Pembrokeshire Pilgrimage

[chinacat]

Just received this link from the British Pilgrimage Trust.
Very personable young man

 

[markie6]

Very fond memories of that part of Wales, stayed there a good few times when a youngster. Would be good walking country

 

[Kirkie]

Personable is an understatement. I think we may watch out for more of this young man. I have saved the link to watch the rest! Thank you! And yes, I deem your post very relevant to pilgrimage and the parallel movement of pilgrimages in this part of the then known world.

 

[chinacat]

I’ve walked many sections of his pilgrimage route over the years.
It is a beautiful part of our world.

Finding ‘recognised’ pilgrimage routes for a St. David (Dewi Sant) pilgrimage within Wales is not easy. I remember finding a stone marked with a cross hidden away amongst the undergrowth, not too far from a road leading away from Nevern. I tried to find links to other places around here, without success. We have several remains of Roman roads, eg Sarn Helen, and old drovers’ roads, but not much evidence of ancient pilgrim ways.
(There are many old railway tracks, such as that used by Daniel, that facilitate cross-country access between towns and villages.)

 

[Peterborough]

I have walked Uk Pilgrimage routes. St Augustines (Rochester to Ramsgate) St James (Reading to Southampton). Walsingham way ( Norwich to Walsingham). I have found that, although there are some route markers, it is important to have the relevant OS maps. I recognise that a lot of work has gone into these Pilgrimages, little or no thought has gone into suggesting reasonable priced accommodation on or close to the route. Having said that ,I will continue to walk more UK Pilgrimages.

 

[Camo]

Finding ‘recognised’ pilgrimage routes for a St. David (Dewi Sant) pilgrimage within Wales is not easy

St Davids is exactly 1 mile side diversion at about the central point of the 181 mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path which is a UK National Walking Trail waymarked all the way and most of it ON the coast with spectacular scenery. You can find at National Trails website

 

[Kiwi-family]

How delightful to find a young person who loves history, appreciates beauty and doesn't say "um" or "like" or "y'know" every third word. Yes, he's articulate (in fact, almost pedantic about his word choice). He also knows how to share information without coming across as arrogant or a know-it-all...perhaps because he exudes quiet enthusiasm. I have now subscribed to my first thing on YouTube!!
But I'm struggling to get my head around the disconnect between him going off to camp and wearing a nicely pressed collared shirt while he walks! Quirky and amenable.

 

[chinacat]

St Davids is exactly 1 mile side diversion at about the central point of the 181 mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path which is a UK National Walking Trail waymarked all the way and most of it ON the coast with spectacular scenery. You can find at National Trails website

I seem to have failed to communicate my precise meaning

I meant that it’s hard to find established or ancient Ways, as in the Caminos, that would make a pilgrimage route.
I am very familiar with St. Davids and know where it is - but thank you for trying to help me

Edit:
I’ve also walked many miles of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path.
I used it as part of my training for the Camino too.
It, and the coastal path leading north up the Ceredigion coast, are the places where I walk the most often.

 

[Camo]

I seem to have failed to communicate my precise meaning

I meant that it’s hard to find established or ancient Ways, as in the Caminos, that would make a pilgrimage route.
I am very familiar with St. Davids and know where it is - but thank you for trying to help me

Edit:
I’ve also walked many miles of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path.
I used it as part of my training for the Camino too.
It, and the coastal path leading north up the Ceredigion coast, are the places where I walk the most often.

"You can find at National Trails website"

Sorry but "you" was used as "royal plural" to mean "yous blokes in this forum" as Ozzie blokes say

Sorry for confusion and my involvement has not been walking in Wales (since 1970) but making Web-Apps

So have you explored the pilgrimage path from Holywell to St Davids following the original maps of John Ogilby from the year 1675 a la Griff Rhys Jones BBC TV Doco/Adventure?

 

[BarbaraW]

Chinacat, have a look at the British Pilgrimage Trust website britishpilgrimage.org.uk. They have mapped dozens of pilgrimage routes, mostly new but including older routes to Walsingham, Canterbury and Southampton (for a boat to Galicia) You can download box tracks from the site. I walked a little of their Glastonbury Water Way and At Augustine's Way. For me it was easiest to use the OS app, and print and laminate the sheets.
For armchair reading I recommend their book Britain's Pilgrim Places.

 

[Kirkie]

Rabbit holes. In my early life, only Alice knew much about them... but this thread has provoked me somewhat to try to remember the name of a very inspiring English woman who contributed to a Pilgrimage weekend programme in Waterford some years ago. I cannot remember her name, nor much beyond the experience of her clear command of her subject.( Let me blame brain fog, which, like tinnitus, can be a side product of the ageing process!) No doubt she belongs to the British Pilgrimage Trust referenced in the preceding post.
The focus of this forum is 'Where past pilgrims share, and future pilgrims learn', so once more I say it is so refreshing to be offered links to material that expands the tent we live in, metaphorically. Even if commitments or other restrictions prevent actual pilgrimage walking now.

 

[chinacat]

Chinacat, have a look at the British Pilgrimage Trust website britishpilgrimage.org.uk.

Er … See my original post (from a BPT email)
I’ve looked at the site for paths in Wales.
One of them passes very close to my home.

I’m looking for ‘signs on the ground’.

But thank you!

 

[chinacat]

So have you explored the pilgrimage path from Holywell to St Davids following the original maps of John Ogilby from the year 1675 a la Griff Rhys Jones BBC TV Doco/Adventure?

No … I’ll look on IPlayer.



Edit:
The only Adventure programmes available on iPlayer are three on the Zambezi and several more on Australia! (featuring D. Attenborough, which is probably why they’re on there Mr Rhys Jones is, sadly, not considered a ‘draw’ )

 

[BarbaraW]

Sorry, I misunderstood "finding". There were some waymarks on the Augustine Camino, and much of the bit of the Water Way that I did was easy as it followed the river/canal. But I still went a bit wrong on the latter. Have now activated the blue dot on the OS map app

 

[chinacat]

Sorry, I misunderstood "finding"

That’s hardly your fault
Sorry for being so imprecise!

 

[Camo]

The focus of this forum is 'Where past pilgrims share, and future pilgrims learn', so once more I say it is so refreshing to be offered links to material that expands the tent we live in, metaphorically. Even if commitments or other restrictions prevent actual pilgrimage walking now.

Yes indeed "that is where I come in" (as the BeeGees song said) as offering material that expands the tent we live in even though health/wealth deficiencies (and tyranny of distance) now prevent me from actually walking these trails. But maybe the main common element I see with pilgrims and myself is I too really don't know WHY I do this - but it feels good, despite all the criticisms.

 

[Camo]

Mr Rhys Jones is, sadly, not considered a ‘draw’

I don't think "draw" is the right answer IMHO - moreso NIHS

I say that as having spent 4 months back in 2017 making a Web-App to follow up on the Rhys Jones WALKING of the Ogilby Map route (and the TV doco to go with it as per the OP here) I was hoping I might get some reaction from the BPTrust.

But alas they replied as:

"I’m so grateful to know about this!
My only question is whether there is a walkable version of your route as an alternative to the ‘pure’ route? We can’t really promote a route that goes over private land.
Great project!"

I was not asking to promote anything (nor is it MY route), but simply "take up the running" and maybe waymark this track for OTHERS that is fully KNOWN because of the detailed Ogilby Map (and now my Sat Nav). Sure does not look like it. However their (expensive) book was in fact good for other projects like Glastonbury so I did not waste my money.

The most positive feedback was from this forum where someone replied back in January

"Thank you! Exceptional work. I am enjoying it very much."

 

[Clycobb]

I have walked Uk Pilgrimage routes. St Augustines (Rochester to Ramsgate) St James (Reading to Southampton). Walsingham way ( Norwich to Walsingham). I have found that, although there are some route markers, it is important to have the relevant OS maps. I recognise that a lot of work has gone into these Pilgrimages, little or no thought has gone into suggesting reasonable priced accommodation on or close to the route. Having said that ,I will continue to walk more UK Pilgrimages.

Agreed. I walked some of the "Trails of the Saints" in Durham County this summer with friends, and it was quite demoralizing to trudge through an up-and-down village on pavement looking for our rented accommodations. We did enjoy a new perspective on England though.

 

[Sandra Wolf]

Hi Chinacat, Thank you very much for sharing the youtube link. Very impressive indeed. Another pilgrimage to add to the list.

 

[Kirkie]

Instead of doing other things, I have just watched the fourth episode.
I could be a bit of a prophet here. At least I would hope so.
David Attenborough is in a different discipline, and with a long story of revealing how our natural world has developed, but this young man shows real promise in his own discipline. Ad multos annos!
Thanks to OP. I will sneak time to watch the final day.
By the way, this episode shows an effigy of a pilgrim who has clearly been to Santiago...