A Real Pilgrims Day!!

5th April 16.

It was an early start today I was up at 6 AM and leaving my comfortable bedroom at the Royal yacht club just before seven. 

 












Firstly I had to find my way to Saint Augustine's cross, and although I was following the 
'way of St Augustine' I couldn't find any signposts to indicate that for me, so my trusty friend Google maps helped me on my way. Shortly after 8 AM I found my first location of the day

 - The stone cross indicating the point where Saint Augustine had first arrived in England...









 And also my first sighting of a way-points indicator: 

so from now on it was going to be easy, or was it? 
I rushed off as I had to get to my next point, the Benedictine Abbey at Minster, where I knew that mass would take place at 9 AM.

 I got my timings well as I arrived just before mass and started to hear the nuns singing in the church, a very tuneful sound. 
My timing was really good because today, being the feast of Saint Benedict was a special mass, celebrated with a sung liturgy, and afterwards there was a real commotion as I asked the nuns whether they would stamp my Pilgrim passport, especially as I said I was heading to Rome !! 
Sr. Mary Stephen took great delight in the stamping of my passport, and with a flourish writing 0SB !! 
I felt very privileged to have had my first mass at such a special place. 

I then headed off into Minster village where I managed to find a cafe to have a late late breakfast! 
Then it was off across the Kent marshes and up along the River Stour, watching the swans slide up and down the tributaries, eventually finding my way to Stourmouth church where I had a wonderful lunch of two battered chocolate almond slices! 

Again, I had not been able to find the way markers and consequently had to use my friend Google again to make my way to Stodmarsh church... I had only just wandered into the church to have a look when the churchwarden, Mr Hicklin, who lives next door gave me a wonderful potted history and guided tour of the church and graveyard, pointing out to me a grave with a Saxon cross on it and also the marks on the door where Night Templars had inscribed their insignia.

  








I asked him whether there was any accommodation nearby as, quite frankly, I was already worn out! I had walked 28 km that day, far more than I intended to on my first real days walking. After initially saying that the pub may do accommodation, he then offered for me to stay in the church overnight! 

I did have my sleeping bag with me so, what would any tired Pilgrim do? I immediately accepted his offer. 

I had a pleasant meal in the pub, Mr Hickling had given me water to fill my water bottle up and so, by 9 PM I was spread out in the nave of the church to settle down for the night! 
A wonderfully kind gesture, which really shows the kindness of people !! 
Although cold, I put extra clothes on, and had a reasonable nights sleep in an ancient church !! 
I was just like a Pilgrim of old !!