From local prayer walks to journeys further afield, pilgrimage is taking many forms across the Diocese this summer.
The Church of England’s #PilgrimPlaces campaign encourages people to explore places and stories that help them feel part of something bigger as they journey towards God. Across the Diocese, churches and communities have been embracing that invitation in creative and inspiring ways.
Pilgrimage with paws
At Holy Trinity, Leverstock Green, a recent Paws in the Pews pilgrimage brought together faith, fellowship, nature and four-legged companions. The group journeyed from the church to a local park, stopping along the route to reflect on scripture and consider the beauty of God’s creation.
The pilgrimage offered participants the chance to connect faith with the natural world while celebrating the companionship, loyalty and joy that dogs bring to many people’s lives.
Family Worker Paul Robinson-Beswick said:
Prayer on the move in Flitwick
At St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Flitwick, the walking group, affectionately known as The Walkie Talkies, meets on the second Saturday of each month. The group began in 2024 when members committed themselves to walking every road in the parish while praying for the people and places they encountered along the way.
What started as a year-long prayer pilgrimage quickly grew into a regular community of walkers who continue to meet for conversation, prayer and companionship.
As they walk, participants pause at different locations to pray for local communities, national concerns and global issues. The group welcomes walkers of all ages and even four-legged friends, and has become a valuable way for newcomers to the church to build friendships and connections.
The parish also takes part in the annual Beds and Herts Historic Churches Trust Bike ‘n Hike, during which church members walk or cycle between churches to raise funds. This year’s event will take place on Saturday 12 September.
Following in Bunyan’s footsteps
Another group of pilgrims recently gathered to walk a section of the Bunyan Trail from Bromham to Bedford, led by Archdeacon Dave Middlebrook.
This stretch continued a series of pilgrimage walks that began in 2025 during our Year of Spiritual Renewal and Wellbeing, and then picked up again earlier this year.
Participants shared morning prayer, conversation and periods of silence as they journeyed together through the Bedfordshire countryside, taking time to reflect on faith while enjoying their surroundings, inspired by the Bedford preacher John Bunyan.
Steve Dolby, Reader at St Thomas’ Church, Stopsley, who took part in the pilgrimage, said:
A journey beyond the Diocese
While many pilgrimages take place close to home, others lead much further afield. Young people from the Church of the Transfiguration, Kempston, and others from Bedfordshire, recently returned from a pilgrimage to Taizé in France, where they joined Christians from across the world for prayer, worship and fellowship. The experience offered time for reflection and spiritual renewal and strengthened the group as they journeyed together.
Finding God along the way
From local prayer walks and strolls to visits further afield, these pilgrimages show the many different ways people are exploring faith, prayer and community.
Churches and groups are encouraged to share their pilgrimage stories throughout the summer by tagging the Diocese on social media and using #PilgrimPlaces.
The Diocese offers a range of pilgrimage resources, including local routes across Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and one-day pilgrimages developed by the Revd Bill Britt.
