August 14, 2009
To Canterbury Cathedral: The start of the Via Francigene
We had a fine breakfast at Janette and Bill’s place and a leisurely start at 9.30. Down through a forest much of it chestnut and into the wheatfields waiting for the header. More cycle way signs had been turned around. Finally got to Canterbury after only about an hour and found Kitt’s Hostel at Nunnery Fields. It is great (38pounds) with a good room and a bathroom next door. We met two Americans just completing their Athens to London trip; they were loaded up in a fairly similar way to us but with front panniers and a bit less on the back
We couldn’t get in properly until 2.00 so set off for the city in our cycling gear. A must of course was Canterbury Cathedral; this is a magnificent building alive with history. For people from a country like ours where there are no buildings older than about 100years this holds particular fascination – astounding to think that we were standing in the place where Thomas Beckett was murdered in 1170. Even more relevant we were in the place where in 990 Archbishop Sigeric the Serious set off to receive his Pallium from Pope John 15 (England was still a Roman Catholic country at this time). We were to follow the route that was recorded by a member of his retinue and by Sigeriac himself in his diaries. Sigeriac’s route in Italy went through Piedmont and mentions 79 stopping places but the route we were to followi those essentially the same most of the way in Italy was to take us further east and over the Cisa Pass to get over the Appenines. We went to the office and had our Pilgrim’s Passports stamped (The office lady didn’t seem nearly as excited by the process as us). At 5.00pm we returned to the Cathedral for Evensong a very ritualistic service that appealed to Tricia with her Catholic upbringing more than me with my Presbyterian one. The music was beautiful with choir and organ.
Tomorrow we set off and plan probably to go only as far as Dover – only about 32km. It will be great to start on what is the real journey
Today's ride: 12 km (7 miles)
Total: 215 km (134 miles)
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