A pilgrimage of sorts has been carried out by two cycling churchman who have notched up 1,000 miles visiting 29 cathedrals.
Father Philip North and pastoral assistant Peter Garvie were aiming to raise around £30,000 to help fund a hospitality suite at their church, St Michael’s in Camden, north London.
The pair cycled 70 miles a day and took in ecclesiastical landmarks including cathedrals in York, Liverpool, Coventry, Bristol, St Albans and St Paul’s. Like proper pilgrims, they took little with them except the clothes they were wearing and a few essential suppliers in their panniers.
When they arrived back they cycled up the aisle of their own church in the middle of Sunday mass, to cheers and applause.
During their ride, the pair had plenty of time to observe Britain through the eyes of cyclists, rather than churchmen, and came up with some interesting conclusions. The most cycle-friendly city, they concluded, was London (“thanks to Ken”) and the least was Birmingham, which only just beat Manchester.
Fr North said: “We learnt something about the power of hospitality. Almost without exception the cathedrals we visited offered a really warm welcome and we found that deeply honouring not just of the challenge but of the ministry of the church in Camden.
“We were also very deeply moved by the warmth of the welcome we received from those who put us up overnight. Many of them had never met us before but they welcomed us into their homes as if we were family.”
It's not too bad. Most just make enough to get by and make people have to accept waiting or a different color. They know people are going to be...
Yes, but they took a square route, which probably made the distance somewhat longer.
Indepent drivel: I like it.
Cycling for mind: Some seriously shit steering there.
I found Velocio Luxe mitts even higher quality than my Assos gloves. (Velocio's Luxe gloves are a step up from the Race mitts reviewed above.)...
I like this sales attitude! Old style UK deprecation. "There are better brands - but try our pedals. Some people like them."...
The world's biggest violin, meanwhile I'm playing the world's smallest
You would like to think that 7 might make it a bit harder to ignore but I'm sure there will be a good excuse
Perhaps he followed the suggested Shimano online anti counterfeit link and saw that Shimano's opening header says "... crackdown in China.."?
Especially the fat ones.