Join BPT's historian and naturalist Dawn Champion on a one-day pilgrimage to Canterbury on the Old Way. Extend your experience with a night's stay in Sanctuary at St Mary's Patrixbourne. Pilgrims have the option to sleep in Sanctuary at the church the night before the pilgrimage, or join the group in the morning if they prefer.

"I absolutely loved the whole thing. It was everything I think a pilgrimage should be about: quiet spritual contemplation, walking with intention, communing with nature and also having a rollocking good time with like-minded people! Dawn was a superb guide: a really interesting and lovely person who brought out the best in all of us." Daniel,Haven of Cuckmere pilgrim

Friday 6th October

We meet at St Mary's Patrixbourne at 7pm before setting off on a short 1 mile walk to Bridge for our evening meal. Returning to the church, we'll share stories before bedding down for the night - pilgrims can bring their own bedding or hire a self-inflating roll mat, pillow, and sleeping bag with silk liner from the BPT. St Mary's has under-pew heating and maintains a comfortable temperature. Wash facilities including showers are provided in a nearby sports pavilion. 

Saturday 7th October

After we have breakfasted we'll welcome any pilgrims joining us for the day, and begin our pilgrimage. We'll leave behind the small village of Patrixbourne, whose Lord of the Manor gave Canterbury Cathedral the rent of one mill for the upkeep of Thomas Becket’s tomb. Passing by the Archbishop’s Palace where Thomas Cranmer wrote the Book of Common Prayer, we head to Bekesbourne and beyond, for sacred wells, hidden paths and ancient trees. Emerging in Fordwich, England’s smallest town, we encounter the River Stour before tracing its flow to Canterbury, where we follow in Queen Bertha’s footsteps through the UNESCO World Heritage Site to discover the oldest church in the English-speaking world and the great cathedral itself.

A journey guaranteed to make you re-encounter Britain in new (and very old) ways.

This Pilgrimage will include:

- Optional Sanctuary stay and breakfast (Sanctuary pilgrims pay for their own evening meal)

- New ways of meeting old Churches (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 St Mary’s Patrixbourne, at 7pm on Friday evening or 10am on Saturday morning.

Train: nearest stop Bekesbourne, then a 0.8 mile walk. Trains are usually hourly.

Bus: No 89 or 17 to Bridge, then a 1 mile walk. Buses are usually every half an hour.

Parking: no parking at the church, but a little on-road parking nearby in the village, or ample parking at the train station.

The pilgrimage will end at Canterbury by 6.00pm at the latest.

Your pilgrim guide

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. She will lead you along a carefully considered route with capable navigation.

What to bring

A packed lunch; trusty walking footwear; waterproofs (if applicable); water bottle; comfortable clothes and backpack. A pilgrim staff or walking stick is recommended but not essential. If staying in Sanctuary a torch for moving around after dark, sleepwear and wash things. Bedding unless hiring from the BPT.

Fundraising

10% of ticket fees are donated to places visited on the pilgrimage, except where other charges are in place. 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.

Is this religious? This faith-neutral pilgrimage welcomes and caters for everyone, whether they have no faith or follow a particular spiritual path. We operate a “Bring Your Own Beliefs” policy. We ask that all participating pilgrims respect one another, whatever their beliefs.

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.

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We hope to see you on the path.

£50 per pilgrim

Sanctuary stay: £25 including breakfast, tea and coffee.

Bedding hire: £15 (includes self-inflating roll mat, pillow, sleeping bag and silk liner).