Day 6: Devizes to Pewsey
Today's walk takes the more direct route between Devizes and Pewsey, in the morning going over the hills rather than meandering with the canal. We leave Devizes along the canal then pass through Coate (pub only opens at 5pm), All Cannings (church stop and a pub that might be open) and Stanton St Bernard (church stop) before reaching Honeystreet for lunch. After lunch we follow the canal before setting off south towards the Manningfords. Take care crossing the Reading-Exeter railway level crossing. Manningford Abbots church is in private ownership but the footpath runs past it through a lovely churchyard. From here we follow the Pewsey Avon Trail.
Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 6
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Devizes
It's music... Veronique
Mass in St James Church before departure Aidan Simons
Worship Music at St James Church, Devizes gillgodber
Heading out along the Kennet and Avon canal. bridget simons
Patch of 'wild flowers' Devizes Janet Catterick
A byway where you feel on top of the world bridget simons
Coate
Lovely inn just before first drinks stop fred.adilz
First drinks stop fred.adilz
Chatting makes the miles pass quickly. bridget simons
All Cannings
All saints all cannings fred.adilz
Pilgrims old and new together at All Saints, All Cannings. bridget simons
Father Tony: make us living stones fred.adilz
Day Pilgrims en route to Pewsey gillgodber
All Saints Church, All Cannings John Chenery
A good catch Veronique
Rendall's Farm, at All Cannings fishing lakes gillgodber
The front markers on the tow path Fr Tony Milner
Cider sales from a narrow boat. Sadly no-one was in! bridget simons
Upcycling - tyres made into child's swinging horse Janet Catterick
Stanton St Bernard
All Saints, Stanton St Bernard Aidan Simons
All Saints, Stanton St Bernard Aidan Simons
All Saints, Stanton St Bernard Aidan Simons
The parishioners at All Saints, Stanton St Bernard very kindly left us homemade elderflower cordial and biscuits to enjoy during our prayer stop. bridget simons
Pilgrims rest in the Vale of Pewsey gillgodber
Behind the bales Veronique
A perfect pilgrimage view. White horse in distance fred.adilz
The Alton Barnes Whitehorse, which was cut in 1812. Janet Catterick
Honeystreet
A short stretch of canal brings us to lunch. bridget simons
The White Horse with tractor collecting straw bales. Clare Gamble
Fr Tony interviewed by Jonathan Fido for Radio Wiltshire. The interview was broadcast (in snippets) during Jonathan's Sunday Breakfast show on 20 August 2023. First clip is at 28:16, 1:03:21, 1:22:25, 2:02:39, 2:22:00, 3:48:50) Mark Potter
BBC Radio Wiltshire interview gillgodber
A gaggle of Pilgrims Janet Catterick
Lunch stop at The Barge, Honeystreet Fr Tony Milner
Many of us ate lunch together in the Barge Inn at Honeystreet Aidan Simons
The Barge Inn at Honey Street for lunch Clare Gamble
Pleasant hill beside the canal Aidan Simons
Colourful salad crops in the Vale of Pewsey Aidan Simons
Mid-afternoon we had to cross the main London-Exeter railway line. As usual, the train passed when we were too far away to see much, but the occasion had to be recorded. We were well-behaved and didn't dither on the tracks to take photos. Aidan Simons
Kissing gate into Manningford Abbotts churchyard Aidan Simons
Manningford Abbotts church, now disused and in private hands, but we prayed in the churchyard which is beautifully kept and accessible by public footpaths Aidan Simons
Pewsey
St John the Baptist Church, Pewsey, a final pause for prayer before we reached our destination Aidan Simons
By the time the back markers reached Manningford Abbots, the sun was out John Chenery
This is what the drinks car gets up to in their spare time! Imelda Simons
