Continuing the Pilgrimage - a Sunday afternoon walk - Monica

We all loved doing the pilgrimage and it seemed obvious that we should continue walking together and sharing this activity. So on the 1st of June 9 of us met at Reigate Heath car Park and set off towards the Windmill Church.

One of our more enterprising walkers knew how to get the key so we spent a while in the church praying and chatting, then set off across the Heath. I live a mile away but had never been inside. It is small but with massive beams holding up the mechanism.

Then we set off across the Heath. There was the same sense of space that we had experienced before: The views of the downs and Leith Hill and the space to chat and share for a while. All of us had been involved in the Pilgrimage which was a bit of a shame as it would have been good to welcome new pilgrims. But meant we could catch up and our conversations flowed around our lives, the church and the beauty of the landscape. Even a short walk like this is full of incident. After going over a wobbly stile we came to a field with two horses. One of the horses clearly did not want us there and nudged us until we went over the next stile a bit faster than we might have wanted!

But the rest of the walk was without danger. The woods and fields are very beautiful at this time of year with all the plants growing fast. It was greener than our pilgrimage in April but there were still a few flowers around. After a few miles we were nearly at the end of the walk but couldn't pass the 'Skimmington Castle' without stopping for a drink.

Of course we should have shared bread and wine but it was more like cider and crisps. Our conversations were mostly around more walking. I am planning a slightly more ambitious 'Dawn walk' from Reigate to Box Hill in July. Me and my daughter Lucy are thinking about doing the 40 miles 'Downs link' walk from Martha's Hill to Worthing and we considered if others would like to join us. Then we finished our drinks, walked back to the car park and home. A lovely afternoon.