WALTHAM ABBEY TO ST.ALBANS CATHEDRAL PILGRIMAGE - 25 MILES

ABOUT THE WALK -

For a long while I wanted to link these two Abbey Churches and pilgrimage centres together, as a pilgrimage walk. First it was to be a Spring walk when the daffodils were in full bloom, but somehow the time slipped by. Finally, one very hot mid summer day, I set off at 8.0. a.m. and walked from the west door of Waltham Abbey Church to the west door of St. Albans Cathedral and Abbey Church. There after some 25 miles of walking in 90° F heat, I couldn't find a bed and breakfast and caught the train back to Waltham Cross, where
I had begun.

A week later I was back in St. Albans to look around the town and cathedral. As luck would have it I was here on St. James Day - patron saint of Spain and I have walked six times to his shrine in north-west Spain at Santiago de Compostela. Entering the cathedral just before noon I was told there was a Eucharist Service around St. Albans tomb, about to start. Perfect; and again I had been guided to here.

Both Waltham Abbey and St. Albans Cathedral are fascinating religious houses, based on Benedictine (St. Albans) and Augustinian (Waltham Abbey), and well worth a wander around. I always felt that
monks would have travelled between the two abbeys centuries ago. But, it was not until I wandered around St. Albans did i learn there was another connection between these two places. On December 12th. 1290, the cortege of Queen Eleanor on its journey from Harby in Nottinghamshire, stopped over night in St. Albans. Each place where they stayed overnight an Eleanor Cross was built. The following day, 13th. December 1290, the cortege proceeded 25 miles to Waltham Abbey and a cross was built at the cross roads at
the now present day Waltham Cross. The cross here is only one of three that survive today, built between 1291-1294 and restored in 1989. On December |4th. 1290 the cortege returned to the
cross roads and proceeded southwards to the present day, Charing Cross.

There is also a more sinister link between the two places following a murder in Waltham Cross in 1914. A man slitting the throat of a woman, near the Four Swans Inn; the overhead inn sign still remains near the cross. The murderer was hung at St. Albans on December 23rd. 1914 and his body was left hanging for an hour! This was the last hanging in Hertfordshire.

My pilgrimage walk was very pleasant, despite the heat, first to the River Lee Navigation and then onto the New River. Next were tree lined paths and tracks which led me to the attractive Northaw village, with a church and green. I pressed on along paths to the historic North Mymms and its impressive hall and unspoilt 14th. century church. Then onto Coiney Heath and the fina paths around St. Albans to the cathedral. Like all walks the end was acknowledged and another pilgrimage was completed - thankfully my list of walks to do, gets bigger and bigger!

Here is a pilgrimage walk through Hertfordshire to a double major medieval shrine and our largest cathedral. Although a long day’s walk, it is relatively flat walking and well worth it and a service the following day completes the experience.

HOW TO DO IT

The whole walk is covered by Ordnance Survey | :25,000 Explorer Series Nos. -
- 174 - Epping Forest and Lee Valley.
- 182 - St. Albans & Hatfield.

The walk is planned to be done in a day - about 8 to 9 hours excluding stops. There are only limited facilities along the way - Inns at Northaw and Colney Heath. Shops at Colney Heath. There is no accommodation on the route and the nearest around the half way mark is at South Mimms, two miles south of the route. Potters Bar Station is 1/2 mile from route, little less than half way.
Both Waltham Abbey and St. Albans have all facilities and full details can be had from their respective Tourist Information Centres. If you wish to do it stages the rail stations of Cuffley and Brookmans Park (for North Mymms) are within a mile of the route.

The route keeps to paths and tracks as much as possible, and road walking is kept to a minimum. The only long stretch is through Colney Heath - there is no alternative here, except making the walk an extra 5 miles long! Much of the route is level and only a handful of undulations along its entire length.

Basically carry what you need for the day and if you have a backup party, then both Northaw and Colney Heath would be good meet up points.

START AND END -

Waltham Cross is on the main line from London - Liverpool Street - and a short bus ride or walk will bring you to Waltham Abbey.

St. Albans has two train stations - The main one is on the direct line to Kings Cross, London. The Abbey Station goes to King’s Cross via Watford.

WALTHAM ABBEY TOURIST OFFICE,
2, Highbridge Street, Waltham Abbey, Essex. EN9 IDG

Tel. 01992-652295

ST. ALBANS TOURIST OFFICE,
The Town Hall, Market Place, St. Albans, Hertfordshire AL3 5DJ

Tel. 01727-86451 

A5 Walk Guide placed in a plastic wrap around cober, signed by John Merrill.

Pilgrim badge and signed certificate are availoble from John Merrill.

All walkers are added to me Walkers Roll of Honour page.