St David’s Cathedral ©Nigel Summerley
While a pilgrimage always has a goal or end point, it is a truism that it is not the destination that matters but the journey.
I certainly found that when I walked the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain a few years ago. And again more recently when I joined the regular Friday morning walk from Oriel y Parc to St David’s Cathedral, led by Janet Ingram.
This mini-pilgrimage does not take a direct route but meanders pleasantly to take in natural wonder as well as significant religious sites.
Foolishly, I had feared that this might be a “preachy” outing with a hard sell on St David and Christianity. But with Janet it was quite the opposite: there was certainly a religious element but definitely no dogma, and there was plenty of space for poetry, philosophy, reflection and exploration.
Our first stop – of quite a few – was just before a “tunnel” formed by overarching trees. Janet explained how she uses this as a metaphor for looking towards the future (and finding out how one feels about it), particularly with groups of schoolchildren who come on her walks.
Towards the light ©Nigel Summerley
After reflection and discussion there, we continued towards the coast with the wind blowing ever more strongly in our faces but with the autumnal sun illuminating the green land around us and the shimmering sea ahead.
Here in the midst of this primal mix of the elements there was a feeling of timelessness.
Janet reminded me: “You are walking in the footsteps of thousands of people who have been here before you.”
The 20th-century St Non’s Chapel ©Nigel Summerley
By the time we made it to clifftop St Non’s Chapel – the 20th-century Catholic version, not the original – it was getting difficult to stand straight or even to talk, as the wind buffeted us and stole away our words.
Inside the chapel ©Nigel Summerley
Inside the chapel we found calm and quiet refuge and another opportunity for conversation and reflection. This tiny private chapel was built by the owner of the nearby house (now a religious retreat) and it incorporated stone and bits and pieces from the ruins of other chapels.
The stained glass windows around the altar form a triptych (see below), with St Non in the centre, St Bride to the right and St Winifred to the left.
Almost reluctantly leaving the respite from the wind, we left the chapel and, once more exposed to the elements, made our way to the ruins of the original St Non’s Chapel, said to be on the site where Non gave birth to St David.
Celtic cross in the ruins of the original St Non’s Chapel ©Nigel Summerley
And our next stop was St Non’s Well, a natural water source that has long been reputed to have healing properties. Janet explained how pilgrims would immerse themelves in the water here – and how people still drink it. It didn’t look particularly appetising to me but I could be tempted to take a quick dip – maybe next time if it isn’t blowing a gale…
The holy well ©Nigel Summerley
©Nigel Summerley
Eventually we turned away from the coast and began the approach to the cathedral. Back in town, we stopped at Pigsfoot Lane and Janet said the last stage of our pilgrimage would be walked in silence. But not before she had explained that Pigsfoot had nothing to do with trotters and was, in fact, derived from the time when the pyx (the small container used to carry the elements of the Eucharist) was carried on foot from the cathedral to a local chapel.
Quietly entering the cathedral we joined the small congregation for the midday pilgrimage prayers which are broadcast daily from here. However, for me at least, the movingly spiritual aspect of the morning had been the walking, talking, listening and reflecting with Janet in the midst of the powerful forces of nature.
After prayers, Canon Pastor Sheridan James told me that one way or another 250,000 people a year come as pilgrims to the cathedral. “I’m really interested in people’s spiritual journeys,” she said. “And on my own spiritual journey I like to accompany and to be accompanied. I like the fact that the pilgrimage is a metaphor for my life.”
This accompaniment to – and by – others on the same route plus a willingness to listen to and interact with them seem to be essential to the pilgrim’s journey. “We can’t have all the answers,” said Sheridan. “We are open to what God might show us.”
Friday morning pilgrimages from Oriel y Parc to St David’s have now finished for 2024 but will start again in spring 2025. We’ll be publishing a reminder about them early next year.
Contact details: Janet Ingram
