From left to right: Ben Weller, Monika Uzkalnyte, Joel Tate, Honor Roberts, Yana Lazczsiw
So far more than £33,000 has been raised for SPUC after our annual sponsored event. On Monday 6th July members of SPUC’s staff team and Youth finished a 52-mile four-day walk starting at the tomb of St Swithun in Winchester Cathedral and ending in the Surrey Hills. The historic route has been walked for over 1,000 years from the aforementioned shrine in Winchester to the tomb of St Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral.
Joel Tate, John Alexander, and Penelope Vee joined Ben Weller, Monika Uzkalnyte, Yana Laszcziw, and Honor Roberts walking through the rolling hills of Hampshire and Surrey to raise money for SPUC.
After a time of prayer in Winchester Cathedral they made their way North to meet the River Itchen, collecting stamps in their Pilgrim’s Passports in the ancient churches that line the way. After walking parallel to the River Itchen they reached their first big town, Alresford, passing through it to camp in the small Hampshire village of Ropley, next to the historic Watercress Steam Railway.
After a short ride on the old railway they rejoined the way at the village of Four Marks, heading South from the A31 to the village of Chawton, the home of Jane Austen. From there they passed through Alton, ending up on a windy country road to find their next campsite before nightfall. They were helped by a Scout leader named Dave from the 8th Alton Scout Group when one of the pilgrims felt faint. SPUC is extremely thankful.
They awoke the next day just south of the village of Dockenfield before the Catholic pilgrims went to mass at St Joan of Arc, Farnham, and the Protestant pilgrims went to a baptism service at Farnham Vineyard. The Surrey hospitality was said to far exceed that of London. In Farnham they left the St Swithun’s way to bear East on the North Downs Way, before stopping to cool off in a shallow river to escape the 36°C heat. They pushed on with their walk to the village of Puttenham where they stayed in the Puttenham Barn Bunkhouse, one of the few traditional pilgrim hostels left on the once forgotten route.
The pilgrims woke up fresh, despite watching the England World Cup game until 04:00 that morning, and continued pressing on to Loseley Park, a grand old Tudor manor and the filming location for Bridgerton. The walkers got chatting to a lady named Jodie who, alongside her miniature horse, walked us through the private parts of the estate to shorten our journey to Guildford Cathedral. We arrived at Guildford Cathedral for another stamp before heading South again along the River Wey to rejoin the Pilgrim’s Way, walking up the beautiful St Martha’s Hill to the picturesque St-Martha-on-the-Hill church and overlook before shuffling down the sandy paths towards Newlands Corner, the most beautiful view in Surrey.
From there it was all downhill where the team placed their hands on the wall of St James Church in Surrey’s most beautiful village, Shere, to signify the end of the first part of this pilgrimage.
Despite fainting sprees and slightly mashed knees the group are eager to continue the historic route next year.
SPUC TV Presenter, Ben Weller, one of the walkers, said:
“Firstly, for all those who have donated, you were a major encouragement in getting us to push through the difficult parts of the walk. Secondly, it was a joy to see such a lovely group of young people turn out for a cause that so many think is a dead one in this country. The next generation is willing to give up both their time and a lot of energy in the fight to end abortion, and whether it be the conversations with men in pubs about abortion up-to-birth or the chats about SPUC’s work with ladies in churches, there is a real need to bring the pro-life message to the quieter parts of this country.
“Some of the key things I’ve learnt is that a paper map is always better as it cannot run out of battery, God will always provide help even when you don’t think to ask Him for it, and that this England’s rolling hills are the closest place to paradise on earth we can reach.
“The view would be sweeter, however, if we knew the country was not swimming in the blood of over ten million children. SPUC are trying to stop that number climbing any higher and end abortion in Britain. If you would like to help us in that fight, please consider adding to the already phenomenal amount raised by this year’s event by donating at spuc.org.uk/donate or by phoning 02070917091.”
Keep watch on SPUC TV’s YouTube channel for a vlog of the walk, and on SPUC’s other social media channels for photos of the walk.
