Pilgrims' Adventure


We walked to Jerusalem in the dark, cold, dreary months of January and February of 2021


We set out on Friday 8th January.




90 pilgrims participated, some as armchair walkers, some joining at the last minute. All, like the workers in the vineyard in St Matthew's Gospel, all are equally welcome and valued.

                


  




We had at least 23 dogs for company along the way.


Some could be allowed off the lead.




                                                    Some needed to stay on the lead.

              



Some found it rather tiring
                                                                            Some are old campaigners

Others were full of the joys of youth.

We walked, ran, cycled, rode and totted up our totals every week.


   To get to Jerusalem we needed 2886 miles

The route there took us via Dover through Belgium, Holland, Germany, Austria, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Lebanon.



We took 4 ferries to cross the Channel, the Danube, the Bosphorus, the eastern Mediterranean.




We arrived on Sunday 31st January.




We got there with 3466 miles, which gave us a sightseeing allowance in the Holy Land.





The return journey was via Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Italy, France, Spain.


The first week of February we covered 1497.5 miles.





The second week of February we covered 1120 miles.

                                        The third week of February we covered 1235 miles.


While the aim was to go to Jerusalem, we also visited other notable places of pilgrimage: Canterbury, Rome, Lourdes and Santiago de Compostela.



The last week of February we covered 1175.1 miles



We took ferries to cross the Mediterranean from Lebanon to Turkey, from Turkey to the Island of Samos, from Samos to the Greek mainland, from Albania to Italy and from Caen-Ouistreham to Portsmouth.





We arrived back in Upton Bishop on Saturday 6th March.



An extra 660.72 miles were declared after our return, which would get us to Edinburgh and back. Almost.

                                


                                We have raised at least £1,340 to help with repairs to                                                                                             Upton Bishop church





Thank you everyone for your time, your company and your generosity!
Happy walking.







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