Come on a holiday with a difference this year! Take a week out from your stressed busy life and walk an ancient pilgrim route - through the glorious Tuscan countryside, on a Pilgrimage led by the Revd Kim and the Revd Penelope Swithinbank.

THERE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF SPACES STILL AVAILABLE - contact us soon to book.

THE VIA FRANCIGENA

This old pilgrim route goes from Canterbury, England, all the way to Rome. Archbishop Sigericus of Canterbury walked it in 994, and wrote down the names of the places he’d passed through. The route has been recreated so that you can follow in the footsteps of thousands of pilgrims over the centuries who have walked these ancient footpaths.

You will be walking through the gorgeous countryside of Tuscany; as you walk there will be time to reflect, to seek the Lord, to have time away from the busyness of everyday life. Sometimes be Spiritual Reflections and times of silence, but with Kim there too it won’t be silent all the way! And each evening there will be devotional times led by Kim and/or Penelope.

You will walk each day, but your bags will be magically taken on to the next hotel where we will all have dinner together in the evenings, and you will have many opportunities for tasting local wines and foods

The route is stunningly beautiful – we have already walked it and just loved it.From the ancient hill top villages to the refreshingly cool Roman-built swimming pool to achingly beautiful old churches and fabulous gelato …. this is a glorious opportunity for you to experience a vacation with a difference. courtyard

Dates:

September 7 – 14 2013

This is an 8 day holiday.

We arrive on day 1, walk from San Gimignano to Montalcino over the next 6 days

and leave on day 8.

COST – £1395 (HB)

All costs are per person, sharing a twin bedded room with private bathroom facilities.

You will need to arrange your own flights to Italy (Pisa airport is recommended but Rome works too),

local travel to San Gimignano and from Montalcino and also your own travel insurance.

Other extras are any drinks you require with dinner, and provisions/snacks for lunch each day.

Everything else is included, which makes it incredibly good value.

Once you have booked, we will send you the full details including what to bring with you,

and how to prepare for this walk – physically and spiritually!

For a daily itinerary CLICK HERE

We are using ATG of Oxford as our tour operators, but all your bookings and payments will be done

through Ministries By Design, so that it is very easy for you – we will do all the admin!

For more details of ATG:

http://www.atg-oxford.co.uk/pdf/trip/jfr.pdf

We are doing the guided walk in the Tuscan Hills – but with the Swithinbanks leading us,

rather than ATG guides! And the price has been negotiated to be really good for you

as part of the Pilgrimage, compared with the ATG guided walk price.

ATG book all the accommodations for us, move our suitcases each day, and provide route maps,

emergency backup and suggestions.

For centuries, Christians have walked to special places, to take time to be with God and allow God the time and space to work in their lives. A pilgrimage is a setting aside of one’s normal routine, and taking time to reflect on what the Lord is saying, and allowing the rhythm of the walk to give mental and spiritual refreshment. It is a physical expression of our spiritual journey with God; it is a time to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation in the company of others; and it is a desire to spend quality time with God in a new way.

It is a vacation with a difference. Come join us!

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” Jer. 6:16