So this morning I left for Chichester first, but as I had already been yesterday (for Christ Church open air service and a visit the Cathedral), I thought to take a different route. But half way to Chichester I met this lady walking her dog and picking blackberries. I do not think this year's crop is very nice, they're small and not very sweet, due to the lack of rain. So after saying hello, I asked if they were good? They were OK she said and I walked on. Then she called after me: Are you going to Chichester? Because, if so the path later on has been ploughed over and you have to cross the A27 (no tunnel or bridge). As that did not feel very save to me I thanked her and went back to walk on the road to Chichester.
She must have followed me, as she caught up with me at a big roundabout. Yes, she's going the same way, so we walked up together, making conversation. Her son sang in the Cathedral Choir and so she attended often. I don't have a faith, though. Me: I hope you get infected! After that had to explain the differences the Anglican Church & the URC, and just before the city centre she went another way to go home. It was a nice meeting to walk together for a time, knowing that we will probably never meet again.
Afterwards, I was thinking of this encounter: When she caught up with me at the roundabout, I was surprised to see her again. "Are you looking after me?" "Yes", she joked, "I am your guardian angel, by Divine appointment!" (She already knew I was doing a pilgrimage). She may have been joking, but through her I changed my route, maybe less exciting but safer. So did God sent her? If so, thank you, God, for the correction and providing a bit of company. And I hope it makes her think too, about her faith.
I walked this time through the Bishop Palace Gardens to the Cathedral. This was a lovely route and approach:
And then you also see the south door, which is a fine Romanesque example
But then I had to walk through the City Centre, which I had already seen yesterday, through the outskirts heading north-east to Boxgrove. Mainly road walking, so not very interesting, but warm and tiring. I passed a Rolls Royce factory, and the Goodwood estate, known for the classic car motor races and exhibitions. Maybe be they don't like footpaths, as every road consists of asphalt!
Rolls Royce:
Road walking:
At Boxgrove there is the Priory Church of St Mary and St Blaise
They have a nice example of a labyrinth in the floor:
Unlike a maze you cannot get lost in a labyrinth. It is a confusing and roundabout journey but you will always get to the centre. A bit like a pilgrimage?
Near Eartham I had gone up a bit and so could look back over the fields to still see the Cathedral Spire, leading to a nice few of the village :
It is a small hamlet (but with a large private school) so the church is small too.
I finally got to Slindon. Also a very small village and the Church Warden came to explain the proceedings for the night.
What the Church Warden forgot to say is that it was bell-ringing practice this evening. In house entertainment!
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