Day 2: Reigate to Ashtead
The morning walk climbs the scarp slope of the North Downs and traverses Colley Hill, with views over Surrey and Sussex. We cross the M25 and head down the side of Walton Heath Golf Course to Dorking Road (cross with care). Around the first hole of the Old Course, we head up the passage to our church of St Peter's Walton on the Hill. Coffee is served before the service. After lunch at the Blue Ball, we leave Walton and head through Langley Vale Memorial Wood, an area of downland commemorating WW1, planted with 180,000 trees. The area was used for army training and a camp in WW1. Kitchener visited the troops in 1915. We follow tracks though Beech Wood into Ashtead, before visiting St Giles and arriving at the hall. Please cross all roads at marked points with great care. Note that we are split between 2 halls this evening; we arrive at the halls mid-afternoon. For those wanting something extra, there are 6pm services available to attend in both Anglican churches in Ashtead: St Giles' (traditional) and St George's (contemporary)
Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 2
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Reigate Community Centre
Luggage mostly loaded John Chenery
Roofs of old Reigate Francis O Sullivan
Aidan, in white hat, leads our setting off prayers John Chenery
Leaving Reigate Methodist Church Aidan Simons
Today's leaders Fred and Sue Bruce Matheson
Front markers, climbing colley hill fred.adilz
How high, Fred?1 Claire Glover
It Must Be A Sign ..... Julian Glover
Sunday am on the Surrey hills Mary Fuller
Sunday am on the Surrey hills Mary Fuller
Anne Bailey
Mary Fuller
Colley Hill John Chenery
Ann's lifetime ambition to see M25 achieved.She's heard about it many times but never seen it. Francis O Sullivan
Mary Fuller
St Peter’s Church, Walton on the Hill
Arriving at St Peter's, Walton on the Hill, in good time for the service Aidan Simons
Sue serving us coffee in her own parish church St Peter's. John Chenery
Pre-service coffee in St Peter's John Chenery
Sue's parish church James Brodie
Reconnecting with Marjorie, who walked on 4 of the early pilgrimages and lives locally, once a pilgrim... Aidan Simons
Blue Ball, Walton on the Hill
Pilgrims eating their lunch besides the partially dried up Mere Pond in Walton on the hill John Chenery
Pilgrims' Lunch Claire Glover
Walton in the Hill Pond: 50 years ago we sat in this very location to eat our spam sandwiches. Now we have rather more refined rolls. Water level is much lower, a sign of the times, and because that pilgrimage was at Easter. Aidan Simons
The Mere Pond is becoming a Mere Puddle John Chenery
Langley Vale
Pilgrims at the Jutland Memorial John Chenery
The Regiment of Trees John Chenery
The Regiment of Trees John Chenery
The Regiment of Trees John Chenery
Eyes turned heavenwards, Regiment of Trees David Cosham
A good day exploring! Claire Glover
Hazel Fitzgibbon remembers her Uncle Harold Smith who died on HMS Indefatigable when it was sunk at the Battle of Jutland in 1916 Michael McCabe
St Giles, Ashtead
Churchyard at St Giles fred.adilz
The Labyrinth at St Giles John Chenery
St Giles, another locked church, so we prayed outside. Aidan Simons
City of London Freemen's School Claire Glover
St Michael’s RC Church, Ashtead and 1st Ashtead Pelham Scouts
All safely arrived at Ashtead hall Maurice Hickman
The other hall: 1st Ashtead Pelham Scouts fred.adilz
Francis found the shower! fred.adilz
Squashed into a tight space for dinner tonight John Chenery
