Description
Book SynopsisA pilgrim path that offers a wonderful long-distance route, on footpaths and quiet lanes, across the glorious east of England.
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. The experience of walking the route is described in this illustrated book with the step by step walking directions and gpx files being downloaded from the Trailblazer website.
The whole 177.8 mile pilgrimage could be accomplished by a fit walker in a fortnight or less. But maybe you want to walk for fewer miles each day, or just at weekends, or on odd days when you have the time and energy. This guide caters for multiple approaches.
Walsingham was England’s Nazareth. A fantastical tale brought pilgrims – kings, queens, and commoners alike – to Walsingham in the Middle Ages. 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. She was told to build a replica of the house in Walsingham, and did so. The Holy House, initially a simple wooden structure, later richly decorated with gold and precious jewels, became a shrine and attracted pilgrims to Walsingham from all over Europe. Numerous kings travelled as pilgrims to Walsingham.
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. Not only that: in the whole of the Christian world it was eclipsed by just three other places: Jerusalem, Rome, and Santiago de Compostela. Those places have enjoyed an unbroken tradition of pilgrimage and veneration stretching back a millennium or more. Not Walsingham. It reverted to being just a village in Norfolk once the pilgrims stopped coming. The road from London ceased to be the most important route in England, and faded into obscurity.
For 400 years, no pilgrims walked to Walsingham. Since the 1930s, when both Catholic and Anglican shrines were re-established here, Walsingham has undergone a revival. It draws around 300,000 pilgrims each year, but hardly any of them walk much more than the final Holy Mile, and only a few church and other groups trace the full route from London.
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.
Trade ReviewAn essential read - The Daily Telegraph, July 2023; Andy Bull's superb guide is a must for pilgrims, walkers and lovers of culture. - Independent Catholic News, September 2022; The attention to detail and clarity of practical information will enable any Camino Pilgrim to start out with confidence. - Catholic National Shrine And Basilica of Our Lady, Walsingham.
Table of ContentsForeword by Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York Introduction History of the route Recognition as a Camino by the Confraternity of St James, Santiago Planning your walk How the London to Walsingham Camino is organised The 13 stages Setting your own itinerary Transport to and from the stages Pilgrim points, stamps and passports How to use this guide Downloading the gpu files fand route descriptions from the Trailblazer website Stage 1 London to Waltham Abbey 17.7miles/28.5km Stage 2 Waltham Abbey to Ware 13.2miles, 21.2km Stage 3 Ware to Stansted Mountfitchet 16.4miles (26.4km) Stage 4 Stansted Mountfitchet to Saffron Walden 14.2miles, 22.9km Stage 5 Saffron Walden to Withersfield 13.8miles, 22.3km Stage 6 Withersfield to Stansfield 12.2miles, 19.7km Stage 7 Stansfield to Bury St Edmunds 12.2miles, 19.7km Stage 8 Bury St Edmunds to Thetford 16.3 miles, 26.3km Stage 9 Thetford to Brandon 10.5 miles, 16.9km Stage 10 Brandon to Great Cressingham 15.6 miles, 25.1km Stage 11 Great Cressingham to Castle Acre 13.7 miles, 22.1km Stage 12 Castle Acre to Fakenham 15.9 miles, 25.6km Stage 13 Fakenham to Walsingham 6.2miles, 10km Index
