This year’s pilgrimage was from Middlesbrough (the newest cathedral in England, celebrating its 40th birthday) to Blackburn Cathedral (celebrating its centenary of its elevation from parish church to cathedral) via Ripon (probably the oldest continuously-used cathedral in the country). Apart from the start at Middlesbrough and the fourth day into Richmond (where we crossed the 2nd and 1st Lindisfarne Pilgrimages respectively) this was all virgin territory for our pilgrimage, and well worth the extra planning effort. We saw a lot of England’s “green and pleasant land”, plus some wilder country in the Yorkshire Dales; we were spared the extreme heat we had feared, and only had significant rain in the last couple of days; and at so many churches on the way we were welcomed, often with refreshments. It was, undoubtedly, a good pilgrimage, and you can read all about it in our diary at https://thepilgrims.org.uk/2026 where at least 20 different pilgrims shared photos from the journey, showing all aspects of pilgrim life.

Annual General Meeting

We have a route in mind for 2027, which will be confirmed at our AGM on Sunday 20th September. Anyone who has journeyed with us is invited to join the AGM (over Zoom) – if you didn’t join meetings in the last year then let us know and we’ll add you to the list. You don’t have to be in the south-east to become part of the team (or even in the UK!) – this year’s team included members from Manchester, Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire and Amsterdam! It’s a chance to see how pilgrimage planning works, to have your say, and maybe to take on a role in the team.

Autumn Reunion – Save the Date

Keep the weekend of 23-25 October free for our first autumn reunion for a while – still subject to confirmation, we’ll share details as soon as things are fixed.

Further to our earlier announcement, we now know that John’s funeral will be at 12:30 on Monday 24th August at St Mary’s, Rydes Hill, 157 Aldershot Rd, Guildford GU2 8BP. Pilgrims are welcome to attend, but Nick appreciates that it is short notice and many pilgrims are currently in Yorkshire.

The pilgrims will celebrate a requiem mass that day at St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Church, Piece Croft, Threshfield, BD23 5EW as we start our day’s walk to Skipton

The start of our pilgrimage is almost upon us and pilgrims travelling from afar may already be on their way to Middlesbrough. Tomorrow (Friday) the luggage vans will be collected and loaded, ready to reach Marton-in-Cleveland on Saturday afternoon. May God grant everyone safe travels, and a peaceful arrival in Marton. When you arrive for registration, bear in mind that the support team will also have had a long journey – be patient with them!

As previously notified, the routes and their timings have been finalised, and the detailed route cards are available from our website (sorry I missed the link from my previous post), as is CAJUFAD (Come And Join Us For A Day) which summarises all our stops, and other key information like our Pilgrim Code, GPX files of the planned route, the “Who Are We” flyer that we give to interested parties we meet on the way, and now the Alternative Transport details. The Alternative Transport document can be printed, but is most useful save locally to a smart phone (local so you have it when the network is poor, but with network you can follow links to use the directions in Google Maps).

If you’re booked on the pilgrimage, this is where’ll you’ll get all the details of where we’re staying, walking and seeking physical and spiritual refreshment. That includes details of how to find the accommodation in Marton, Middlesbrough, and accommodation addresses if you’re joining later. Please give the details to family and friends who might want to follow our progress, or at least know where their loved one is. Printed copies of the Route Cards and CAJUFAD will be provided to you at registration.

If you’re not booked but are able to get to the area, feel free to join us at a stop or walk with us for a few miles. We prefer that “day pilgrims” book through our booking system (so that we know that you’re coming if there’s a change of plan and included in our insurance).

If you are booked on the pilgrimage but there’s a change to your arrival plans, please let us know (phone numbers on the Route Cards or “mail the pilgrims” link at the bottom of the webpage.

Once the pilgrimage is underway, participants can submit photos and comments which then appear on the website and form our pilgrimage diary – so even if you are too far away, too busy or too infirm you can pilgrimage with us. [Details on how to submit content will be shared with participants just before the pilgrimage.]

We have just learnt of the death last Thursday (6th August 2026) of Rev Deacon John Lamb, father of Nick, pictured together here at Festival50 in 2015.

John was a long-time member of our pilgrimage family, certainly involved from 1986 when he was pictured leaving a church with the late Brenda Dillon.

By 1988 he was fully into the spirit of our pilgrimage!

1990 at the Lamb Inn at Pagham

John became pilgrimage coordinator for 2001 and 2002, and had to make the tough decision to postpone the 2001 pilgrimage by a year because of Foot and Mouth Disease. His one pilgrimage “in charge” was Lichfield to Lastingham in 2002, where he was a friend to pilgrims of all ages.

John could not commit to another year as coordinator because he was about to be ordained a Permanent Deacon, in which role he attended Fr David Russel’s Silver Jubilee.

Backmarking over Shutlingsloe in 2006

New style raingear in 2007

With Jack in 2008

Leading setting-off prayers

Near Aberporth, 2010

Leaving London in 2011 with Bill Haynes and Nick

John, you’ll be missed. We send our condolences to Nick and all John’s family.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

We’ll update this page with funeral details when known (if you’ve received it by email you’ll have to go to the website to see the updated version).

THE POSTER

We have now released our poster for this pilgrimage: here it is.

THE 150 WORD STATEMENT

We have also come up with the some words as a suggested entry for parish newsletters, walking group newsletters etc. The idea is to make it easy for newsletter editors; they don’t have to come up with their own words but can use the words in the following paragraph:

All are welcome to join the Roses Walking Pilgrimage from Middlesbrough to Blackburn, 15th to 30th August 2026.  The route links the cathedrals of Middlesbrough, Ripon and Blackburn, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. We follow the lower Tees valley and Vale of York before crossing the Pennines and cutting through the Forest of Bowland, so expect some great scenery. There are rest days in Ripon and Skipton. The organisers are Diocese of Arundel and Brighton Ecumenical Walking Pilgrimages who have run an annual pilgrimage since 1975 in different parts of England and Wales. Come with us and experience walking as part of our travelling Christian community, whether for a fortnight or just an afternoon! The walk is guided and luggage is forwarded. The cost is £350 to walk with us all the way, or £33 per night to book a shorter spell. To find out more and book your place, visit www.thepilgrims.org.uk/book

A REQUEST

There are still places available on the pilgrimage and we would like to fill them so please send the poster and these words out to suitable newsletter editors or webmasters that you know! Feel free to adapt the words to suit the particular audience, whether in Surrey and Sussex or Yorkshire and Lancashire, or anywhere else in the world! Also print out copies of the poster and distribute it physically.

Come and join us!

There are still places available at this year’s A&B Walking Pilgrimage Reunion, which will take place on the weekend of 17th – 19th April in sunny Northamptonshire.

We welcome pilgrims who have joined us before, but also anybody who would like a “taster” of what a pilgrimage is like.

Further details attached, together with a booking form (invitation / booking form). The closing date for bookings is 31st March.

We look forward to seeing you!

Julian & Claire

The full details are in the  invitation / booking form .  The easiest way to apply is probably to cut and paste the booking form into an email, add your responses and email it to mini26@thepilgrims.org.uk (which automatically redirects to Julian and Claire’s address).  Also please email if you are planning on going on the walk only.   At this event, we hope to share the fun and fellowship of our pilgrimages with past, present and future pilgrims.

Carol’s funeral will be at noon on Tuesday, 3rd February at the RC Cathedral Church of St Michael and St George, Queens Avenue, Aldershot GU11 2BY and afterwards at the neighbouring St Andrews Scottish Garrison Church Hall. There is plenty of parking at the churches. Everyone is welcome. We will say farewell to Carol at the church and then we hope everyone will join us in the church hall to continue to celebrate Carol’s life and share our memories of her.

We’ve learned of the death, on 16th December, of Carol Pritchard (née McMahon). Carol moved to Farnham in the early 70s and was involved in several of Bill Haynes’ youth activities before joining our Pilgrims Way Pilgrimage in 1976 and completing 6 consecutive A&B pilgrimage.

Carol was always keen to catch up with pilgrims, and turned up at several reunions, including the 40-year reunion in Farnham. She was a great singer.

Carol’s funeral will be at the RC Forces Cathedral of St Michael and St George in Aldershot on a date yet to be announced. Everyone who knew Carol will be welcome to attend.

May she rest in peace

Despite the extreme heat in week 1 and some long days in week 2, the 2025 Jubilee Pilgrimage of Hope successfully reached Eastbourne on 22 August, having visited every deanery in the Arundel & Brighton Diocese, plus the Cathedral, marking 50 years since our first pilgrimage.

Our hall planners had found us decent accommodation, albeit sometimes with limited facilities. The day planners had found clever routes through suburbia (both in Surrey and the south coast) and led us safely through some lovely countryside – the heathland south of Farnham and the Seven Sisters being most dramatic. We were well supported by our caterers (Penny, Hazel, Bruce & Imelda), by John in the Van, and by Clare and Fr Paul who met us on the road – so important in the heat with the risk of heatstroke. We had a good number of pilgrims, each of whom contributes something unique, and lots of day pilgrims (some from local churches, some past pilgrims). Many people came out to meet us and provide refreshments at church stops. Overall a very good pilgrimage.

So now our attention turns to next year! Gary collected suggestions for routes / destinations which were put up for voting on the rest days. These are:

Aidan
Coordinator (for a few more days)