A very big thank you to everyone involved in supporting and participating in Saturday’s phenomenal Gathering Walk Launch Event, and ensuring it was, as Jane Holmes commented, “a truly magnificent day filled with fellowship and sunshine.”
If you have been raising sponsorship or donations, please help us in our mission by ensuring that it is paid into the Peoples Fund Raising website that we are using in conjunction with the Yorkshire Historic Churches Trust. Last time I looked we were just shy of £1000!
For those of you that couldn’t join us (and those who want to re-savour the day!), Saturday began with two of our horse riders Janet on Scout and Mary on Mojo already well along the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail, and a runner, Dave Sanderson, who had already started running the whole of the 41-mile Pilgrim Trail earlier at 6am from Rievaulx!
We had our send off with Reverend Mel and Ben at All Saints Church, Hawnby where our 2 runners, 3 cyclists, 1 horse rider + two pony riders, and 34 walkers all had their pilgrim passports stamped, after admiring Val Mather’s beautiful Regia Group photos and the marvellous Daisy Barnes mandalas. Meanwhile a group of the Ryedale Bridleways Group of horse riders led by Bill Tait were setting out from Murton Grange to meet up with us at Old Byland.
More walkers, as well as the horse riders, were gathered at Old Byland where Anne, Julia and Jane had a packed-out church full of people enjoying coffee and cake, whilst admiring Sue Wressell’s stunning mounted textile art exhibition and being intrigued by Peter Clark’s Old Byland Labyrinth on the village green.
Next we were greeted by Dorothy at the iconic Church of Saint Mary’s at Scawton where yet more walkers and dogs joined in the fun, after viewing the lovely exhibition by the local group of artists led by Barry Middlemass.
We arrived next in Cold Kirby where Honor and Margaret were busily hosting. I have never seen the Village Hall so full of walkers and supporters enjoying the day and chattering to each other about the experience, whilst girding their loins for the walk down the Cleveland Way. So, a large contingent of additional walkers joined here bringing numbers up to 64 heading for Rievaulx.
Arriving at Rievaulx we were met by another large group who were joining in the procession to the Abbey Nave, after tea and coffee at Rievaulx Methodist Church and admiring Trudy Sanderson’s superb textile artwork, before getting passports stamped in the Church Saint Mary the Virgin and being entranced by more of Val Mather’s Regia group photos.
I had about approximately 110 people on my final list at the end of the day, but I am sure there were about 150 in the Abbey Nave for our Celebration Service led by Reverend Mel. It was such a joyful occasion to see such a sea of faces supporting the event around the Nave, the Bilsdale Silver Band’s music echoing around the valley, a group of press ganged “monks”, dressed by Penny, and led by Tony standing in the centre along with two Regia medieval peasants, people lustily singing hymns they knew, listening to readings, and joining in our prayers. All the while horses were grazing contentedly on the grass at the side of the Abbey Nave.
We rounded the day off with a host of people in the Abbey café enjoying a glass of fizz and eating Steven Davies’ delicious canapés whilst listening to fine speeches from Tom Ramsden of YHCT, Joel Brookfield of NYMNP (and YHCT!), and our local councillor George Jabbour.
A fitting end to a very special day.
Val Mather was photographing throughout the day (bless her!). We will be displaying her photos and some others on the website as soon as we can.
Thank you everyone for making it such a memorable occasion.
With best wishes
George
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