On a morning in early August 2019, A and I began the penultimate leg of our 60th Birthday Pilgrimage along the Hertfordshire Way. We had completed the last leg at Little Wymondley but having considered the busyness of the A602 and following the guidebook’s suggestion we asked the long-suffering Red Hyundai driver to drop…
Tag: long distance trails
THE HERTFORDSHIRE WAY: Wallington to Little Wymondley
In March 2016, my friend and I set out to walk the Hertfordshire Way in sections hoping to complete the entire route by the time of our 60th birthdays. Today on our antepenultimate (thank you, Mr Lucas!) leg we celebrated my Sixtieth, discussing the passing of time referencing dandelion clocks, the privilege of being Nanas…
THE HERTFORDSHIRE WAY: Royston to Wallington
The temperature was already in the early 20s as we set out from Royston on Easter Saturday on the next leg of our Hertfordshire Way 60th Birthday Pilgrimage. We began at the Royse Stone, standing at the crossing point of the Icknield Way and Ermine Street and soon left the bustling town centre and found…
THE HERTFORDSHIRE WAY: Hare Street to Royston
Two years and three weeks since we started our 60th Birthday Pilgrimage along the Hertfordshire Way we are reaching the North Eastern corner and beginning our journey back to our starting place in St Albans. Each section of the trail has been different and rewarding in its own way and today’s 13 mile stretch from…
THE PILGRIMS’ WAY – Revisited. WATT’S GALLERY AND ARTISTS’ VILLAGE
One of the many places I hoped to revisit when undertaking my gratitude walk along the Pilgrims’ Way in 2016 was the Watts Gallery and Artists Village. I had stopped there on day 4 of my pilgrimage for a cup of tea in the café and took the time then to go slightly off-route to wander up to the Watts Memorial…
THE HERTFORDSHIRE WAY: Bishop’s Stortford to Hare Street
The Hertfordshire Way – Bishop’s Stortford to Hare Street: The one where we got lost – and again and again and again! Leaving Tesco’s Car Park on the outskirts of Bishop’s Stortford we soon found ourselves in the open countryside and came across a sign showing us where the Herts Way had been diverted. We…
THE PEAK PILGRIMAGE : Eyam
I arrived at my Eyam, the destination of the Peak Pilgrimage during an August afternoon. The last day had involved more hills than I expected and after a quick visit to the church I checked into the superb Eyam Youth Hostel. An hour’s rest on my bunk bed, however re-invigorated me and I walked back down…
THE PEAK PILGRIMAGE: Day 3 – Bakewell to Eyam
Early on an August morn I climbed up from the beautiful town of Bakewell on my final leg of the Peak Pilgrimage. The steepness of the route for the first few miles surprised me and challenged me a little. On reaching the golf course (a difficult one to play, I imagine) I was somewhat confused…
THE PEAK PILGRIMAGE: Bakewell
Nestled alongside the River Wye Bakewell is, of course, best known for its puddings – a very sweet concoction of pastry, jam and almond paste. My memories of it will, however, be of sunflowers, eating a pizza slice whilst watching a croquet match take place on the outskirts of the cricket pitch, a super childrens’…
THE PEAK PILGRIMAGE: Day 2 – Hartington to Bakewell
A 15 and a half mile walk awaited me as I left Hartington Youth Hostel in the early hours on Day 2 of my Peak Pilgrimage walk. I put on a good pace across fields and footpaths to reach Hartington Station a couple of miles outside of the village. The route then followed the well-marked…
