After the best nights sleep in 12 months and a good breakfast we set out for Canterbury. Unfortunately, I got lost finding the A20 in the centre of Maidstone and therefore a detour of 10 mile via Leeds castle. My mobile was in the car charging and so no communication with Jeffry, total absence of pay phones until Charing, and as if by magic Jeffrey appeared. One huge last hill and on the home straight! Lunch in the beautiful village Chilham, arrived in Canterbury at 2pm.
I felt pretty euphoric seeing the great towers of the cathedral. Sadly a pedestrian got in the way passing through town, I came off cutting leg and ankle on my chain, blood and grease, mmmmm. Security guards at the cathedral were great, I washed my wound and met by Canon Christopher Irvine. Bumped into Clive and Ann Richardson from Ludlow, great to see familiar faces, they were escorting the visiting choir.
Chris took us into evensong, an experience after such a journey to walk up the crossing steps and enter the magnificent choir, which explodes before you with Romanesque arches, opulent coloured glass and the throne of St Augustine. A little glimpse of how the medieval pilgrims must have felt. A very large congregation, they offered me the surveyor of the fabrics stall, tempting proposition, how could I refuse! Let’s not talk about the visiting choir, the fourth time they had sung Wilan responses that week, sounded very ropey. The Dean personally welcomed us in his introduction, pilgrims from Ludlow. We stood at the shrine of St Thomas with the results of the town survey, and then presented Dean Robert with greetings from Dean Michael, quick photo, quick cup of tea from Canon Irvine and headed for home.
My second pilgrimage in two years, a great experience, really blows out the cobwebs, burns some calories (3% of my body fat to be precise) and rekindles the mind.
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