Day 3: Chipping Campden to Winchcombe

This year's pilgrimage is possibly the most zigzaggy ever. And we start as we mean to go on, turning from yesterday's East bearing, to head South West today. It promises to be a splendid day of walking since, for almost the entire day, we follow the Cotswold Way, which is a National Trail. So it is certainly a hilly day, but in other ways should be easy going without nettles, uneven paths or multitudes of stiles. Lunch is in the picturesque tourist village of Broadway. In the early evening, we visit the Cistercian abbey of Hailes which was founded in 1246 by Richard of Cornwall, in thanksgiving for deliverance from shipwreck, and dissolved on Christmas Eve 1539. Though never housing large numbers of monks, it had extensive and elaborate buildings, financed by pilgrims visiting its renowned relic, 'the Holy Blood of Hailes' - allegedly a phial of Christ's own blood.

Our second night in two halls - these two rather further apart than those in Evesham - meant an early start and complex logistics. Here occupants of the Baden Powell Hall clear the debris from the lobby prior to leaving.

After breakfast at Church House we headed for St James' Church...

...where we celebrated a shared Eucharist based on the BCP, with music led by our musicians.

Then back past the hall, along streets lined with Cotswold stone buildings...

...and pretty cottages as we headed away from the centre.

At the top of Dover's Hill we stopped to take the view and allow the front markers some breathing space.

Then we headed across the hilltop in a gaggle.

John Crowe joined us for the day, walking with many pilgrims through the day - here he catches up with Jonny.

Julia and Henriette.

We're on the Cotswold Way.

John Crowe and Angela discuss farming topics.

Approaching Broadway Tower.

The tower from close up.

The view from the tower.

Descending towards Broadway.

We walked all the way through Broadway - a pretty town.

Anne guarding the Tea Shop

Lunch pub - some outside, ...

...others inside (welcome back Dannie!)...

...others again ate elsewhere in Broadway

After lunch Keith led a reflection in the parish church.

Support team and backmarkers in discussion prior to the afternoon's walk.

It then drizzled pretty solidly (if not very heavily) all the way to Stanton, with this beautiful terrace of cottages.

Howard and Siobhan head for the church.

Inside the church of St Michael and All Angels...

...and outside.

Peter chats to some Winchcombe parishioners who have come out to escort us, and their parish priest who is with us for two days.

Howard passes a pretty cottage.

A long stretch of parkland followed, with this elegant copper beech.

A thatched cricket pavilion in Stanway (have you ever seen a thatched cricket? A rare Gloucestershire breed, I'm told).

The gatehouse of Stanway Park - site of our drink stop.

Canon John leads us in prayer - outside...

..because the church is being reroofed.

Siobhan and Dannie stride out.

Fr Peter and another parishioner.

Angela among her friends.

The church at Hailes.

Henriette modifies the sign as we're not mediaeval pilgrims - we're muddy evil pilgrims!

The abbey ruins.

Wall paintings in the church opposite the abbey

St Christopher

Patrick and Siobhan in the church.

Prayers on the cross - a reminder of our intentions box. Intentions can also be submitted via the website.

Leaving Hailes the sun came out

The sun wasn't enough to dry out the wet and slippery path.

Ann leading the way through the wheat - the wheat is ready for harvest but the ground is too wet.

We'd heard train whistles through the afternoon from the local preserved railway - the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway.

Nearly home - and Anne manages to dive into the mud!

"Let's be having you, you nasty folkie person"

Arriving at our accommodation - Winchcombe Methodist Church.