The Old Way - Southampton to Canterbury

[timr]

This walk has been mentioned in the forums before. It is a 'feeder' route to Canterbury from Southampton, with the possibility of then picking up the Via Francigena, but of course it can also be walked in its own right.

There is an (attractive) account of walking a part of it in the Guardian today.

A spiritual walk on the South Downs: the Old Way pilgrims’ route

Walking an East Sussex segment of a newly devised trail leads to encounters with art history, ancient churches and natural wonder

www.theguardian.com

 

[Elle Bieling]

I fell in love with the South Downs Way in 1984 when I first walked a small section of it. My trip from the USA to England was my first ever overseas trip. I always said that I wanted to go back and do the whole thing. I never did. Maybe now is the time!

 

[Tincatinker]

The way marking, accommodations and potential route variants on the Old Way are making this venture more feasible.

Anyone looking for a kip around the Adur valley crossing PM me.

Edited to add: The British Pilgrimage Trust have now made their on-line guide to The Old Way available for free (but do think about a supporting donation) here: https://britishpilgrimage.org/old-way-online-guide/?mc_cid=1e0b05dc24&mc_eid=e002fd513d

 

[mspath]

This walk has been mentioned in the forums before. It is a 'feeder' route to Canterbury from Southampton, with the possibility of then picking up the Via Francigena, but of course it can also be walked in its own right.

There is an (attractive) account of walking a part of it in the Guardian today.

A spiritual walk on the South Downs: the Old Way pilgrims’ route

Walking an East Sussex segment of a newly devised trail leads to encounters with art history, ancient churches and natural wonder

www.theguardian.com

timr,
Thank you for sharing the reference to this article . It is good to read/learn as Carol Donaldson, the author, wrote that "The act of pilgrimage is returning to these shores. A chance to walk with intention and to unclutter the mind."

 

[timr]

timr,
Thank you for sharing the reference to this article . It is good to read/learn as Carol Donaldson, the author, wrote that "The act of pilgrimage is returning to these shores. A chance to walk with intention and to unclutter the mind."

Yes I noted that definition, and I feel I will be quoting it again!

 

[Corned Beef]

They've revised the route to end in Canterbury. It was somewhere close to Sandwich golf course and I was stupid enough to try to find it. Not the idyllic end of a journalist.

From 2020

Hopefully no one else will make the same mistake. If anyone is thinking of doing the route, I’d suggest starting at Chichester Cathedral and finishing at Canterbury.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/where-did-you-walk-locally-in-2020.65841/post-865742

Canterbury makes more sense but they do have a medieval museum by the river in Sandwich where they are converting and old wooden Norwegian ship to mimic the kind of vessel pilgrims would use to travel to France from the River Stour there.

!! Sandwich Medieval Trust

We plan to bring together all groups and individuals in Sandwich who are interested in the late medieval period who wish to contribute to the living history of Sandwich

sandwichmedieval.org