Our final day of the first half of this pilgrimage takes us up over the North Downs to Canterbury. After Mass in the hall, we set out and climb to St Mary's Church at Brabourne, a Norman building with later additions.
Having passed the Five Bells we had another hour-and-a-half's walk to Hassel Street and the remote Woodman's Arms.
So amazing was the invasion of the pub by so many thirsty walkers that the press came to record the event. Here the landlord is bringing a tray of drinks, and Mark (who arranged the pub and led the walk) is trying to sneak a pint off it!
Afternoon prayers were at St Mary's, Crundale, another Norman church, with a beautiful location overlooking the valley.
The afternoon's walk took us through many apple orchards (this is the garden of England after all). However, things went a bit awry in the orchards...
From the earliest days when other pilgrims than Frs. Bill and Bob had planned and led days, front markers had striven to stay ahead of the pack all day (it can be a bit stressful leading the way if everyone is on your heels). Often this meant leaving well before the appointed time, and maintaining as much of that lead a possible. This afternoon, Mark and I were well ahead, and marked the way through a farm, up the drive, and left. After we'd gone through but before all the pilgrims had passed, someone turned the arrow to point to the right. A large number of pilgrims duly turned right, and continued oblivious of the lack of further arrows until it was too late. Their erroneous route landed them up in Petham, further away from Canterbury than they had been, and most of the rest of us were safely in the hall before they phoned for help.
Meanwhile, those of us on the correct path came down into Canterbury via Thanington, crossing the ring road and following the city walls
Finally reaching St Thomas' Hall.