I would very much like to have input from CSJ members, those who have walked from London to Walsingham, and anyone who lives on the general line of the path. The schedule for the day includes three locations and a walk between them, in part along the ancient pilgrimage route. London to Walsingham Camino guidebook is a full colour guide to walking the re-established pilgrimage route from the Church of St Magnus the Martyr, with its shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham to the Anglican and Catholic shrines at Walsingham in Norfolk. Please note: Partly because of restrictions relating to animal infection on a farm, we will currently have to walk along the narrow verge of an A road for two stretches, totalling about 1.5 - 2 miles. It may be that restrictions will lift by April, I am monitoring the situation. This is the only point in the 178-mile journey where this happens. I believe it to be safe, but if you are at all unsure of navigating this, you might like to arrange transport for yourself between Mundford and Hilborough. St Mary’s, Houghton on the Hill (pilgrim stamp) This church, with its 1,000-year-old wall paintings, will be specially opened for us.

The official launch of the London to Walsingham Camino, and the publication of the accompanying guidebook, will take place on Saturday, 3 September 2022. The London to Walsingham Camino Pilgrimage Guide is exceptional in its presentation, highlighting the historical context of the ancient Pilgrim Routes, alongside the spiritual reasons as to why people have made pilgrimage to Walsingham over so many centuries. It eloquently speaks to us of the often unknown spiritual heritage of England. Perhaps lost jewel to be rediscovered! The book is fascinating on myriads of levels with insights from some of the great British authors which have the capacity to open us to the depths of our great literary heritage along side the spiritual one. From there I was playing to a receptive audience. They loved the idea of doing a Camino in England. Mention Walsingham as the destination, however, and eyes dimmed again. Even when we got to Norfolk, Walsingham's recognition factor was low. Indeed, I only had a vague ides of its significance before I started this project. To remedy that, the Confraternity is working with Andy Bull, author of Pilgrim Pathways, to identify the old route and develop a modern pilgrim path that is as faithful to it as possible, while also giving a fulfilling walking experience.

However, many pilgrims diverged from this route to take in Bury St Edmunds, proceeding from there via Thetford. The London to Walsingham Camino guidebook is part of an attempt to change that: to re-establish a walking route which, while being as true to the original way as possible, takes account of the modern realities on the ground. A pilgrim path that offers a wonderful long-distance route, on footpaths and quiet lanes, across the glorious east of England. A truly pleasurable and uplifting walking experience. Then, from April 11 to 25, I shall walk the full route over 14 days, with a one-day rest in Bury St Edmunds, on the 18th, where a day of pilgrim events are being planned. Walsingham was by far the most important pilgrim shrine in England until Henry VIII outlawed pilgrimage and the veneration of saints in 1538. It was much more popular than Canterbury.

In 1061 a Walsingham noblewoman, Lady Richeldis de Faverches, had a vision in which the Virgin Mary transported her soul to Nazareth and showed her the house where the Holy Family once lived, and in which the Annunciation of Archangel Gabriel, foretelling Jesus’s birth, occurred. St Peter and St Paul, Fakenham (pilgrim stamp) or St Anthony’s Catholic church, Fakenham (both tbc)

Something significant occurred in a number of those pubs. Sarah wore her collar at all times. I had wondered how people would react to it, but the reception couldn’t have been friendlier. In several they thought they were meeting the vicar (for the first time, given hardly any of them went to church) and came over to chat. One local asked Sarah if she was a Catholic priest. Another, who was completely unchurched, began in a challenging vein, a sort of ‘what’s it all about then’, but then spoke movingly of his life, his fears and his challenges. You got the sense that he might just pop into a church for the first time in his life, after this.