Day 7 - Farnham to Merrow

Our day started with Mass in St Joan's, after which the pilgrims mingled with the parishioners - such a difference from the previous year's heavy rain!

Bill had negotiated a route across private land (Hampton Park) (the North Downs Way had not been opened this far West in 1976) which gave a reasonably direct route towards Guildford (we'd used it previously for an ecumenical walk from Farnham to Guildford Cathedral).

Lunch was at the Good Intent, Puttenham

followed by prayers at St John the Baptist church

picking up the route of the traditional Pilgrims Way near Guildford, marked by high crosses either side of the A3

Some sandy tracks brought us to St Catherines, on the River Wey just out from Guildford town centre, where we paused by the ruined church

This is the site of a traditional ferry, which no longer operates. Mike Simons persuaded a friend to hire a boat from the boatyard in Guildford, row it up river, and ferry us across. Charles was duly waiting when we arrived, and we all appreciated the traditional crossing (and saving the couple of miles it would have been to walk to the bridge)

Then it was up again, this time to St Martha's Chapel, where we stopped to pray. I believe this was the first place we sang Jerusalem, now a pilgrimage standard. I might be wrong, but I'm sure we had some drops of rain here - the first for ages!

Pilgrimages can take their toll on the feet, and the District Nurse called in to tend to Anne's blisters (we didn't have our own nurse in those days).