BURY ST.EDMUNDS TO WALSINGHAM - 77 MILES

ABOUT THE WALK & MY STORY -

Although Canterbury is one of England's major pilgrimage centres, Walsingham has to be the prominent one and one with a very long history - over 950 years. I have walked there many times by a variety of routes, all have their own attractions and the route from Bury St. Edmunds, is one of my favourites. Bury St. Edmunds the site of the shrine of St. Edmund is a major pilgrimage
in its own right. By walking from here to Walsingham you join together East Anglia’s two major pilgrimage centres, following the true pilgrims route.

I did the walk over four days, first following the lovely Lark Valley Path to Mildenhall and its outstanding church. Then onto Lakenheath and another fine church before Brandon. Next I continued along the route to Swaffham, which felt like an old friend as I have walked it often, passing many impressive parish churches. The next day I joined the Peddars Way and pressed onto Castle Acre with its ruined priory and castle; both stunning. I walked on to Litcham where there is a small reminder of the pilgrim’s stopping place, before pressing onto Fakenham; on the way passing two “lost villages”.

Fakenham, the last town on the route, has another absorbing church. I slept by a hedge out of the town watching a wonderful sunset. As always I hate the last day of a walk and I just dawdled along to Houghton St. Giles and down to the Slipper Chapel. After attending a service I walked the Holy Mile into Little Walsingham and visited all the places.

Sadly I left the next morning back to London and I thought that was the end of the story. But, five days later I was walking around Bishop's Stortford in Hertfordshire, and walked into a Roman Catholic church, which I had never found open before. There in the entrance was a notice of a pilgrimage to Walsingham that Sunday. I rang the organiser but the bus was full but left my phone number. On saturday evening he rang to say one had dropped out and
I could join them. It was a fitting end to the walk last week, for I wanted  to say “Thank You”. I joined the party, with 900 others, for prayers and day long services. I have added some of the photo's of that pilgrimage at the end.

So, enjoy your walk from Bury St. Edmunds. Appreciate the quietness of the countryside and churches as you walk to Walsingham. A timeless journey, restoring one’s mind, body and spirit.

Happy pilgrimage! John N. Merrill

A5 Walk Guide. Spiral bound. 100 pages. Pilgrim stamp pages. Signed by John Merrill,

Embroidered cloth Walsingham Way badge and signed certificate from John Merrill, for successful pigrims.

All walkers added to my Walkers Rollof Honour page.