8 walks following the Pilgrims Routes of Britain. Giving history and extra information about some of our best known ancient routeways. A wonderful companion to these historical and spiritual walkways. Take a person, a time and a place: say Canterbury in 597, St Augustine has just arrived and sets off walking. What is he thinking? How does he find his way across the country? What would he find when he arrived at the various places along the route? Using historical stories and vignettes Cecilia Baker has gathered together to follow his, and other, footsteps we can know him and his world a little better. We can follow his route today but thankfully not have to worry about wild boars, nor highway robbery (hopefully!), nor indeed of falling foul of the monarch or his henchmen as was very much a possibility in the past. England is criss-crossed by a myriad of ancient routes that are being way-marked and walked for the first time in, often, hundreds of years, named after people who have gently faded into history. Through this book you can explore the rich heritage of England while enjoying these ancient paths. You will learn about these routes both from a geographical and historical, but also from a spiritual point of view. Walking has never been more popular both to make us healthier and to enjoy the quality of life that we now crave. We are able to enjoy this pastime today in a way that was never possible in more ancient times. So put on comfortable shoes and take a raincoat, this is Britain after all, and start walking in the footsteps of our ancient ancestors.

A guidebook to walking the Pilgrims’ Way, a 230 km (138 mile) historic pilgrimage route to Canterbury Cathedral in Kent, home of the shrine of the martyred archbishop, St Thomas Becket. With relatively easy walking on ancient pathways, it can be comfortably completed in under a fortnight. The route is presented in 15 stages ranging between 7 and 22 kms (5-14 miles) and is described from both Winchester in Hampshire (138 miles) and London’s Southwark Cathedral (90 miles), with an optional link to Rochester. 1:50,000 OS mapping for each stage Detailed information on accommodation, public transport, and refreshments for each stage Information on the historical background of the pilgrimage, historical figures, and local points of interest GPX files available to download Facilities table to help you plan your itinerary