As the pilgrimage is drawing to an end (only two walking days left), people's luggage appears to get more and more spread out. This morning seemed to be a particularly challenging rush to gather up our belongings.

Our Eucharistic Service was just up the road at St Lawrence's church, and in a story about the church we were told how, in the English Civil War, the Roundheads forced their way into the Cavaliers' last fortress, this church. This is still evident by the musket holes littering the front doors.

Off we set from St Lawrence's in the beautiful sunshine, hoping the weather would last all day.

Jack led an inspirational prayer stop on how we experience joy, starting with loud chants of "HALLELUJAH!"

Next stop was Redemptorist Publications where Patrick shared his experiences in putting joy back into confirmation.

A short walk in the warming sun just through the village of Chawton . . .

. . . to St Nicholas' church where Tim Buckley, Publishing Director of Redemptorist Publications, shared with us his stories of Freddie Freckles and his joy on winning a race he had trained hard for at sports day . . .

. . . followed swiftly by tea, coffee and biscuits.

Father Tim read the following prayer by Cardinal Newman:

God has created me to do him some definite service; he has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another. I have my mission - I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons. He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do his work. I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place while not intending it - if I do but keep his commandments. Therefore I will trust him. Whatever, wherever I am.  I can never be thrown away. If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve him; in perplexity, my perplexity may serve him. He does nothing in vain. He knows what he is about. He may take away my friends; he may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me - still he knows what he is about.

From Chawton, we walked along the old Meon Valley railway line before climbing steadily to Four Marks, probably the highest settlement in Hampshire. Just before lunch the rain started very suddenly, and raincoats were quickly shoved on.

The bar at Four Marks Golf Club was a welcome site to shelter from the rain.

We set off after lunch and the sun was out again. We hoped that would be the last rain of the day, but weary pilgrims kept their coats to hand in case of sudden down pours.

At St Peter's church in Ropley, this tomb proved a popular place to sit - the oldies relaxed and the younguns chatted.

Inside the church, Mark talked of the late Father Michael Albon, who during his days as a prof at St John's Seminary, Wonersh, had a poster on his door which read:

Jesus first

Others next

Yourself last

And then we moved outside, as we did at the thirtieth anniversary reunion, for a short service to remember deceased pilgrims. This was led by Aidan, at his dad, Mike Simons', grave. Aidan read the roll of deceased pilgrims while we sang a Taizé chant, then Father David led the prayer from the funeral service.

Pilgrims were moved by this and came to pay their respects.

A few miles on at Bramdean Common, we found the Church in the Woods, a tiny little church, where we had a talk on the history of the church, which had been built in the second half of the nineteenth century to serve the local charcoal-burning community.

We left the church on the last leg to Alresford for the penultimate hall.

The sun was out again and, with no vast hills, we were happy pilgrims as we made our way in. Last walking day tomorrow!