Southampton to Rye 14th – 28th August 2021
Rather than our usual format with accommodation included, this year’s pilgrimage will constitute a series of day walks along the “Old Way” which runs from Southampton to Canterbury.
We plan to start from Southampton and walk as far as Rye. We hope to complete the remainder of the route to Canterbury on another occasion.
Each day will start and finish with prayers. There are 2/3 prayer stops each day and as usual we are looking for Pilgrims to volunteer to take Prayer Stops.
There will be a registration form to complete and a small fee of £5 per day, £20 for one week or £30 for the two weeks.
A medical form will need to be completed by everyone taking part, even if it is just for a day.
Each Pilgrim will have to arrange their own accommodation and travel. Some are staying with friends and family, some in B&Bs or camping and some are doing day trips. For those driving each day we hope to arrange that some cars will be parked at the end of the route and some at the beginning so that pilgrims can be ferried back to the beginning at the end of the day to collect cars or to be dropped off at stations. When car sharing masks must be worn and we kindly ask everyone to take a lateral flow test before the first day of walking and then every three days.
There are plenty of stations, buses and taxis along the route and of course pub and café stops will be planned.
I do hope that as many of you as possible will be able to join us. For those who feel it is too far to travel please let Chris know if you are able to get together with others to organise your own walks.
Thanks for sending me the booking form but I would like the updated route notes as, so far, I have only got the original ones produced by John. I need this as I have several pilgrims who are coming from London who would be travelling down by train/bus and need to have details of train and bus times. This means also I can travel down with them most of the way each day.
If the starting and finishing times are the same this will, of course, be not so much of a problem. It is likely, too, that some people may wish to join and leave at lunchtime but this does not really concern me.
Hi Maurice
The timings are not finalised yet and won’t be for a few weeks, but it would be reasonable to assume that each day will start at 10.00am and all days will finish before 19.00 (we aim at 18.00 but some are slightly too long for that).
Chief Route Planner John
Clarification: some days might have a service starting before 10am but the walk won’t start before 10am.
My brother lives near Hassocks and he informed me that there are significant ongoing roadworks between Lewes and Polegate with quite long delays near Berwick. Might be of interest for those planning their logistics.
Thank you Michael for the information. A heads up on possible traffic delays is always useful.
Clare
Thank you Michael for this information. I’ll pass this on to the Walk Leaders for those days.
Hello, Is it too late to book? I was hoping to come along this Thursday (19th), but I see the booking form is no longer working. The walk leader for that day knows I was planning to join in.
Thanks, Naomi