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The Pilgrims’ Way Day 2: Alresford to Alton - 12 Miles
Monday 10th August 2026
Today has been very different from yesterday.
Today has been calm and quiet and I’ve spent it alone.
That’s good.
Alone can be good.
Except of course, I wasn’t alone. The Good Shepherd was with me.
So I’ve had time to calm down, quiet myself and become more aware of God’s presence.
It’s given me time to question relentless busyness (I know. You don’t have to say anything! 🙄)
In a sense, these two weeks are like an extended Sabbath with me putting into practice Brueggemann’s quote:
“Sabbath is the refusal to let one’s life be defined by production and consumption and the endless pursuit of private well-being.”
What is it that defines us?
Being alone has allowed me to face again the fact that Christ alone is sufficient.
We can let go of everything else, just not him.
Consequently, I’ve had buzzing in my head that much loved song:-
There seems to be quite a few of these. Green tunnels. Narrow enough for only one person.
These tiny flowers remind me of snowdrops.
Yes.
Snowdrops and these flowers survive the most brutal of conditions and insist on flowering triumphantly regardless of the conditions.
Snowdrops in the bitterest of winter push up against frozen soil. These little wonders, when all is parched in unrelenting, fierce heat have defiantly clung on and triumphed.
So it is with survivors of abuse. They somehow cling on and can triumph in the harshest of conditions.
After a brief rest and a mouthful of lunch under these trees I left the woods and stepped into this field. There’s no mistaking which way to go!
Just to prove I’m doing the walk….
This is a very old railway line called the Watercress Line. It’s not part of the mainline service. It might even have puffer trains but it’s called the Watercress line because watercress is a serious crop around here and the train was specially for transporting it to markets.
Needless to say, this pub is called the Railway Inn!
The Pilgrims’ Way Day 1: Winchester to Alresford - 11 Miles
Sunday 9th August 2026
Today has been quite a remarkable day.
It began with 8am Communion at Winchester Cathedral. I was then sent off with a blessing from the Dean. Thank you, Chris.
Only minutes after setting off I saw a couple looking for where to go and they were holding the same guide book that I’m using.
So we got talking.
And ended up walking together and the more we talked the more we found we had in common.
Complete strangers.
They from the Wirral.
Me from Newcastle.
Jane and Tim. What a joy to meet you!
I felt I’d been given a couple of angels to keep me company and guide me!
After two hours I decided I needed a rest so we parted company.
We’d reached a church. The door was open so I thought I’d go in and cool down.
I recognised the door from a picture in the guide book. On approaching I heard an organ playing. It was 11 am and I’d arrived at the end of the service but I went in wondering if they were serving tea & coffee.
They were.
And the welcome!
Wow.
I felt surrounded by angels. It was such a happy company.
The vicar, David, took an interest in what I’m doing and prayed for me before I left, but not before he told me that as a student in Newcastle he went to J John’s first ever evangelistic mission at Jesmond Parish Church and, responding to Christ’s love and call, he started following him!
I told him the church was like an oasis to me and he was stunned; that was the description of what the church was to become that someone had given him.
And on it went:
The couple who pointed out the right path,
The older lady walking alone who told me about her involvement with her local church,
The curate-soon-to-be-installed in her first post. Sarah-Louise I think she’s called. We just prayed out in the street for each other.
I hope her dog is ok. I’m worried about her.
The kindness of the staff at The Cricketer,
The dad with his young daughter who helped me with great conversation and with lifting my incredibly heavy rucksack,
The lady on the bus who is a member of Mother’s Union who had been bell ringing…..
So many beautiful interactions!
And I’ve been praying especially for my interactions on this walk.
