I arrived at Bishop Auckland train station on Tuesday May 16th, and rode to the little church in the village of Escombe. Like many churches, it was renovated in the Victorian era, though the church itself, gives an idea of the early church before the Norman conquest.

Next I headed to Bishop Auckland, and after the overnight stay, rode onwards to Durham. The weather was dry and mostly sunny, and I walked along the river Wear and then up to the cathedral itself. The first sight, was a large grass lawn and in the middle were some tents with young people sat together chatting. I made an enquiry and was told that they were groups from Jewish and other Middle eastern backgrounds making a protest about the troubles, and that a peaceful resolution needed to be addressed. Then went on into the cathedral and walked by tombs of Bede and Cuthbert. There was also a window with a modern reflection of the comunities in the area, mining etc.

From Durham, I rode on towards Edmundbyers, mainly along a disused railway line, passing by small villages and churches, some offering a tea or coffee for the pilgrim. Then to conclude the route, arrived in Hexham on Tuesday 21st, weather becoming more cloudy with some rain now and again. At the hostel near by, I had breakfast with a group of walkers from Holland. They were eating left over pizza and I offered them some of my porridge & chopped apple, which one or two ate.

The Abbey and cript was the main focus in Hexham, and staff I thought friendly and happy to answer questions. The original founder was monk Wilfred, who after visiting Rome had the vision of a monastery to be set up in the area. Local builders were found and the materials collected from disused Roman buildings. The current building has many eras  (1000 years+) of rebuiding and additions, reflecteded in the Roman writing in the cript, Anglo-saxon stone work to the nave built in the early twentieth century.

The Night Stair, Hexham Abbey.