Supporting the British Pilgrimage Trust

Supporting the British Pilgrimage Trust

Turn a walk into a pilgrimage by giving it purpose – to add meaning you can dedicate your journey to something that you want help with, or for which you want to be grateful. And if your purpose is simply to have an adventure, that's fine too.

The British Pilgrimage Trust

The British Pilgrimage Trust (Registered Charity 1176045) aims to advance British pilgrimage as a form of cultural heritage that promotes holistic wellbeing.

As a charity, the British Pilgrimage Trust is forming a pilgrim route network that currently has over 250 walking routes across Britain, and a low-cost pilgrim hostel 'Sanctuary' network that employs churches, church halls, village halls and farm buildings.

Emma Loves: Walking with Purpose

Rather than the usual circular local walk we all know so well, ending in the local pub then staggering home afterwards- how do you feel about a really LONG walk- in this case I’m talking about 250 miles a distant destination, maybe dedicating the journey to working through a couple of big questions in your life?

This month the Pilgrimage season opens as spring arrives, and I am walking The Old Way, courtesy of The British Pilgrimage Trust, commencing in Southampton and ending in Canterbury in… er maybe 3 weeks time. 

The BPT have mapped an imaginative scenic route which amounts to the recreation of the experience of a medieval pilgrim arriving in Southampton Harbour from France and making a leisurely way to the great cathedral at Canterbury. 

Of course, the actual old way now lies mostly beneath main roads, but walk with the BPT and you can pretty satisfactorily connect to an ancient experience of pilgrimage, as you will avoid many contemporary stresses and enjoy a magical succession of cities, towns and villages; landscapes and rivers, shorelines and beaches plus a plethora of sacred sites including holy wells, early churches, earthworks and ancient trees!  

And thus you may connect with this universal spiritual discipline with all its highs and lows- and many incidents discoveries revelations and human encounters. Irresistible- surely?!