Pilgrimage Walk No 4 - Hailes Abbey, nr. Cheltenham

Back by popular demand (from Phoebe), we're going on our 4th pilgrimage walk to Hailes Abbey, near Cheltenham, this Sunday, 15 July 2007.

We did this pilgrimage walk before, back on 12 November 2006, but of course it was out of season and Hailes Abbey was closed. Phoebe asked if we could go back when it was open, so that's exactly what we're doing this Sunday.

Anyone is welcome to join us!

[Multimap.com map (OS) | Google Maps map of route]

We'll meet in the village of Winchcombe, not far from Hailes, at around 10.45am - I'd recommend parking on Riverside (check out the start point on the Google Maps map of the route), a little residential road on the right just into the village if you're coming from the north. We'll do the car shuffle (put one car for drivers at the destination to do the pick-up at the end of the walk) and then head off. We're camping in the Forest of Dean on Saturday night, so we'll do our level best to get there as soon as we possibly can!

There's a footpath that runs from there across country directly to the abbey. It's a beautiful route, made especially good by being able to see the destination from before half-way. And the weather for the weekend is supposed to be fabulous (in terms of what we've come to expect of late, at least)!

The walk should take around 1.5 hrs at the children's pace, so we should be at the abbey for lunchtime.

As before we'll try to find somewhere to have a little ritual as the climax of our pilgrimage journey.

Hailes Abbey was an historical pilgrimage site for worshippers who travelled from all across Europe, since it was believed to be home to a phial of Christ's blood. Such a relic of the crucifixion was a magnet for pilgrimage, and we too will join in the tradition of pilgrimage to Hailes in having the focus of our journey the Crucified God. Our prayers and meditations along the way will be all centred on the theme of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, culminating in the ritual in the abbey grounds by the ruins of the shrine.

Attached are the prayers and mediations we'll be using for the pilgrimage. Do download them if you'd like to have your own copy.

Hailes Abbey ruins are now managed by English Heritage and the National Trust, so there is a small entrance fee charged:

• Adults: £3.30
• Children: £1.70
• Concession: £2.50
• English Heritage/National Trust Members: Free

If you're in the vicinity of Cheltenham and would like to join us on our pilgrimage to Hailes Abbey, we would love to see you. Please use the contact form if you would like ask anything more.