INight falls as I step off the train in Lelant, a village nestled in a secluded bay near St Ives. The early morning light is still strong and the distinctive, repeated, high-pitched sound of the Black-winged Warbler wakes this sleepy corner of west Cornwall.
I’m in Cornwall with a friend to walk the Pilgrimage. St. Michael’s Way I first walked from Lelant to St Michael’s Mount a few years ago. At the time, I was lonely, fresh out of a toxic relationship, and trying to piece my life together against the backdrop of trauma that was resurfacing. Still, I didn’t arrive in a depressed mood. Because I had discovered the power of these ancient paths some time ago. And I say this as someone who is not religious at all.
When people think of pilgrimages, they usually think of long walks lasting several weeks. However, the pilgrimage path can be as long or short as you like. And among the recorded pilgrimages, there are many examples of meaningful winding paths that can be completed in one day, or sections of longer routes that are just as rewarding as multi-day explorations. The main criterion is “walk with purpose”. Whatever our beliefs, I believe they can help us all find meaning.
Over the years, I have walked many such “micro-pilgrims.” That includes the last eight miles. St Birinus Way 3.5 miles of Thames Valley St. Thomas Way Llancarfan (one of 13 day-long pilgrimages of the same name between Swansea and Hereford), and one of two 15-mile loops Porlock Pilgrim Trail At Exmoor. And every time, no matter the length, I’m truly amazed at the clarity I get from these trails.
With a silent nod (the kind that says a lot between two old friends) we begin our walk down St. Michael’s Way beside the purple rosettes of towering vipers. You will pass a sign with a scallop shell on it. This indicates that this route is an official section of the Camino de Santiago (as of 2016). This route covers his more than 50,000 miles through 29 countries and is one of about 300 paths you can walk to reach your final destination. .
Next to it is St. Uni Church. The church is named after the Celtic missionaries who converted Cornish pagans to Christianity in the 6th century. He wasn’t the only one who crossed the ocean to get here. It was only designated as a pilgrim path in 2014, but old ship records show that souls bound for England from Wales and Ireland were disembarked at Lelant rather than risk the treacherous waters around Land’s End. He said he walked south toward St. Michael’s Mount. , some even continue as far as Spain.
It takes nearly 14 hours to cover just under 24 miles, so the pace is relaxed. We grabbed and stamped our ‘pilgrimage passports’ (available at the church) and spent some time searching for holy wells on the cliffs of Carbis Bay before abandoning the hunt to have coffee by the water’s edge. Masu. Heading inland, we climb Volvus Hill, and as we climb we share recent life events: work projects, life changes, and our love of temporarily getting away from it all and being outdoors.
Pass by the huge landmark granite rock of Bowl Rock, said to have been abandoned by two bowl-playing giants, and stop for a packed lunch at the top of Trenkrom Hill, which was repurposed as a hillfort during the Iron Age. Admire the remains of an old Neolithic enclosure. . At this point, you will see our “Monte do Gozo”, the Hill of Joy on the Camino de Santiago. You can see the low tide island off the coast of Marazion, which is your destination. Its Cornish name is Kalek Loos-in-Coos (“the hoarse rock in the wood”). ”) indicates that it was once covered by forest and had no water.
On our last visit, we learned that the giant Trekoven threw a stone at his coastal neighbor, Lazy Cormoran, but accidentally hit and killed his wife. These legends form such an important thread in the history here that her grave is even marked on Ordnance Survey maps.
Our walk from the Celtic Sea to the English Channel explores our own past, including losing our mother as a teenager and overcoming an eating disorder, as well as the natural history of Rospeith, said to be home to Britain’s last wolves. , you can weave further stories. Being killed. And local legends are brought to life once again by the pirate tomb full of skulls and crucifix bones in Garval Church.
My feet hurt as I reached the promenade on the outskirts of Penzance and headed east towards Marazion. The taste of native oilseed rape rejuvenated us, but we arrived too late to catch the last boat to the mountain, and the tide was too high to cross the causeway.
We reluctantly headed to All Saints Church instead, but felt a little lost having been denied our planned destination. We didn’t come here to pray, but as we take our seats and reflect on our journey, a meditative state seems to descend upon us both.
We learned about saints and sinners, confessed secrets to each other and laughed a lot. We have stood on the top of Giant’s Hill, chased the last wolf, and followed in the footsteps of our ancestors. And while connecting them all to His One Walking His Trail, we gave ourselves the space to reconnect the dots in our own lives. This is what I find happening in many micro-pilgrims.
Before leaving, we found a place to get our passports stamped. And we found not one, but two, including the last stamp lost on Mount St. Michael’s, left here for souls who missed the island-bound boat while approaching the island. We thought we never made it to our destination, but we were given a second chance to complete the mission and here we are.
Catholics may call it providence, but I call it the magic of pilgrimage.
