Day 2: Westminster to Ealing

Our first day's walk takes us from Westminster Cathedral to Westminster Abbey, where we will attend the Matins service, followed by a Eucharistic service. After prayers in the St Edward the Confessor chapel, we head west through the central London parks St James' and Hyde Park to the Bunch of Grapes in Brompton for Lunch. We then have our own service in Brompton Oratory before an un-interrupted walk to Ealing

We were up early, and were soon clearing the hall.

Loading the van outside the Cathedral Hall.

Talking to Mary, a parishioner who was very helpful to us overnight.

Sue and Tineke photograph the cathedral.

Sue's special cross - with bells on!

Peter leads our setting out prayers.

Patrick and Becky led us through the back streets from the Cathedral.

Past the Royal Horticultural Society - appropriately floral.

Approaching Westminster Abbey.

The Abbey as we approach the gates.

We then attended Matins, sung by St Thomas's Schola Antiqua, New Haven, Connecticut. Canon in Residence Robert Reiss gave a sermon on the recent riots, and the causes: greed, injustice and loss of moral values, but we can learn and move forward.

We stayed on for the Sung Eucharist, sung by the Choir of St Thomas, New Haven, Connecticut. Precentor Michael Macey gave a sermon on today's gospel, the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21-28).

After the Eucharist, we moved to the St Edward the Confessor Chapel, where Pope Benedict and Archbishop Rowan Williams prayed together last September - an ecumenical start for our journey. Crosses were given to new joiners, and Canon Robert Reiss talked about the kings and queens buried there.

Jean met a friend, Sister Judith CSC, who works as a Lay Chaplain at the Abbey.

Many pilgrims were moved by this inscription on the front of the Abbey.

Across the road is Methodist Central Hall, but we'd been unable to fit it into our schedule today.

Lauren, Kevin, Ant and Clare leave the Abbey.

Young pilgrims in St James' Park.

Leaving the park.

Crossing the Mall - view to Buckingham Palace, and barriers for today's pre-run of the Olympic cycling road race.

Julia and Roger near St James' Palace.

Ant and Tess near Hyde Park Corner.

John and Ruth by the Serpentine.

Lunch was at the Lido cafe by the Serpentine - the planned pub was closed due to a power failure (luckily Bill was there and phoned to tell us - sadly this meant that Bill missed us at lunchtime).

Chris enjoys his ice cream.

Passing the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Garden.

The Albert Memorial.

Waiting to enter the Brompton Oratory.

Fr David talked about the conversions of Newman's early life: discovering God at age 6, rebelling against his mother's Calvinism as a teenager, committing to celibacy, and ordination to the Anglican priesthood. We were also able to venerate a relic of Newman, held here by Fr David.

Bill Haynes joined us for a short way from Brompton - he spent his student days here...

...studying geology at Imperial College.

We walked up through Notting Hill and crossed the Portobello Road to join the Grand Union Canal near Kensal Green.

Railings or perches?

We followed the towpath for miles...

..some bits more scenic than others.

There was a little traffic on the canal (and lots of cycles on the towpath).

More towpath - glad to report that Godwin didn't fall in.

The canal hosts lots of birds - coots, moorhens, canada geese, brent geese, swans, ducks.. and a heron.

We got glimpses of the new Wembley Stadium.

We passed a little church on our final leg into Ealing - too late in the day for a stop, sadly.

Nick and Ursula, keen to reach the end.

Helping to unload the van after we arrived.