You can buy "A Pilgrimage Around Wales"...Here
157 pages
The Blurb...
In 2015 Anne Hayward spent three months as a pilgrim, travelling on foot to visit some of Wales' holiest sites. In this book she supplies some of the history of those ancient places of pilgrimage, reflects on the experience of being a pilgrim, and meditates upon discussions she had with those she met along her route.
Our Review...
I read this book as part of the 52 books in 52 days challenge... click here for details. This week's prompt was non-fiction recommended by a friend.
I have not read many non fiction apart from the odd biography so this was dragging me out of my comfy spot. So if I was to be in unfamiliar territory I decided to keep familiar themes. It's in Wales, check and has a bit of hiking, check.
So off I went. I wasn't quite prepared for such an engaging book. The author seems to me to be a throwback to the great days of the Empire. A slight, woman in her late 50s. An ex-teacher and Lay Preacher sets out huking around around to visit 4 religious sites. For 3 months! A combination of brave and a bit bonkers?
What follows is a fascinating account of her adventures. Like a Wales based hobbit off on spiritual journey. It is not fully set chronologically but with three themes in mind.
!. Responses to the many questions and comments made to her along the way.
2. Factual snippets. Background and historical.
3. Reflections on various spiritual issues that cropped up.
Each chapter contains these three segments.
The chapter heading themselves are intriguing including "If I wasn't a Christian, i would pocketed your £90 and thrown your bag in the sea"
While there was a very useful glossary-end note section, one thing I think was missing was a detailed itinerary and list of campsites she stayed at. Who knows one day, If I ever get to be as fearless as her I may get to walk a few miles in her footsteps
An interesting change of pace book for me. I got to learn a bit about Wales, about ancient historical sites and saints but most of all I got to read about the adventures of this remarkable woman.
Selected Quotes...
Being on foot and carrying a quite heavy pack for a small(ish) woman was both liberating and constraining. The more I walked, and now the more I research and write, it becomes increasingly obvious how little I saw and how many places, in an ideal world, I could have visited.
What became increasingly clear during those three months was that my research prior to my walk had left me unprepared for the sheer joy of quietly discovering new places and the enourmous sense of achievement I felt each day.
...This was quite a weight for me as I'm not exactly Mrs Universe. However packing a bag like this does make you think about what you really need. This clearly has parallels with life as a whole.
If You Liked This Then You May Like...
The Only Way is West by Bradley Chermside
Britain's Pilgrim Places: by Nick Mayhew Smith
About The Author...
Anne Hayward read History at Oxford University and went on to become a teacher. She is a Licensed Lay Minister in the Church in Wales In recent years, she has walked thousands of miles to places of pilgrimage in Wales, Ireland, Brittany, England and the Isle of Man, with each pilgrimage beginning and ending at her home in the Brecon Beacons. .
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