Via Francigena

In the footstep of Pilgrims

About the Walk

On our 19.5 mile one-day challenge walk for adventurous women, we will make a modern-day pilgrimage along the famous Via Francigena or “Way that comes from France”, setting our intentions and walking with purpose. We journey from Canterbury- considered the heart of Christianity in Britain- to Dover from where the pilgrims of old would have started their journeys over the Alps to St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and even on to Jerusalem.

Dating back to the Middle Ages, The Via Francigena is considered the mother of all European pilgrim routes. From Dover, pilgrims would have crossed the channel and journeyed 1700km (1100 miles) through France and Switzerland, to Rome. As the practice of pilgrimage is seeing huge resurgence with hundreds of thousands embarking each year on well-known routes like the Camino Frances to Santiago, the Via Francigena is becoming increasingly popular. Designated a European Cultural Route in 1994, funds were allocated to maintain, mark and promote the trail.

Together, we will follow in the footsteps of Archbishop Sigeric the Serious, who first mapped the route in his travel diary of 990AD and identified his eighty stops walking around 16 miles each day on the way to be ordained by Pope John XV.

It’s a journey of purpose, an opportunity to reflect and enjoy the soothing rhythm of walking in nature with like-minded companions, through the beautiful Kent countryside. It’s also a challenge. Twenty miles is a lot of walking, so please be sure you can manage the length and pace. You will learn about nature, history and get a chance to experience some pilgrim practices along the way.

Walk itinerary

We meet at 8.45am at the Pilgrim Door of Canterbury Cathedral World Heritage Site next to Christ Church gate.

From the kilometre zero stone laid outside the Cathedral in 2007, we welcome each other and set our intentions for our challenging journey.

Canterbury was where St Augustine first settled, on a mission from Rome to convert England to Christianity, and where Thomas Becket, the 12th-century Archbishop, was murdered in the Cathedral. The city has welcomed pilgrims for over a thousand years, and as we walk out through the city’s precincts, we will pass St Augustine’s Abbey, and St Martin’s Church – the oldest church in the English-speaking world and final part of the World Heritage Site.

As we journey through beautiful villages such as Patrixbourne, mentioned in the Domesday book, Adisham, Aylsham and Shepherdswell, we will see churches, holy springs and sacred sites. Through open fields, woodland and ancient hollow-ways, we tread in the footsteps of the pilgrims of old from medieval times and immerse ourselves in the natural world. Use your complimentary Pilgrim Scrip, a traditional pilgrim bag, to collect meaningful items which symbolise the stages of your own personal journey.

Once in Dover, our final destination, we will gather to say our farewells and savour the special moments we have shared. You leave this experience having momentarily been drawn into the life of the pilgrim, equipped with some very special practices to bring you peace and comfort in your everyday life.

Walk Summary

Date: Contact us for next available dates

Description: One-day pilgrimage walk from Canterbury to Dover.

Pace: Challenging distance, fairly flat route throughout.

Price: £40 per person

Deposit: Payment on booking, minimum one week in advance.

What’s included:

• One day guided walking with your trained pilgrim guide

• Pilgrim scrip and candle

Note: Please bring plenty of water, a packed lunch and snacks. There are very few places to purchase anything to eat or drink on the pilgrim way between Canterbury and Dover. You may also wish to bring some food to share in the ancient spirit of pilgrimage.

Optional extras:

• You are welcome to book plentiful accommodation at either start or end location and entrance to fee-charging sites. Why not give yourself an extra day to explore the city’s many other pilgrim sites and hear the cathedral choir sing evensong?

Travelling to Canterbury:

We always recommend the greenest option of public transport where possible.

By car: Be warned, parking is expensive in Canterbury

https://www.canterbury.gov.uk/parking-and-roads/find-car-park/

By train: The nearest main stations are Canterbury West to which SouthEastern operates a high-speed train from St Pancras in just 51 minutes.  Canterbury East from London Victoria is only a five-minute walk from the city centre.

Customer review

“There is something so wonderfully grounding and mindful about walking amongst nature with Faye. She always plans an accessible, interesting and varied route so we can just enjoy, talk, share and gain the positive energy brought by being outdoors amongst friends. I always come away feeling revitalised, stabilised and with my worries lessened. It is a wonderfully balancing time.”

LUCY

Why not start your journey today?