Day 13: Warwick to Hampton-in-Arden

If castles are of interest, then this day has a couple of some importance. We leave behind the castle at Warwick, making our way across the racecourse out along the canal before heading north out of the town. After a stop at Leek Wootton, we make away around the new side of Kenilworth to the castle, before heading in to the Virgin and Castle in old Kenilworth. We then follow a dismantled railway for much of the afternoon before heading cross country to Berkswell, and then onto Hampton-in-Arden; a hall familiar to those who walked in 2000.

We celebrated our Eucharist in the hall. Ruth led the responsorial psalm.

The girls do some marching!

Marie tries to adjust the age limits.

We walked across the racecourse, with views back to the town and St Mary's tower.

Kevin uses a long pole to retrieve one of the frontmarkers' high arrows.

Crossing the canal as we join the tow path.

Oh no, a ploughed field!

Carol picking blackberries for her lunch.

Friendly sheep in the shade.

All Saints Leek Wootton.

Tineke led the reflection, before pilgrims left for the next phase of our journey.

Tineke and her trusty tail.

Moving on...

An alpaca.

Kenilworth Castle which we walked around the outside.

Lunch was at The Famous Virgins and Castle - very good service.

Aidan (who has been seen dressed as a tiger) enjoys a pint of Tiger.

Fran and her panacotta.

Mike wanted a collection of the Everards beer glasses.

The St Nicholas window in Kenilworth church.

Michael led the reflection - on connections.

The impressive altar piece - the Last Supper.

Bernie leads pilgrims out of the church.

The ancient Norman west door.

Fred and Sue climb to the old railway line.

The pilgrim train - like the 17:03 from Birmingham New Street, a bit over-crowded!

We arrived at St John the Baptist, Berkswell, as it started to rain.

Prayers in the crypt.

Led by Doug.

On we go.

A Voyager heading for Birmingham International, as we crossed the busy line into Birmingham International.

Hazel and Bruce.

An old foot bridge, closed for repair.

An old gravel pit converted into a fishing lake, with golf course and eateries attached.

A Virgin Pendolino on the West Coast Main Line.

Jacob's Sheep.

A FlyBE plane taking off from Birmingham International and flying over the hall.

We had a good welcome from the local churchwardens, inviting us to the church nearby for a healing service, and a not-so-warm welcome from a local land-owner / vet objecting to our use of drawing pins in fields with stock in them. We explained ourselves, and she explained the risks, so we'll be avoiding the use of pins into flimsy vegetation where stock are grazing in the future.