. I think England is an excellent training country for the Camino - all those amazing walking paths and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB).
That sounds wonderful! We are scheduled to stay in Painswick on Saturday, the 3rd of August. Are you on WhatsApp by chance? Maybe we could get in touch that wayIf you are stopping over in Painswick (approx mid-way point on the Cotswold Way) or nearby - let me know - maybe we could meet for a drink and talk all things Camino! I've walked the Frances, Kumano Kodo, and part of the Portuguese. And you are right - the hills in this part of England are excellent training for the Camino!
If anyone knows of any medium distance walks easily accessible from Dublin, I would like to know.
@Marc S.The Wicklow Way may be an option.
HiThat sounds wonderful! We are scheduled to stay in Painswick on Saturday, the 3rd of August. Are you on WhatsApp by chance? Maybe we could get in touch that way
Greetings @Albertagirl . You have picked up on the most significant difficulty for pilgrim walkers in Ireland which is, sadly, getting there. Public transport is very, very, very, very, limited in Ireland. I was living there for the past 7 years, but as I was living in a very rural area, had to leave the country when I (chose) no longer to have a car. So I have come to live in London with quite exceptional public transport. Rant over!I am very excited to see this thread, as I have recently decided to spend some time in Ireland in 2021, before going to Spain. I plan on flying to Ireland in September, for the 50th anniversary of my completion of my MA at UCD. I missed the convocation, which would have required a return flight from Edmonton. But I never saw much of Ireland 48 years ago: too poor and too busy with my studies. I would like to spend some time walking in Ireland, preferably a pilgrim route. But it would have to be accessible by public transport, though I suppose that a bus stop 30 km or so from when my walk starts would be possible, and Ireland is very small (from a Canadian point of view). My family, on both sides, mostly came from Ireland. If anyone knows of any medium distance walks easily accessible from Dublin, I would like to know. One of these days, I would also like to walk the Ridgeway, which has been on my bucket list for many years. I have resisted walking in Britain so far, since as a low income senior I cannot afford to do so. Any route that includes hostels and camping and is preferably a pilgrim route would be welcome. But Ireland is next in my plans. This should put me into Spain late enough in the year for the rush of 2021 to be largely over (I hope) and I shall look for a less busy route in Spain to walk that year.
Thanks, @timrGreetings @Albertagirl . You have picked up on the most significant difficulty for pilgrim walkers in Ireland which is, sadly, getting there. Public transport is very, very, very, very, limited in Ireland. I was living there for the past 7 years, but as I was living in a very rural area, had to leave the country when I (chose) no longer to have a car. So I have come to live in London with quite exceptional public transport. Rant over!
Check out Pilgrim Paths website for great information. I have done three or four of these paths - most are one day. There is a pilgrim paths week each year over the Easter period, but the paths can be done year around.
And the best commercial guide is this - which is available on Kindle quite cheaply. It is VERY good.- Pilgrim Paths of Ireland
Pilgrimage has been defined as “a meaningful journey to a place of spiritual significance” and the practice is almost as old as history. In Ireland the pilgrim journey has strong historic resonance with early Christians coming to Clonmacnoise; medieval penitents journeying to Lough Derg and...www.pilgrimpath.ie
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1848893159/?tag=casaivar-21
Other problem with Ireland is that it is NOT cheap. But very hospitable.
A little bit about camping on Wicklow WayThanks, @timr
And I may camp, if that is permitted.
@timrA little bit about camping on Wicklow Way
I am totally discouraged about walking the Wicklow Way and about walking in Ireland in general. There is one youth hostel at the end of the first day's walk and otherwise accommodation is generally quite distant from the route, and very expensive.
Thank you for the suggestion. This link does not work for me.If you are not already overwhelmed by suggestions, another useful Irish source is Louise Nugent’s https://pilgrimagemedievalireland.com
Thank you for the suggestion. This link does not work for me.
Hi,Hi @OTH86
I did the Thames Path quite a few years ago with one of the London walking groups - we walked it over a few weeks as we were all employed and in stressful jobs! I thinks we started off with about 70 walkers and we finished with half the number of original walkers - 15 of us completed the path and we awarded a gold medal! The rest had silver and bronze...
Thames Path is a level (flat) walk, no hills and is not strenous at all..... it is about 190 miles as we started from Gravesend and walked to the Source of the Thames in Gloucestershire. It is an easy walk, and one gets to see beautiful and parts of luxurious London! It is not exactly a pilgrimage but walking through London is quite an eye opener... with its rich history. You also pass other big cities too like Oxford, Windsor, Reading ...
We stayed in hotels along the way, and the towns are all accessible by train. It is fun, and I fully recommend it!
This may be a moot point in the present circumstances but....@timr
I am totally discouraged about walking the Wicklow Way and about walking in Ireland in general. There is one youth hostel at the end of the first day's walk and otherwise accommodation is generally quite distant from the route, and very expensive. Every possible way to get more cash from the walker has been employed and the charges for everything are large. The route itself looks well worth walking and transportation is available, but my general feeling about the services is not favourable. I could sum it up by the title of an article in an Irish newspaper which refers to the proliferation of country walks as a way to provide cash for the countryside. But the places which are getting the cash are not even close to the actual route, and are getting even more cash by requiring potential guests to book and pay for transport to their accommodation: definitely not for me. When I walk, I walk. Fortunately, there are lots of places in Spain to do so. I shall still go to Dublin in the fall of 2021, but at the moment it looks like I shall stay in the city until I am ready to leave for Spain. I may take a day to wander in the Wicklow Hills and remember my youth.
In the tradition of Celtic monasticism, a very unique practice of pilgrimage arose called peregrinatio. The Irish monks would set sail in a small boat called a coracle, without oar or rudder, and let the winds and current of divine love carry them to the "place of their resurrection." The river or sea would bring them to a place of rest that they had not chosen themselves. The impulse for the journey was always love. It was a practice of profound trust in the One who guides and shepherds us to the place of new life.
I have spent two weeks touring in Ireland a few years ago as a tourist and fell in love with your country. I thought Glendalough was a lovely, impressive stop and you have reminded me of my memory...being a tourist isn't "all bad".(bear in mind that Glendalough, as well as an important historical site is a major tourist attraction).
Yes, the idea was borne out of waiting 2 hours for a bus in mid winter in torrential rain, dreaming of being magically transported to your bed while wondering if you'll ever actually get home when all of a sudden 4 buses arrive together..I've recently come across an Irish pilgrim tradition (below) and wondered if it is true or another one of the gentle stories you find there. If it is true, then there is no need to follow any route
It seems as if bus drivers everywhere get lonely or scared when driving by themselves and prefer to travel in packs.Yes, the idea was borne out of waiting 2 hours for a bus in mid winter in torrential rain, dreaming of being magically transported to your bed while wondering if you'll ever actually get home when all of a sudden 4 buses arrive together..
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