Houghton to Steyning

This morning started with rain, so for the first time I left my overnight place with rain coat & rain trousers on. Because of the rain I put my camera away, so not many pictures today! 

After walking through Houghton it went steeply up the moors following the South Downs Way. I thought with the rain I would be the only person, but when I took a breather, an elderly couple overtook me... On the top there wasn't much to see of course, but it was wet and warm, so my rain gear became also wet on the inside. But at least I stayed warm. 

After a while the route went of the downs to go to Storrington, home to a Catholic Priory & of course an Anglican Church. I toyed with the idea to bypass Storrington, as that meant I did not of to climb twice! 

But I did go down. In the rain the chalk paths get very slippery! So I fell, I didn't hurt myself, but it's difficult to get up with a backpack on... 

Once in Storrington, I had a quick look at the Catholic Priory Church, but it was all nicely carpented and I was very wet and grubby. So I went next door to the Anglican Church (St Mary's) and got to the tail end of their coffee morning! Which resulted in a nice cup of coffee and a chat with Vicar Kathryn. By the time left there it had cleared up and after winding my way through Storrington the path went up again. Just before the Downs proper there was this little church in Sollington (St Mary's). 

By this time the weather had cleared enough for the camera to be used again 

But it was not very clear yet and the tops of the Downs were still in the clouds. For people who did not want to climb there was an lower alternative route, so I decided to take that. Am easy and straightforward route through beautiful countryside. I saw some Buzzards from close up calling to each other. 

I also walked this beautifully covered lane.

 

After crossing the A24 I got to St Mary's in Washington. I had a nice break there, they were very hospitable even though no one was present. I could have just made myself a cup of coffee or use the toilet as everything was open and unlocked! Nice comfy chairs to and running an Alpha Course. 

After Washington I had another choice: i could either continue on the easy route and finish early or go up the Downs again. I did the latter and after quite a steep climb again, I met some other walkers who did a three day section of the South Downs Way. I was jealous of there light day packs! 

On the top of the Downs here is the Chanctonbury ring, an old Iron Age Fort 

 

Plus some cows nicely positioned in front of the wonderful views! 

As I was taking pictures I did not pay attention and slipped on the wet grass and fell again! 

Then it was time to go down again and head towards Steyning. I arrived at 5:15pm at my hosts for the night. They are members of St Andrews and St Cuthman Church and they invited a few others including the Vicar for the meal and so I concluded today with very nice company! 

Slindon to Houghton via Arundel

Today was a good walk, hardly any road walking, the weather was reasonably (although it sometimes rained a bit. 

I left Slindon a bit later to wait for a heavy shower to clear and took this picture of the church I stayed in last night. 

On the way to Arundel it was mainly forest and impressive trees

 

In Arundel I visited first the Catholic Cathedral

 

After that I visited the Anglican Church of St Nicholas 

 

 

Its building is shared with the Chapel of Arundel Castle. It used to be one, but with the English Reformation it was split in two. The Castle side is Catholic, and now a fence is erected between the two halves, behind the Anglican altar

 

After lunch I went up the Downs via Arundel Park 

 

 

Of course there they have to be sheep too! 

 

But had to come down again to cross the river Arun. Its water levels are very high at the moment and at times seemed to flow backwards. Later on I realised that this was a tidal river!

 

I crossed a piece of land in the loop of the river and find these escaped(?) chickens liking the apples.

On my final approach to Houghton I had to walk alongside of the river. Fortunately it had boardwalks, unfortunately one tree had fallen, and I couldn't go underneath with or without backpack. Fortunately I could go along the side sliding my backpack along the planks. 

The next obstacle bested me. The boardwalk finished, but it didn't lead to dry land but to a stream! I tried but gave up as it was deeper than the height if my boots, and I didn't fancy sopping wet feet. 

 

So I returned, doing the same trick with sliding my rucksack. 

I finally had to walk along the road, with no pavements, and as it was getting darker, I was glad fir my hi-viz jacket I carried along as well! 

So I bit wetter than I wanted to be I arrived at the South Downs Bunkhouse, shared overnight accommodation, that I have completely to myself! And the first thing I did was to rinse my backpack rain guard as that's where the backpack was sliding on! Then a shower (first in three days!) and food. 

Tomorrow will be a long day again... 

Apuldram to Slindon via Chichester

Today started out a bit strange. As you may remember I stayed at St Mary's in Alpuldram (pronounced "Appledram") for two nights in the hall, which was completely either fully refurbished or a newly built extension in exactly the same style. The key was in a key save, so after attending Sunday morning 8am communion service, I did not see any one of St Mary's any more! As I could lock it up myself...

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:

Goodwood:

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.

 

 

this is for tonight my bedroom!

 

What the Church Warden forgot to say is that it was bell-ringing practice this evening. In house entertainment! 

Stats:

The tracking stopped at Eartham, you'll need to probably add another 2.5m. 

Sunday in Alpuldram and Chichester

As it was Sunday, here's one picture of Chichester: an open air serve in Priory Park of the Chichester Christ Church, a joint Methodist/URC Church

It was good to worship with them! 

Havant to Alpuldrum

Thoughts today have been invariably drawn to death and dying, as, even on pilgrimage, I cannot escape the news regarding the death of Queen Elizabeth & and especially today's  proclamation that Charles has become King. 

In my quiet time this morning I have been reading the story of Joseph, his brothers and his father. Here we've come to the end of the story, where Joseph has invited his family to live in Goshen, Egypt to escape the famine. 

And father Jacob is presented to Pharaoh:

Gen 47:9 And Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty. My years have been few and difficult, and they do not equal the years of the pilgrimage of my fathers.” 

Jacob describes his live as a pilgrimage. Being on pilgrimage as I am now, becomes an illustration of life. But what I find that, although I have planned all the overnight stays, I can only think of today : where will I sleep tonight? (St Mary's Alpuldram). Do I need to call them? What are the arrangements for food etc? It's actually quite freeing not to have to think further than today.

I also listened this morning to Lectio 365, and they included the following reflection:

 

"At the burning bush God reveals himself to Moses as ‘I Am’ - the eternal God of the present tense. Many people today try to find God in the past - in dead religious traditions, or in the history of revivals, or in their own previous experiences - but He is no longer there. Others try to find God in the future - continually on the brink of a breakthrough, perpetually praying and prophesying about something so much better than the moment they are in. But God can only ever be encountered here and now, in the present moment. It never gets more real than now. "

I think that the feeling I have for this pilgrimage is that : to find God today. And then my bible app showed the following verse: "even to your old age I am he, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save." Isa 46:4

I am carrying a heavy back pack, but it gets easier with practice and improved condition, but I could not carry myself. Fortunately I do not have to, as God does. And with that knowledge let us then try to focus in today, not tomorrow or yesterday, but today, as that is where we are and God is. 

One church today that I spent quite a lot of time with is St Mary's in Chidham, which is one of the Peninsulas in Chichester Harbour. 

This is the birthplace of St Cuthman, whose story is that he was called by God to start a new church. He then took his dependent mother in a cart-like wheelbarrow and carried her al the way to Steyning, where he started a new church! Another form of pilgrimage and he may well have followed the Old Way as later in the week I will also hope to stay in to Steyning 

The following is a detail of a recent stained glass window and icon of St Cuthman:

 

 

This is the full window:

 

They also had Teasel Men made for and by the children for the church's jubilee depicting the history of England. Here are a few:

 

And of course one for Elizabeth, with the sign quickly amended. 

For those who like textiles, this is Chidham's version of the parish in textile:

 

Churches were busy today, signing of the condolence registers, ride and stride and also a wedding in Bosham. This meant that not only were churches open but there were people to make everyone welcome. That was a nice change! 

Bosham has a road that floods with high tide - you have to be careful with parking there! Here's a photo of  near-high-tide and after wards;

 

Just a few hours different. 

Tonight I am sleeping in a Sanctuary church at Alpuldrum, just south of Chichester.

 

 

Tomorrow is Sunday and I will have a rest day. Go to church here at 8am and then probably walk to Chichester without a heavy bag pack! But as I will have a rest I will also not do a blog. I may just post one picture... 

Talking about pictures, here are a few of today's walk and sunset afterwards... Enjoy. 

 

And the usual stats: