Walsingham Pilgrimage 2013

Day 4: Barton le Clay to Bedford

This is a long day with an early start, the focus of which are visits to Bunyan's birthplace: Moot Hall Museum at Elstow and Service in Elstow Abbey. In the morning, we follow part of the John Bunyan Trail and visiting Ampthill and Houghton House ruins, thought to be the inspiration for House Beautiful in "The Pilgrim's Progress". Lunch is late, so take your sandwiches and enjoy the rolling hills as we steadily climb down through the King's Wood into Houghton Conquest. Later in the afternoon we join the John Bunyan Trail again. Today’s pilgrimage starts in the valley and rises slowly uphill to the House Beautiful which overlooks the vale of Bedford or Marston vale. Here the view used to be full of brickworks turning the slough of despond into the slums of the industrial towns. Today only 4 chimneys remain and the empty clay workings are now being filled by the waste from the slums they created. We walk through the slough of despond to Elstow Bunyan’s birthplace, visit the church he was baptised in pass where he was born, see the prison door that kept him captive and the reach our rest at the edge of Bedford town.


Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 4

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Simon says 'Superman' Grace with all the actions - St Nicholas Church Hall, Barton-le-Clay Bernie


Clearing away the tables after breakfast is easy when Superman is helping! Louise


Doug and Theresa Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 the Pilgrims stop for a rest to let the frontmarkers get ahead Michael Gamble Original Tweet


and while they are stopped, tongues of fire appear to settle on them! John Chenery


Howard & Theresa Park


Howard & Theresa Park


Howard & Theresa Park


St James the Apostle, Pollux Hill Howard & Theresa Park


Bat at St James the Apostle, Pollux Hill Howard & Theresa Park


I can't believe I'm missing Super Tuesday. #supermanswithushavingalemonade Fran Gamble Jonathan Gamble Michael Gamble Pilgrimage 2012 Euan Parsons Original Tweet


Euan Parsons Jonathan Gamble Michael Gamble Pilgrimage 2012 it is epic! Photo to follow. Fran Gamble Original Tweet


Pilgrimage 2012 we found a bat resting on the wall of the church at St James, Pollux Hill Michael Gamble Original Tweet


St Andrew's, Ampthill Howard & Theresa Park


St Andrew's, Ampthill Howard & Theresa Park


St Andrew's, Ampthill Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 Ampthill John Chenery Original Tweet


Super Tuesday! Superman Pilgrimage 2012 Euan Parsons Fran Gamble Original Tweet


Houghton House Howard & Theresa Park


Houghton House Howard & Theresa Park


Houghton House Howard & Theresa Park


Bill leads prayer stop Howard & Theresa Park


Bill leads prayer stop Howard & Theresa Park


Houghton House Howard & Theresa Park


Quite a fitting quote of Katherine of Aragon found in St Andrews, Ampthill for the Pilgrimage 2012 Michael Gamble Original Tweet


Bill leads prayer stop Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 Bill lead an open air prayer stop at Houghton House Michael Gamble Original Tweet


Pilgrimage 2012 Houghton House Michael Gamble Original Tweet


Houghton House Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 House Beautiful John Chenery Original Tweet


Pilgrimage 2012 lunchtime rolls in the graveyard John Chenery Original Tweet


Pilgrimage 2012 Houghton Conquest John Chenery Original Tweet


All Saints, Houghton Conquest Howard & Theresa Park


All Saints, Houghton Conquest Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 the Knife and Cleaver, Houghton Conquest had an unusual pet Michael Gamble Original Tweet


All Saints, Houghton Conquest Howard & Theresa Park


Helen joins local bellringers Howard & Theresa Park


All Saints, Houghton Conquest Howard & Theresa Park


Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 All Saints, Houghton Conquest John Chenery Original Tweet


All Saints, Wilstead Howard & Theresa Park


All Saints, Wilstead Howard & Theresa Park


All Saints, Wilstead Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 Wilstead John Chenery Original Tweet


All Saints, Wilstead Howard & Theresa Park


All Saints, Wilstead Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 John Chenery Original Tweet


Pilgrimage 2012 John Chenery Original Tweet


Howard & Theresa Park


Moot Hall, Elstow Howard & Theresa Park


Bernie and Peter Howard & Theresa Park


Inside the Moot Hall Museum. Louise


Elstow Abbey Howard & Theresa Park


Elstow Abbey Howard & Theresa Park


Elstow Abbey Howard & Theresa Park


Elstow Abbey Howard & Theresa Park


Elstow Abbey Howard & Theresa Park


Elstow Abbey Howard & Theresa Park


Pilgrimage 2012 the Moot Hall at Elstow Michael Gamble Original Tweet


Pilgrimage 2012 Elstow Moot Hall John Chenery Original Tweet


Wicket Gate Howard & Theresa Park


Howard & Theresa Park


Ceri at Christ the King Church Hall Howard & Theresa Park


Ceri at Christ the King Church Hall Howard & Theresa Park