England

Depart from the USA to England.

Arrive in England, meet your driver and guide and transfer to Windsor. Tour of Windsor Castle with special time set aside to visit St. George’s Chapel (where King Henry VIII and Elizabeth II – to name a few – are buried). Continue on to Winchester (The drive is just over one hour). Check in, dinner, and overnight in Winchester).

Visit Winchester Cathedral, and attend the Sunday Morning Holy Eucharist Service before spending dedicated time at St. Swithun’s Shrine. In the afternoon, travel to Chichester to tour Chichester Cathedarl and the Bishop’s Palace Gardens. Return to Winchester for dinner and overnight.

Depart Winchester for Guildford. Visit Guildford Cathedral. Continue into London to visit Southwark Cathedral (starting point of the Becket Way). Tour of Southwark. Afternoon visit to historic churches or sites (All Hallows, St. Paul’s, Westminster Abbey). It is possible to addend Evensong at a local site (St. Paul’s, Westminster Abbey, Southwark). Dinner and overnight in Guildford Area.

The day is free for people to explore London on their own. Group visits/activities can be set or it can be completely self-arranged. Choices include museum, churches, castles, or historical sights throughout the city.

Depart London. Stop at Lullingstone. At this site a Roman Villa was discovered in 1939 that dates from 100 AD. The remains contain a Romano-Christian chapel that displays some of the earliest evidence of Christianity in Britain. Next, on to Kemsing (a popular stop for pilgrims headed to Canterbury. There is a tie with the knights that murdered Thomas Becket). The day will end in Rochester. Meet for worship at the cathedral. Dinner and overnight

Today, start walking from Rochester to Thurnham (12 mi). (Wouldham Common, pass Kit’s Coty Neolithic burial chamber and the White Horse standing stone along paths and fields to Boxley Church. East of Kits Coty, a long stretch with distant views delivers the North Downs Way to Detling Hill, beyond which a sudden return to open country shows the vast expanse of the eastern Weald spread below. The trail tucks round the outline of Thurnham Castle, from where you leave the trail for the short walk to The Black Horse in Thurnham.) Return to Rochester for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, re-join the route at Thurnham Castle and walk on to Hollingbourne, from where you follow a gentle path for many miles to Harrietsham where you overnight or the lovely medieval village of Charing (total of 10 mi.). Return to Rochester for dinner and overnight.

Walk from Charing to Chilham (10 mi). The Pilgrims Path continues to Boughton Lees and then enters Kings Wood, where pilgrims traditionally gathered together in medieval times to try and avoid robbers. Glimpses of Canterbury Cathedral can be had in breaks in the trees.  Our final night before Canterbury is spent in the lovely small village of Chilham. Return to Rochester for dinner and one final night.

Chilham to Canterbury (7.2 mi). Set off on your final walk to Canterbury after breakfast and hope to arrive in the city by lunchtime. Spend time at Canterbury Cathedral, in prayer at the Shrine of Thomas Becket. Check into hotel for some rest. Return to the cathedral for Worship (either attend an Evensong or we can arrange for a private service in a side chapel or the crypt. Enjoy a special celebration dinner. Overnight in Canterbury.