Day 9: Bridport to Lyme Regis

Today's highlight is a visit to the shrine of St Wite at Whitchurch Canonicorum, where the saint's relics have survived intact in the church of St Candida and Holy Cross. The day starts with an easy stroll heading south west down to the coast at West Bay, where we stop for prayers at St John's Church. We then follow the South West Coast path up and down, with a steep ascent to Golden Cap, the highest point on the South coast. We leave the coast and head north, stopping at St Wite's Well for DIY prayers for healing and sprinkle ourselves with holy water from the spring. We cross a busy stretch of the A35 and climb to the prayer stop in St Candida & Holy Cross Church. After prayers we lunch either at the Five Bells Inn or we eat our packed lunch in the church grounds. We then follow the River Char down to Charmouth for a Sunday afternoon Anglican Eucharist at St Andrew's Church before the final climb up and then down to Lyme Regis.

Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 9

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Bridport United Church Lawrence Doyle

Alpaca looking very cute Maurice Hickman

Lawrence Doyle

St John's, West Bay is still helpfully labelled in in 2018 (see the 1980 diary) John Chenery Original Tweet

Fr Tony leads our prayer stop John Chenery Original Tweet

After prayers at West Bay some had coffee but most just waited. Maurice Hickman

West Bay John Chenery Original Tweet

Caught the frontmarkers already John Chenery Original Tweet

Main window St. John's West Bay nr. Bridport. claregamble

Model exhibition in John's church. claregamble

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Stained glass in St John's church. claregamble

Altar in St John's church. claregamble

More models. claregamble

Font in St John's church. claregamble

The one before Golden Cap John Chenery Original Tweet

Resting pilgrims John Chenery Original Tweet

View the other way and here comes Maurice ... John Chenery Original Tweet

Pilgrims enjoying a break Maurice Hickman

En route to Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

Making our way to Golden Cap John Chenery Original Tweet

Looking down to Seatown and up to Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

Picturesque but precarious fenceless pasture on the way to Golden Cap pilgrimage2012 Deirdre Original Tweet

Lawrence Doyle

Lawrence Doyle

Lawrence Doyle

Lawrence Doyle

Lawrence Doyle

View to the rear on the approach to the summit of Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

View to the rear on the approach to the summit of Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

Pausing before the final ascent to the highest point on the coast of southern England John Chenery Original Tweet

Close up view of Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

Sue at the summit of Golden Cap John Chenery Original Tweet

Chris and Fr Tony at the summit of Golden Cap John Chenery Original Tweet

Lawrence Doyle

Pilgrim resting on Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

The trig point at the top of Golden Cap Lawrence Doyle

Looking back, on the way to Golden Cap Deirdre Original Tweet

Larry (Lawrence) himself, at the top of Golden Cap Lawrence Doyle

Lawrence Doyle

Perfect conditions up here John Chenery Original Tweet

View from the summit of Golden Cap Maurice Hickman

Me (see the 1996 diary for a photo I took of pilgrims at this spot then) John Chenery Original Tweet

St. Gabriel’s Church Maurice Hickman

Louise leaving the ruins of St Gabriel's church John Chenery Original Tweet

Plaque at St. Wite’s Well Maurice Hickman

St Wite's Well, a healing spring John Chenery Original Tweet

St. Wite’s Shrine in the Church of St. Candida and the Holy Cross in Whitchurch Canonicorum. This is one of only 2 churches in England (the other is Westminster Abbey) to have the relics of a saint still in their original casket (most were destroyed or moved at the time of the Reformation). Maurice Hickman

Leaving St Candida and Holy Cross. (St Candida aka St Wite) John Chenery Original Tweet

Malcolm and Nick in the pub garden John Chenery Original Tweet

Only the backmarkers remain at the Five Bells, Whitchurch Canonicorum John Chenery Original Tweet

Pilgrims at the Five Bells Inn in Whitchurch Canonicorum. This is a wonderful Palmer’s house. Maurice Hickman

Lawrence Doyle

Lawrence Doyle

in St Andrew's Charmouth for our Sunday Afternoon Anglican Eucharist. John Chenery Original Tweet

John Chenery Original Tweet

Leaving St Andrew's, Charmouth John Chenery Original Tweet

In the hall: the Hub in Lyme Regis. nor2747

Yesterday's frontmarker Mike was only with us for the day but left us beer! John Chenery Original Tweet