Old Way: Icklesham to Rye (High Weald Walking Festival)

Make Pilgrimage along the Old Way to the twin holy hill towns of East Sussex - Winchelsea and Rye.

A faith-neutral journey of many landscapes, where the bustle of nature is countered by the deep peace of timeless places. You'll encounter historic pilgrim marks, ancient trees, whispering marshes, and ruins heavy with the weight of the ages. Bathe in the dazzling colours of Saint Thomas' Church in Winchelsea; traverse the old shingle to Camber Castle, long since abandoned by the sea; ascend the cobbled hill to the very top of Rye. We’ll climb the bell tower of 12th Century St Mary’s Church and survey spectacular views, with the bell chimes concluding our journey in stillness and reflection. We're pleased to offer this Bring Your Own Beliefs pilgrimage in partnership with the High Weald Walking Festival. 

This Pilgrimage will include:

- New ways of meeting holy places (bring your own beliefs...)

- Foraging wild plants

- Occasional barefoot walking

- Opportunities for silence

- Discovering your place in the British pilgrimage tradition

- Natural beauty and the wild places between the roads

- Holy and historic sites of all kinds

Travel

We recommend the greenest form of travel where possible. We will gather at Icklesham Church for 10am and wait for anyone arriving by bus. Please confirm if you would like to share a taxi from Rye to Icklesham at either the start or the end of day when purchasing a ticket.

Train: nearest stop Winchelsea, then taxi. Trains are usually hourly.

Bus: Service 100 Rye to Conquest Hospital, Icklesham Recreation Ground stop.

Parking: free laybys and car park near the recreation ground or on-road parking nearby. If you choose this option you will need to take a taxi back to Icklesham from Rye at the end of the pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage will end at Rye by 18:00 at the latest.

Your pilgrim guide

BPT's own historian and naturalist Dawn offers new practices and old traditions to help your pilgrimage come to life - including songs and stories, suggested pilgrim rituals, wild water drinking and foraged plants, sharing wildlife folklore and secrets from history along the way.

What to bring

A packed lunch; Trusty walking footwear; Waterproofs (if applicable); Waterbottle; Comfortable clothes and backpack. A pilgrim staff or walking stick is recommended but not essential.

Fundraising

10% of ticket fees is donated to places visited along the route. Funds raised by this pilgrimage support the work of the British Pilgrimage Trust, a registered charity which seeks to open up Britain's pilgrimage tradition in newly inclusive and exciting ways.

FAQ’s

Who can come? Anyone over 18 (or under 18 with parental guidance, bearing in mind the walking distance).

Is this religious? . This is a faith-neutral pilgrimage which caters for everyone. We operate a “Bring Your Own Beliefs” policy. We ask that all participating pilgrims respect one another, whatever their beliefs.

Will I be asked to share my feelings with the group? We like to keep things light and breezy, so there will be no group emotional sharing moments. If you want to share your feelings in personal conversation when walking with others that is up to you, but certainly not compulsory.

Are there fitness limitations? If you struggle to walk all day, this pilgrimage may be unsuitable for you right now. There are always plenty of escape points en route. But we will walk slowly, and start early. Unfortunately this pilgrimage is not suited for mobility-impaired people or those requiring wheelchair access.

Can I bring my dog? Sadly not - we can’t accommodate dogs on our guided pilgrimages. However, if you have a registered assistance dog, they are welcome.

Can I get a refund if the event is cancelled/postponed? If Covid forces the event date to be cancelled, we will transfer your ticket to a postponed date in the future. But if you would prefer, yes, we are offering full refunds if the event is cancelled.

Do you offer concessions? We are pleased to be offering 10 free places to the High Weald Walking Festival for this pilgrimage. See their website for a discount code. 

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£50 per pilgrim

We hope to see you on the path.