The Gathering Lent Pilgrimage

Saturday 14 March 2026

Under clear blue skies, around 80 pilgrims gathered on the ancient village green at Old Byland to begin a shared journey along the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail. Walkers, riders, cyclists, horses and dogs came together, drawn by a simple purpose: to journey, to pray, and to be part of something shared.

The day began with a welcome from the Right Reverend Dr Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury, and Revd Mel Burnside. Coffee and cake were offered in the thousand year old Church of All Saints before setting out, with the added interest of a BBC One Show film crew capturing the day.

At St Mary’s, Scawton, more pilgrims joined and paused for reflection led by Revd Ian Robinson. The group continued to Cold Kirby for a simple lunch, where families and young children joined the pilgrimage. In the grounds of St Michael’s, Revd Andy Lindley led prayers, grounding the journey in faith.

By the time the pilgrimage reached Rievaulx, it had grown again. Bishop Barry Hill and Archdeacon Amanda Bloor joined the gathering, along with many others. In the small Church of St Mary the Virgin, prayers were led by Mel before the pilgrimage formed into a procession.

Following the Trail banner, pilgrims made their way to Rievaulx Abbey, welcomed by the sound of Bilsdale Silver Band. A short service in the Abbey nave brought the day to a gentle close, marking a shared experience of faith, hope and community.

The day ended in Helmsley with a concert at All Saints Church, where Bishop Andrew performed songs from his latest album Blank Arcades. It was a fitting and joyful conclusion to a memorable pilgrimage.

This day captured the heart of the Saint Aelred’s Pilgrim Trail: a journey that brings people together, inviting all to travel at a pilgrim pace, attentive to God, to one another, and to the beauty of the landscape.

—

George Gyte, on behalf of the SAPT Team