"The Journey of Peace 2019"
Girish Patel & Friends
Monday 6th May - Sunday 4th August
A 3-month Interfaith pilgrimage through the UK with gatherings at special spiritual places along the way to celebrate unity in diversity,
that took place between 6th May and 4th August 2019.
You can read the full story of that remarkable journey here.
Girish Patel & Friends
Monday 6th May - Sunday 4th August
A 3-month Interfaith pilgrimage through the UK with gatherings at special spiritual places along the way to celebrate unity in diversity,
that took place between 6th May and 4th August 2019.
You can read the full story of that remarkable journey here.
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“I believe that one of the most effective ways to create harmony and peace in the world, is to unite in celebrating the diversity that exists all around us, with Sacred Music and dance. In this way we can meet with open hearts and leave behind any separation created by opinion orientated dialogue.”
Girish Patel
Girish Patel
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"The Pilgrim's Progress"
The full story from Girish as he travelled around the country
The full story from Girish as he travelled around the country
Scroll down this page for the full story
THE SCHEDULE
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MAY
Monday 6th May - Departure from The Stroud Centre for Peace & The Arts @ St Laurence Parish Church Wednesday 8th May - Hartland, Devon Saturday 11th May - Penzance, Cornwall Wednesday 15th May - Exeter, Devon Saturday 18th May - Salisbury, Wiltshire Wednesday 22nd May - Canterbury, Kent Saturday 25th May - London Wednesday 29th May - Cambridge JUNE Saturday 1st June - Lincoln Saturday 8th June - York Wednesday 12th June - Whitby, North Yorkshire Saturday 15th June - Newcastle Upon Tyne Saturday 22nd June - Lindisfarne, Northumberland Wednesday 26th June - Edinburgh, Scotland Saturday 29th June - St Andrews, Scotland JULY/AUGUST Wednesday 3rd July - Findhorn, Moray, Scotland Saturday 6th July - Iona, Inner Hebrides Wednesday 10th July - Kendal, Cumbria Thursday 11th July, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire Saturday 13th July - Ormskirk, West Lancashire Wednesday 17th July - Chester, Cheshire Saturday 20th July - Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales Wednesday 24th July - Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales Saturday 27th July - St David’s, Pembrokeshire, Wales Monday 29th July - Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales Wednesday 31st July - Carmarthen, Wales Sunday 4th August - Welcome Back to The Stroud Centre for Peace & The Arts @ St Laurence Parish Church |
THE ROUTE
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"THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS ..."
The Full Story
The Full Story
Sunday 4th August
Nailsworth - Stroud, Gloucestershire
The Final Leg and Welcome Home
Nailsworth - Stroud, Gloucestershire
The Final Leg and Welcome Home
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"The last part of my Journey of Peace was today walking from my home town, Nailsworth, to St Laurence Church in Stroud. A few of us gathered in the car park at Egypt Mill and had a lovely walk on a glorious summer's day. The 'Cowshed' community stayed on at St Laurence after their monthly service and we were greeted with such warmth and a song. Quite an emotional moment for me, grateful and relieved to have completed the three months journey around Britain in great health and a multitude of affirming synchronicities along the way. I am deeply grateful for this and also to have the opportunity to travel with intent and focus. Britain is full of stunning landscapes and everyone that I came across were kind, generous and caring. So many individuals, groups and communities working together in harmony and for peace. Please know that there is a lot more peace and love than we are led to believe. Thank you to everyone that have been a part of this Journey of Peace.
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The community of people in St Laurence Church today truly reflect the love that is all around us. It was very difficult for me to contain the emotions that I experienced there and I have no words to describe what I feel - perhaps overwhelmed by the kindness. We enjoyed an amazing spread of food. A very special thank you to Ciara for your gifts: personalised framed picture, flowers and words of appreciation. You all inspire me to keep going in search of true humility and I will endeavour to keep serving in the best way that I can. Heartfelt thank you, everyone - Love, Girish."
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Wednesday 31st July
"My ‘Journey of Peace’ around the UK during May, June and July is ending with a walk on Sunday 4th August from Eygpt Mill, Nailsworth, to St Laurence Church in Stroud. It will start at 11am. Everyone is welcome to join me. This journey began as an idea inspired by the Stroud Sacred Music Festival 2018 with Revd Simon Howell. It was to share the concept of the music festival and also St Laurence Church’s hosting of the Stroud Centre for Peace and The Arts. I am writing towards the end of this journey and I have had a lot of time to reflect. It is a journey with many layers. It has taken three months to travel around 4000 miles. I have met many amazing and interesting people. I have seen wonderful landscape. I have shared the flame from my candle of peace. I have planted oak saplings. People have gathered to sing, dance, share food with drinks and meditate. We have laughed together and I have cried at times. I have been ecstatically happy and deeply sad. I have been surrounded by so much love and joy and I have been lonely too. I have been feeling light as a feather and full of energy. I have also felt heavy and very tired. All of this is what most of us experience with life in general. So what is the difference? Well, I think everyone will have their own unique reaction to the same experience. For me, my intentions were to travel around the land that I have lived in most of my life to celebrate diversity and express my gratitude by planting trees and lighting a candle of peace. I will be sixty years old in November this year and so I wanted to mark this occasion in this way. I feel a new chapter is beginning for me. As always, it is an unknown. If there is one thing this journey has further emphasized to me, then that is to allow trust to be a bigger part of my life."
Wednesday 31st July
Carmarthen, Wales - "My Last Port of Call"
Carmarthen, Wales - "My Last Port of Call"
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"My last port of call: I am in Carmarthen as I near the end of my 'Journey of Peace'. The last few days have been near Tenby, where Zoe and her daughter Phoebe joined me at a lovely campsite about four miles West of Tenby. I have enjoyed our time exploring the coast and Tenby itself. On one occasion, as I was being my silly self and joking with some strangers who were looking at some sparrows, I told them that I was a trained ornithologist and what they were looking at were in fact Peregrine Falcons - a few moments later there were three Peregrine Falcons flying above us! I still have not learnt to be careful with what I say. I had not been to Tenby before and was surprised to find how beautiful it is. There were benches to sit everywhere and the whole place felt so welcoming. St Mary's Church in it's centre was yet again a very peaceful and beautiful haven as the streets were lined with hundreds of tourists. As I sat among them, watching an amazing busker on an electric guitar, I got to have a long chat with a lady. She said that she was on holiday with a group of people and that she was 85 years old and is suffering from cancer. We talked at length about life and how unpredictable it is. How important it is to live life in it's fullness. Nobody knows when their last breath will be. Last night I planted one of the last two oak saplings on the campsite. The owners were very accommodating."
"I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andy Evans, as it is he who has been doing this blog. He has very kindly and selflessly also found extra information about the areas that I have travelled and placed them on the blog. I only sent photos and a few comments to him. A huge Thank You, Andy." "Best wishes, Girish" |
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Views of Tenby, Pembrokeshire
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LEFT Plantagenet House, now a restaurant, is thought to be Tenby's oldest house, with its earliest features dating back to possibly the 10th century
ABOVE St Mary's Church - the majority of the existing building dates from the 15th century, with some features retained from the 13th century. There is believed to have been a church on the site since Norman times, and Gerald of Wales is counted as the earliest Rector of Tenby. |
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ABOVE LEFT & RIGHT High on a hill above Tenby harbour stand the remains of 13th century castle walls along with a ruined gate and tower. The first castle here was built by an unknown Norman lord sometime before 1153, when it was captured by the Welsh under Lord Rhys. It may stand on the site of a yet earlier castle founded by the Welsh in the 9th century. The castle was built on a promontory joined to the mainland by a narrow neck of land, and linked to the medieval town walls.
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LEFT "FACE YOUR FEAR" The spiders, on the side of The Wood Shop on Upper Frog Street, appeared recently causing quite a stir in the town. Shop owner, Dave Roberts, explained it was simply his unique way of raising awareness of mental health issues. |
Friday 26th July
St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales
"After leaving Bangor last Sunday, Simon, Mathew and I have travelled along the coast visiting places like Fairbourne, near Dolgellau, where the campsite owner was very supportive of the sentiments of the 'Journey of Peace' and gave us a big discount on camp site fees. An Indian restaurant nearby was recommended to me by our friends Sue and Chris Collingwood from York Minster. Here we were well looked after with a delicious meal by a famous Bollywood actor, Raj, who is the nephew of the most famous Indian actor of all time, Amitah Bachann. Our journey took us to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), near Machyenlleth, where we learnt a lot about energy conservation, ecological energy production, eco houses and growing ecologically. One of the people at Snowdon Lodge had offered us accommodation on route and we found ourselves in a beautiful place right next to some of the blue stones from where one of the Stonehenge stones originate. Here Simon and I even tried sleeping in hammocks in a woodland near a small river only to be driven in doors in the middle of the night by the rain. Mathew has been amazing as he has followed us on his bicycle travelling almost 240 miles and ascending the equivalent of half way up Mount Everest. Most impressive and fit. We arrived in St David's via Aberystwyth and have had some magical moments visiting the cathedral, ancient burial sites and the birth place of St David. In keeping with celebrating diversity, we even forced ourselves to sample the diverse selection of some local ice creams!"
St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales
"After leaving Bangor last Sunday, Simon, Mathew and I have travelled along the coast visiting places like Fairbourne, near Dolgellau, where the campsite owner was very supportive of the sentiments of the 'Journey of Peace' and gave us a big discount on camp site fees. An Indian restaurant nearby was recommended to me by our friends Sue and Chris Collingwood from York Minster. Here we were well looked after with a delicious meal by a famous Bollywood actor, Raj, who is the nephew of the most famous Indian actor of all time, Amitah Bachann. Our journey took us to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT), near Machyenlleth, where we learnt a lot about energy conservation, ecological energy production, eco houses and growing ecologically. One of the people at Snowdon Lodge had offered us accommodation on route and we found ourselves in a beautiful place right next to some of the blue stones from where one of the Stonehenge stones originate. Here Simon and I even tried sleeping in hammocks in a woodland near a small river only to be driven in doors in the middle of the night by the rain. Mathew has been amazing as he has followed us on his bicycle travelling almost 240 miles and ascending the equivalent of half way up Mount Everest. Most impressive and fit. We arrived in St David's via Aberystwyth and have had some magical moments visiting the cathedral, ancient burial sites and the birth place of St David. In keeping with celebrating diversity, we even forced ourselves to sample the diverse selection of some local ice creams!"
"We're so happy that you made it to Fairbourne and met Raj. What a beautiful part of Wales it is with the bonus of a very special gem of an Indian Restaurant with the perfect host."
Sue Collingwood, 26th July 2019
Sue Collingwood, 26th July 2019
WELL DONE, MATHEW JP!
Cycling from Bangor to St David's
THE STATS: 371km travelled - 4,600 metres climbed - 0kg carbon burned - 0kg meat consumed
Lots of interesting facts shared with others, and stories gathered for future recounting
To be confirmed - number of insects killed - sorry
Cycling from Bangor to St David's
THE STATS: 371km travelled - 4,600 metres climbed - 0kg carbon burned - 0kg meat consumed
Lots of interesting facts shared with others, and stories gathered for future recounting
To be confirmed - number of insects killed - sorry
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These rocky outcrops in the Preseli Hills were the source of the stones used for the construction of Stonehenge
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Wednesday 24th July & Thursday 25th July
St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales
St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales
St David's Cathedral
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Indigenous Albion
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Icons
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"Good Travelling Companions" at St Non's Chapel and Well
According to Christian tradition, Saint Non (also known as Nonna or Nonnita) was born around AD 475, and was the mother of the boy, David, who became the patron saint of Wales. The ruin is thought to be on the site of St Non's house and to be one of the oldest Christian buildings in Wales. In medieval times the chapel was one of the main sites visited by Christian pilgrims.
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Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber
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Pentre Ifan ('Ivan's Village') is a Bronze-Age megalithic site dating from at least 4000 B.C. It is probably the finest Welsh hilltop megalith.
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It is said to have been originally constructed as a burial chamber, but has been denuded of earth over several thousand years.
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Mathew JP Chasing the Yellow Jersey in Mid Wales
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MATHEW JP: "When cycling, the thing about the second dose of sunscreen is that you end up grinding in thousands of flies who adhered themselves to your skin with the first dose. Basically I look like something from a horror movie."
Monday 22nd July
Borth, Ceredigion, Wales - "Carry On Camping"
Borth, Ceredigion, Wales - "Carry On Camping"
MATHEW JP: "You had one job to do!!!"
SIMON: "Mathew sent Girish and me to find a quiet spot to put up the tents. All was going well until..."
MATHEW JP: "As if the trains weren't enough - We are next to what appears to be a WW2 remnant. Fortunately Simon Howell did an attachment with the Royal Engineers early in his ministry so "it'll probably be fine". One journey, three men, two cars, one bike and an unexploded bomb. Oh, and singing and drumming. If the producers of Top Gear and Songs of Praise collaborated to make a new TV show, this is what would happen."
SIMON: "Mathew sent Girish and me to find a quiet spot to put up the tents. All was going well until..."
MATHEW JP: "As if the trains weren't enough - We are next to what appears to be a WW2 remnant. Fortunately Simon Howell did an attachment with the Royal Engineers early in his ministry so "it'll probably be fine". One journey, three men, two cars, one bike and an unexploded bomb. Oh, and singing and drumming. If the producers of Top Gear and Songs of Praise collaborated to make a new TV show, this is what would happen."
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MATHEW JP: "As we planted the tree here in front of the farm, the owner started chatting - "we've got the extinction rebellion here next weekend" - urm, yep, we've heard of them..."
Monday 22nd July
Machynlleth, Powys, Wales
Machynlleth, Powys, Wales
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"Monday 22nd and we are now near Machynlleth at the Centre for Alternative Technology. Mathew is on his way on the bike."
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Sunday 21st July
Fairbourne, Gwynedd, Wales
Fairbourne, Gwynedd, Wales
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"Sunday 21st we headed off towards Dolgellau on the Welsh Coast and Mathew pursued us on his bike. What an amazing cyclist. He met us at a lovely campsite at a place called Fairbourne having cycled over 65 miles through the Welsh mountains. After setting up camp, as I was practising my tabla, three delightful young children came looking very curious and started to ask me lots of questions about what I was doing. I managed to get them to sing some songs as I played the tabla. One of them was in Welsh too. How wonderful. In the evening we found an Indian restaurant nearby, which is run by an ex-Bollywood actor, Mayur, who happened to be the nephew of Amitabh Bachachan, India's most famous actor of all time. He showed me lots of photos of when he was a child and with his uncle. The food and service was brilliant too."
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'Base Camp' - Expert Campers at Ynys Faig Caravan & Camping Site, Fairbourne
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Simon takes a 'moody' stroll along Fairbourne Beach
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The Boys Go Bollywood
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Mathew and Simon demonstrate alternative forms of transport ....
(Simon - are you sure the steering wheel goes that way?)
(Simon - are you sure the steering wheel goes that way?)
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Saturday 20th July
Snowdonia Mountain Lodge, Nant Ffrancon, Bethesda,Gwynedd, Wales
Snowdonia Mountain Lodge, Nant Ffrancon, Bethesda,Gwynedd, Wales
"Saturday 20th we arrived at the Dru Yoga Centre in the heart of Snowdonia. The welcome was warm as ever and they could not do enough for us. My sister, Joshna, is still a part of this community and has been for most of her life. She is obviously thriving on all that she does. As my little sister, she looked after me with a lot of care and kindness. She took Simon and I to visit a lovely church on a tiny island on the Menai Straights. It dates back to 630 AD. During the evening of Saturday 20th, Simon and I were given the opportunity to share some of our music and we had a long chat with the founder of this whole organisation, Mansukh Patel. Our families go back to the 50's when we were in East Africa, our birth place. The evening also included other musicians and a short presentation of the World Peace Flame celebrating its 20 years anniversary. My Journey of Peace happened to start on the date when this organisation [dru Yoga], that I was a part of together with my brother Ish, was founded 40 years ago. A bit of a coincidence there. An evening to remember as they set us off on our journey with gifts and donation for the Sacred Music Festival. Thank you very much to everyone for their generosity."
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St Tysilio's Church at Llandysilio on Anglesey, in the shadows of the Menai Strait Bridge, founded in 630AD
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Windy Wet West Wales
Girish and friends from the Stroud Sacred Music Festival join the Dru Team for a special evening of uplifting kirtan, world music, Taize songs and inspiration. Dru are a fresh-thinking not-for-profit social enterprise, eager to inspire a naturally healthier way of living for everybody. Their vision is to empower as many people as possible to live a happier and more fulfilling lifestyle, and they are passionate about creating educational programmes and collaborative networks where people can enjoy better health at all levels: physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual.
Girish and friends from the Stroud Sacred Music Festival join the Dru Team for a special evening of uplifting kirtan, world music, Taize songs and inspiration. Dru are a fresh-thinking not-for-profit social enterprise, eager to inspire a naturally healthier way of living for everybody. Their vision is to empower as many people as possible to live a happier and more fulfilling lifestyle, and they are passionate about creating educational programmes and collaborative networks where people can enjoy better health at all levels: physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual.
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Revd Simon Howell: "Girish and I are playing a gig here (Snowdon Lodge) tonight as part of The Journey of Peace. Looking forward to welcoming Mathew JP shortly to The Journey"
Revd Mathew Page: "Wish I'd remembered to bring my disco shirt and jeans now" Revd Simon Howell: "It’s ok we’ve hired it for you..." |
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"Hello Wales my old friend... I am now on the Journey of Peace with Girish Patel." Revd Simon Howell, Bethesda, Gwynedd, Friday 19th July 2019 |
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Friday 19th July
Bethesda,Gwynedd, Wales
Bethesda,Gwynedd, Wales
"My friends in Oswestry, Ingrid and Bob, looked after me, as they always do, with such care and kindness. A very big thank you to both. I left there on Friday 19th and arrived in Bethesda, which is about 8 miles inland from Bangor. Here Simon [Howell], Mathew [Page] and I were hosted by an old friend, Diana, in her delightful cottage. My family and Diana's family share many years together in this part of Wales and she is graceful and sensitive as ever. We are very grateful for her generosity. On my journey along the A5, I was transported back through the amazing Welsh mountains and the memories flooded back to the time when I lived here in the early 80's. We will be sharing time with a group of people with whom I lived for a few years and learnt more about Yoga and Meditation."
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Thursday 18th July
Wrexham, Clwyd, Wales "It was a peaceful night camping on Thornleigh Farm near Chester and the cooking has been simple. Really enjoyed listening to the rain on my tent. Quite soothing. Said bye to the horses this morning and have stopped off for breakfast in Wrexham. Will head for Oswestry later to stay with some friends." |
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Wednesday 17th July
Chester, Cheshire
"I am still in Chester and will be heading towards North Wales, via Oswestry (friends), tomorrow (Thursday 18th). Chester is a beautiful City with so many Tudor buildings making the architecture very pleasing. The music has taken place in the form of a huge number of fantastic buskers all around the city. My evenings have been largely contemplative with the horses, squirrels, birds and insects as my companions. As well as an occasional dog from fellow campers. This time is very welcome as I prepare for the final two weeks of my journey. I must say that I am quite tired but determined to complete the route. There is so much that I need to digest about this journey and this quiet period is very welcome. There is a wonderful space in Chester which is a converted cinema and it's called 'Storyhouse'. It is full of very useful resources with a library, cafe, single screen cinema and an information centre. The layout offers so many spaces to read, write, meet people or just chill out. Everyone is welcome. Perfect space for my requirements right now."
Chester, Cheshire
"I am still in Chester and will be heading towards North Wales, via Oswestry (friends), tomorrow (Thursday 18th). Chester is a beautiful City with so many Tudor buildings making the architecture very pleasing. The music has taken place in the form of a huge number of fantastic buskers all around the city. My evenings have been largely contemplative with the horses, squirrels, birds and insects as my companions. As well as an occasional dog from fellow campers. This time is very welcome as I prepare for the final two weeks of my journey. I must say that I am quite tired but determined to complete the route. There is so much that I need to digest about this journey and this quiet period is very welcome. There is a wonderful space in Chester which is a converted cinema and it's called 'Storyhouse'. It is full of very useful resources with a library, cafe, single screen cinema and an information centre. The layout offers so many spaces to read, write, meet people or just chill out. Everyone is welcome. Perfect space for my requirements right now."
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Views of Chester
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LEFT Bridge Street
CENTRE Chester Cathedral
RIGHT Part of the Eastgate city wall, with its Victorian clock designed by John Douglas, 1897
CENTRE Chester Cathedral
RIGHT Part of the Eastgate city wall, with its Victorian clock designed by John Douglas, 1897
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LEFT The "Celebration of Chester" bronze sculpture in front of Chester Town Hall. Created by Stephen Broadbent in 1992, the three figures represent the protective city walls, industry, and thanksgiving.
ABOVE What they do with 'over-spending wives' in Chester! |
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Monday 15th July
Chester, Cheshire "I left the Crosby area of Liverpool on Sunday (14th) after Peter had fed me with a hearty veggie breakfast at his Sister's (Kathlin) home, where one of my oak saplings was very welcome. I then made a quick visit to Liverpool Cathedral where I was able to go right to the top for an amazing view far beyond this amazing city. After this it was time for me to head for Cheshire where I found a lovely farm to camp on. The horses in the field next to the campsite seemed to be quite interested in my tabla practice. This morning (Monday 15th July), I have come into Chester where I popped into a Quaker Centre where the warden, Steve, was very welcoming. I will continue to explore here and if anyone has any contacts here, please put me in touch with them." |
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Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, and the view from the top
Sunday 14th July
Crosby, Liverpool
"Peter Baxendale and his family in Liverpool laid on a party for me last night and it was brilliant. A huge thank you to Kathlin and David for hosting and for their incredible generosity. It has been a long time since I laughed so much. There were jokes, fantastic singing, in particular by Tracy Hanley, there was food and drinks. I can't thank them enough for their kindness. Getting together like they all did and having so much fun and laughter is just what families and friends need to do more often. Great way of connecting and celebrating diversity. We are so different, but we could still get together and have fun - so in so many ways, we are also the same. A huge thank you to you all. Thank you, Vinny, for providing 5 star accommodation for me. I hope to have Vinny in Stroud as he is a fantastic, natural stand-up comedian and it's his daughter Tracy that sings with an amazing voice that Whitney Houston would be proud of as well as the great opera singers. Watch this space, Stroud and the whole world needs to hear her!!"
Crosby, Liverpool
"Peter Baxendale and his family in Liverpool laid on a party for me last night and it was brilliant. A huge thank you to Kathlin and David for hosting and for their incredible generosity. It has been a long time since I laughed so much. There were jokes, fantastic singing, in particular by Tracy Hanley, there was food and drinks. I can't thank them enough for their kindness. Getting together like they all did and having so much fun and laughter is just what families and friends need to do more often. Great way of connecting and celebrating diversity. We are so different, but we could still get together and have fun - so in so many ways, we are also the same. A huge thank you to you all. Thank you, Vinny, for providing 5 star accommodation for me. I hope to have Vinny in Stroud as he is a fantastic, natural stand-up comedian and it's his daughter Tracy that sings with an amazing voice that Whitney Houston would be proud of as well as the great opera singers. Watch this space, Stroud and the whole world needs to hear her!!"
Peter Baxendale and Family and Friends
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"Such a fun filled lovely night xx" Tracy Hanley, 15th July 2019
Saturday 13th July
Ormskirk, West Lancashire
"Today I went into Ormskirk near Liverpool and found a lovely market town. I particularly liked the look of Ormskirk Parish Church there which looks incredibly old. I have always found grave yards a fascination too thinking about the people who have passed on many years ago. Yes, grave yards are quite special. Yesterday Vinny (the brother of my dear friend Peter Baxendale) showed me some of the unusual sites near Liverpool. A village called Formby for example with some very old houses dating back to the 15th Century and no street lights. The 'Iron Men' - 100 of them made from Iron on a beach near Crosby. These have been made by Sir Anthony Gormley in his own image. I believe they stand on a metal post that has been sunk deep into the sand. We also went to a nature reserve in search of the Red Squirrels but only found a couple of lovely rabbits. In the interest of celebrating diversity, we went to a few pubs in the evening where I sampled a few whiskeys. Vinney said that I had 8 doubles. Funny, I don't remember that ... Tonight the Baxendales have organised a gathering where I am hoping to hear Tracey, Vinny's daughter, sing. I am, on the whole, having an amazing journey thanks largely to the people that I am meeting along the way. There is so much love and peace among the people. The population of the world need to know this."
Ormskirk, West Lancashire
"Today I went into Ormskirk near Liverpool and found a lovely market town. I particularly liked the look of Ormskirk Parish Church there which looks incredibly old. I have always found grave yards a fascination too thinking about the people who have passed on many years ago. Yes, grave yards are quite special. Yesterday Vinny (the brother of my dear friend Peter Baxendale) showed me some of the unusual sites near Liverpool. A village called Formby for example with some very old houses dating back to the 15th Century and no street lights. The 'Iron Men' - 100 of them made from Iron on a beach near Crosby. These have been made by Sir Anthony Gormley in his own image. I believe they stand on a metal post that has been sunk deep into the sand. We also went to a nature reserve in search of the Red Squirrels but only found a couple of lovely rabbits. In the interest of celebrating diversity, we went to a few pubs in the evening where I sampled a few whiskeys. Vinney said that I had 8 doubles. Funny, I don't remember that ... Tonight the Baxendales have organised a gathering where I am hoping to hear Tracey, Vinny's daughter, sing. I am, on the whole, having an amazing journey thanks largely to the people that I am meeting along the way. There is so much love and peace among the people. The population of the world need to know this."
Iron Men!
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The Iron Men of Crosby (installed 2005)
According to creator Antony Gormley, the work is meant to "harness the ebb and flow of the tide to explore man's relationship with nature."
According to creator Antony Gormley, the work is meant to "harness the ebb and flow of the tide to explore man's relationship with nature."
Ormskirk Parish Church
There has been a place of worship on this site since before 1170. The spire dates from 1430, and the Great Tower from 1570. This is one of only three churches with this unusual combination of spire and tower, and the only one that has them both at the same end.
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Marine versus Dulwich Hamlet, Saturday 13th July
"Continuing with the celebration of diversity, Vinny took me to a football match today which was sponsored by his brother Peter. Marine played Dulwich Hamlet in memory of a cup game that was played in 1932. I love these lower league games. They are played in the true spirit of the game with friendly banter between the fans and great laughter. The result did not matter."
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These two teams famously met in the final of the FA Amateur Cup in 1932 at a packed West Ham ground in London, in front of 22,000 spectators, with Dulwich winning 7-1 on a very muddy pitch. This return match marked the start of Marine's 125th anniversary celebrations this season. On this occasion, Dulwich won 4-2.
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Thursday 11th July
Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire "I am now at a beautiful campsite about 3 miles from Hebden Bridge in the hills by a lovely country pub. I can do my emails here and eat without having to drive anywhere. What an amazing couple of days with connections of the most profound kind. My heart is dancing with deep gratitude for all these opportunities. Tomorrow I head for Ormskirk near Liverpool. I will be hosted by Vinny, who is the brother of Peter Baxendale. Some of you will know Peter as a very generous and kind person that does a lot for the Sacred Music Festival and other local charities, quietly." |
The Old Bridge over Hebden Water - erected in 1510 to replace a Medieval timber bridge
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Camping near Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire
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Thursday 11th July
Halifax, West Yorkshire "Today I had quite a surprise when I stopped at a cafe on my way to Hebden Bridge. I was just looking at a local paper when I saw that there is going to be a sitar concert in Hebden on Saturday evening. I can't be there, but I decided to email them to see if I could meet someone today and left my number. Within minutes I got a call from a woman who invited me to her home in Halifax, 7 miles from Hebden. She teaches a particular form of dance that comes from South India. Together with the young lady that is going to be dancing at the Bradford Festival at the weekend they invited me and were thrilled that they could rehearse with me on tabla. Their drummer for the weekend could not make it today. A first for me and a great experience too. The dance involved a very large cotton sheet stretched out on a metal frame with red powder sprinkled on a plastic sheet underneath. As she danced, she was actually drawing with her feet. The powder was being attached to the sheet from below. The end result was absolutely remarkable. She had drawn a lion!! Potential candidate for Stroud Sacred Music Festival 2020 I wonder? They also kindly fed me a delicious vegetable biriyani afterwards and then I was on my way to find a camp site. All of that was a complete surprise for me and very welcome too. How amazing." |
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Andy Williams writes about an evening with Girish and Friends at Nab Cottage, Rydal
"Last night I was sitting in a circle with 30 or 40 people of many ages and nationalities. We were in a meditation hall with a candle in the middle and Buddhist hangings on the walls. The hall was at Nab Cottage, owned by friends of Girish. It was on a very quiet stretch of road with Lake Windermere in front, giant craggy hills rising up behind. This was a very Girish gathering and the sort of thing I love. We - my daughter Maya, wife Ka-Yin and me - are having a little holiday in the Lake District and were privileged to be invited to an event in Girish's Journey. Girish explained the purpose of his journey to the circle and then people stood up to lead something as the spirit moved them. A young Czech singer-songwriter sang beautifully with her guitar and then lent her instrument to an English woman who led some songs from the 60s. There was earth chanting (I recognised one from Extinction Rebellion actions) and Hindu chanting. One chant was done as a circle of five parts: it sounded lovely. There were also some sessions of spirited drumming - lots of drums and percussion instruments had been set out in the middle of the room. We finished the evening with a period of meditation led by Girish. It was a very special evening. One of the aims of the Journey is to "Create a community of kindness to inspire peace in the world". Yesterday evening was a step in exactly that direction."
Andy Williams, 11th July 2019
"Last night I was sitting in a circle with 30 or 40 people of many ages and nationalities. We were in a meditation hall with a candle in the middle and Buddhist hangings on the walls. The hall was at Nab Cottage, owned by friends of Girish. It was on a very quiet stretch of road with Lake Windermere in front, giant craggy hills rising up behind. This was a very Girish gathering and the sort of thing I love. We - my daughter Maya, wife Ka-Yin and me - are having a little holiday in the Lake District and were privileged to be invited to an event in Girish's Journey. Girish explained the purpose of his journey to the circle and then people stood up to lead something as the spirit moved them. A young Czech singer-songwriter sang beautifully with her guitar and then lent her instrument to an English woman who led some songs from the 60s. There was earth chanting (I recognised one from Extinction Rebellion actions) and Hindu chanting. One chant was done as a circle of five parts: it sounded lovely. There were also some sessions of spirited drumming - lots of drums and percussion instruments had been set out in the middle of the room. We finished the evening with a period of meditation led by Girish. It was a very special evening. One of the aims of the Journey is to "Create a community of kindness to inspire peace in the world". Yesterday evening was a step in exactly that direction."
Andy Williams, 11th July 2019
Girish and Friends at Nab Cottage, Rydal
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Wednesday 10th July
Rydal, Cumbria
"After spending Wednesday 10th July wandering around Lake Windermere, Ambleside, and being a tourist eating ice-cream dipped in some melted chocolate, I was in for a real treat in the evening. Nab Cottage by Rydal Waters is the location for a well established International Language School owned and run by some old friends, Liz and Tim Melling. We met about 30 years ago on a family holiday in Goa and just about kept in touch. The little children that we had are grown up now, married and some with their own children. The school has resident students from all over the world. This was the perfect location for the sort of gatherings I had hoped for. There were about 40 people and lots of delicious food was provided. Local people joined the group during the evening and we made music, we laughed a lot and we meditated together. A young woman, Dani, from the Czech Republic sang some wonderful songs and one in her own language. We all agreed that not knowing what she was singing did not matter. It felt full of joy and deep feeling. Another young local woman, Catherine, sang some beautiful songs too. Suzanna led us through lovely connecting songs which involved physically connecting with each other and then we let loose with some energetic drumming with loads of drums. The evening ended with a period of stillness and silence. How perfect is that. I had a bed for the night at the home of Tim and Liz and started Thursday with a group meditation there. They then had to go to work and with huge thanks to Liz and Tim, I headed for Hebden Bridge."
Rydal, Cumbria
"After spending Wednesday 10th July wandering around Lake Windermere, Ambleside, and being a tourist eating ice-cream dipped in some melted chocolate, I was in for a real treat in the evening. Nab Cottage by Rydal Waters is the location for a well established International Language School owned and run by some old friends, Liz and Tim Melling. We met about 30 years ago on a family holiday in Goa and just about kept in touch. The little children that we had are grown up now, married and some with their own children. The school has resident students from all over the world. This was the perfect location for the sort of gatherings I had hoped for. There were about 40 people and lots of delicious food was provided. Local people joined the group during the evening and we made music, we laughed a lot and we meditated together. A young woman, Dani, from the Czech Republic sang some wonderful songs and one in her own language. We all agreed that not knowing what she was singing did not matter. It felt full of joy and deep feeling. Another young local woman, Catherine, sang some beautiful songs too. Suzanna led us through lovely connecting songs which involved physically connecting with each other and then we let loose with some energetic drumming with loads of drums. The evening ended with a period of stillness and silence. How perfect is that. I had a bed for the night at the home of Tim and Liz and started Thursday with a group meditation there. They then had to go to work and with huge thanks to Liz and Tim, I headed for Hebden Bridge."
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"When I arrived here during the afternoon, a lovely Japanese woman was sharing a tea ceremony. What a wonderful surprise for me to take part in." |
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Nab Cottage, Rydal, Cumbria
RIGHT "I need a T-shirt which says - I am a work in progress" |
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Wednesday 10th July
Ambleside, Cumbria "I left Samye Ling Monastery on Tuesday and I am now in a very wet Lake District. The last part of the journey here was rather misty but then the weather improved and I was able to pitch up my tent in the dry. Andy Williams and his family arrived at a nearby caravan park and we had a lovely evening exploring Ambleside. A very typical Lake District architecture is largely using blocks of slate for building. This, sadly, adds to the greyness when it rains. The mountains and forests are stunning nontheless and of course the lakes are here because of the rain. Today, Wednesday 10th, I just managed to pack up camp before the heavens opened up again. Some of these campsites are rather luxurious and I am sitting in a very large room providing wifi as well as a television!! The ladies' loos had an amusing sign ... I have not seen any dogs smoking! This evening there will be an informal gathering of people hosted by my friends Tim and Liz at Nag Cottage, Rydal. At this stage I am not sure what will be happening, but I will take my tabla along." |
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The 17th century Bridge House is possibly the most photographed building in the Lake District, and a popular subject for many artists including Turner. A tiny building, originally an apple store for nearby Ambleside Hall, was built over Stock Beck to escape land tax. It is said that at some time a family with six children lived here in the two rooms.
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