Walking Pilgrims
Update July 2023 – Please note that Walking Pilgrims is on pause for the time being. If you are interested in whether this group may restart in the future, please email Martin Cope: martin.cope@westerndales.org.uk
Down here in the Western Dales Mission Community area of the County we enjoy being out and about in the beauty of our setting with the Howgills and the valleys of the Lune and Rawthey rivers. After hearing a talk last autumn from mountainpilgrims.org.uk Paul Rose and John Fleetwood who led us on an evening walk and shared stories of other walking groups across Cumbria, a group of us decided to explore the feasibility of a group in Sedbergh and set up a testing group after Easter 2022. Initially we’ve settled on short, low level accessible walks starting from Sedbergh Library on the first and third Wednesdays of each month in school term times starting at 9.15am aiming to be back within two giving the opportunity those who would like to, to join the weekly coffee mornings held in St Andrew’s Church by local charitable groups and organisations.
All are welcome on the walks whether of specific faiths or none, and on each walk whoever is leading it will start us off with a brief focus thought which becomes a theme of reflection for the duration. The sources of the thoughts arise from short passages from diverse writings, prose, poems, perhaps a scripture verse. During the walk we usually pause now and then to maybe repeat or develop or discuss the theme. We have a relaxed approach going at the pace of the slowest, mainly walking and allowing for thinking but sharing thoughts on the way.
So far many of our walks have been across the fields to Briggflatts Friends Meeting House where we’ve sometimes gone inside for a reflective session or sat outside in their meditation area. However we will vary the routes taken to suit the day, the reflection and make the most of our beautiful area. Our only requirement is that those who come do wear appropriate clothing to be comfortably warm and dry whatever the weather throws at us, including footwear – walking boots generally best.
Everyone is warmly welcome. The dates for our walks meeting outside Sedbergh Library at 9.15am this term:
September 7th, 21st
October 5th, 19th
November 2nd, 16th
December 7th, 21st
If you would like to get in touch please email: walkingpilgrims@westerndales.org.uk