The walk begins at St Andrew’s Church, Wanborough (SN4 0BZ) and ends at St Mary’s Church, Purton (SN5 4EB), passing through the middle of the large town of Swindon, with its designer outlet shopping centre and fading town centre.

The bulk of the day’s walking is on tarmacked paths through the suburbs and centre of Swindon, whilst the beginning and end of the day are on country footpaths.

On route we will visit a number of churches including: St Timothy's, Liden; St John's, Parks; Christ Church, Old Town; St Mark's, Newtown; Pattern Church; St Mary's, Lydiard Tregoz; All Saints, Lydiard Millicent.

Accessibility: This route has some lovely accessible parts particularly from St Timothy's, Liden to Lydiard Tregoz..

Distance: 12 miles

Duration: 5 hours, not including breaks

Level of difficulty: Easy

Maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer 170, 169

Car parking: A car park exists right next to St. Andrew’s Church, Wanborough, although gates locked at night time. Limited on street parking at Purton Church.

Railway station in Swindon centre.  Extensive bus network in Swindon urban area, but limited services to Wanborough and Purton (see www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk/, https://www.swindonbus.co.uk/, https://www.stagecoachbus.com/)

Refreshments:  Cafés and pubs in Swindon, café in Lydiard Park, pubs Lydiard Millicent and Purton.

Toilets: Portaloo at St. Andrew’s, Wanborough,  Christ Church Swindon, Swindon town centre, Designer outlet, Lydiard Park and at Purton Church..

Route Map: There may be some minor changes to the route as the date approaches, but to help you in your planning you can see the expected route with maps and detailed walking instructions here.

View map and instructions here

OS Route available here

The walk begins at St Mary’s Church, Purton (SN5 4EB) and ends at Malmesbury Abbey (SN16 0AA). The first abbey was founded by St Aldhelm in the 7^th century, and the current 12^th century building is the third abbey to stand on this site.

The first half of the route is along footpaths and bridleways to Ravensroost Wood, which is a good place for a picnic lunch. The second half is mainly on quiet country roads, following the North Wessex Way (the historic route between Oxford and Bristol) through Garsdon and Milbourne, before walking through the historic town of Malmesbury to arrive at the Abbey.

Accessibility: This route requires good mobility as there are lots of paths that are not accessible to wheelchair users.

Distance: 14 miles

Duration: 6 hours, not including breaks (depending on the ground conditions, as the bridleways can be very muddy at certain times of the year)

Level of difficulty: Easy, but long

Maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer 168, 169

Car parking: limited on street parking at Purton Church, long stay parking in Malmesbury at Station Road Car Park (SN16 9QY)

Public transport: see www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk/

Refreshments:  cafés and pubs in Purton and Malmesbury, Malmesbury Abbey café. No amenities along the route, except for some benches in Ravensroost Nature Reserve.

Toilets: Purton Church, Garsdon Church (when open), Malmesbury Abbey, Malmesbury Town Hall.

Suggested websites:

    St Mary’s Church, Purton www.stmaryspurton.org.uk/

    Ravensroost Wood          www.wiltshirewildlife.org/ravensroost

    Garsdon Church              www.woodbridgegroup.co.uk/garsdon/

    North Wessex Way          www.northwessexway.co.uk/

    Malmesbury Abbey           www.malmesburyabbey.com/

Download full route with maps and details instructions

OS Route available here

Today we start from Malmesbury Abbey and will make our way through the North Wiltshire countryside passing through a number of village parishes and finishing our walk in Chippenham where we will overnight at St Paul's Church. This will be the longest daily section of our route covering 15.3 miles so come prepared.

You can view the route sections using the links below:

Malmesbury to Great Somerford  4.8 miles

Great Somerford to Seagry  1.6 miles

Seagry to Christian Malford  2.3 miles

Christian Malford to Kellaways  2.2 miles

Kellaways to Tytherton Lucas  1.1 miles

Tytherton Lucas to St Andrew's Chippenham  2.5 miles

The final part of the walk will be from St Andrews to St Pauls which is 0.8 miles.

On the way we will pass the churches of St Peter and St Paul, Great Somerford; St Mary the Virgin, Seagry; All Saints, Christian Malford; St Giles, Tytherton Kellaways; St Nicholas, Tytherton Lucas; St Andrew, Chippenham; and St Pauls, Chippenham

Accessibility: This route requires good mobility as there are lots of paths that are not accessible to wheelchair users.

OS Route available here

Chippenham to Marshfield Route

The route starts from St Paul's Church in Chippenham and will make its way across Chippenham to the beautiful small church of St Nicholas, Hardenhuish. The walk will then move to St Peter's, Frogwell where we will be invited to share in a school assembly before heading out across the countryside to Biddestone where we will visit our second St Nicholas Church of the day. We will then head for St Margaret's Church, Yatton Keynell where we will be hosted for lunch at our halfway point. After eating we will walk across country to Marshfield passing the closed church of St John's in Ford, and stopping briefly at St James the Great, North Wraxall. 

Accessibility: This route requires good mobility but the section from St Nicholas Hardenhuish to Biddestone is accessible for wheelchair users.

This is one of our longest walks at just over 14 miles.

A detailed map of the walk can be found here:

OS Map of the route

Practical Details

• Distance: ~22 km (14 miles)

• Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours at a moderate pace, excluding stops.

• Start/Finish: St Paul's, Chippenham → St Mary’s, Almondsbury.

• Terrain: Level suburban footpaths, small rural roads, tracks and pathways.

• Stops: St Nicholas, Hardenhuish; St Peter, Frogwell; St Nicholas, Biddestone; St Margaret, Yatton Keynell; St James the Great, North Wraxall.

• Equipment: Comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, small backpack, water, optional prayer or reflection notes.

Day 6 - Downend to Almondsbury

Walking route details

Leaving Christ Church, Downend, we will pass Frenchay Parish Church which serves a village once known for its Quaker heritage and grand estate. From there we will walk along the Frome Valley to Hambrook where we will be hosted by Hambrook Sports Club.

Nearby, we will call in at Hillside House, the offices of the Bristol Diocese for refreshments, meet some of the staff and a focus on prayer for the work of the Diocese or Bristol.

The route then heads west, navigating a landscape that illustrates a century of urban growth. We pass through suburbs built from the 1930s through to the 2020s, where modern housing is tightly interwoven with the Bristol ring road,  M4 motorway and the main railway line.  Despite this, our route is designed to stay off main roads, using quiet residential streets and green spaces.

We reach St Michael’s, Stoke Gifford, adjacent to Bristol Parkway station.  Continuing through the mid-century developments of Patchway, we visit St Chad’s, a church established to serve the community during the post-war expansion of the local aerospace industry.

Climbing up to cross under the M5 and leaving Bristol North Fringes behind, we will descend steeply to our journey ends at St Mary’s, Almondsbury. This 13th-century church is famous for its lead-covered spire and its position on a high ridge with views across the Severn Vale toward the Severn bridges.

Practical Details

• Distance: ~17.5 km (11 miles)

• Estimated walking time: 4–5 hours at a moderate pace, excluding stops.

• Start/Finish: Christ Church, Downend → St Mary’s, Almondsbury.

• Terrain: Level suburban footpaths with some greenway tracks, with a significant climb and descent at the end to reach Almondsbury.

• Stops: St John the Baptist, (Frenchay), Hillside House, St Michael’s (Stoke Gifford), St Chad’s (Patchway), and St Mary’s (Almondsbury).

• Equipment: Comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, small backpack, water, optional prayer or reflection notes.

OS Map of the route

Our route today takes us through a rich variety of landscapes and communities, from rural villages to urban neighbourhoods, reflecting both prosperity and challenge.

Today's walk will begin at 9.00 am from St Mary's Church Almondsbury.

Leaving Almondsbury, we will walk through Easter Compton, where we will pause at All Saints Church. Dating back to 1170, this historic place offers a moment for rest, reflection, and refreshments before we continue our journey.

We then head onward until we pass beneath the M5, a major artery of travel and commerce, symbolising connection and movement across the region.

Our walk continues on to St Mary’s Church, Henbury. Here, we will reflect on Bristol’s historical links to the transatlantic slave trade, prompted by the presence of the tomb of Scipio Africanus—a reminder of a painful and complex shared history.

From there, we pass through the beautiful grounds of Blaise Park, with a short detour up to Blaise Castle, where we can enjoy stunning views across Bristol and the surrounding countryside.

After leaving the park, we will stop at Stoke Bishop Primary School, pausing to recognise the importance of education, community, and the role of younger generations in shaping the future.

Finally, arriving in Sea Mills, where we will gather for a special Deanery celebration.

(For those who are walking for more than one day there will be a special West African meal served in the evening.)

View the route on OS Maps:

OS Map route

Accessibility: This route requires good mobility for the first part as there are lots of paths that are not accessible to wheelchair users. However, the walk from St Mary's Church, Henbury through Blaise Castle grounds to St Edyth's Church, Sea Mills should be possible in a robust motorised wheelchair. Note that the first part of the walk will mean using the roads to access Blaise Castle from the church as the underpass from the church involves steps down.

South Bristol Deanery Pilgrimage Route 

Day 8 - The walk begins at the lock in Cumberland Basin (see 'pin' below) and ends at Christ the Servant, Stockwood.

Find the exact starting point on Google Maps

We will be passing along the vibrant North St, past Ashton Gate Stadium and on into the southern border of our diocese. The bulk of the day’s walking is on roadside paths through the suburbs of South Bristol, with a brief stretch on a dirt track through a nature reserve. On route we will visit a number of churches including: St Francis Church, North St, St Aldhelms, Chessels, St Peter’s, Bishopsworth, St Andrews, Hartcliffe, St Augustine’s, Whitchurch. 

Route details

• Distance: ~7.5 miles (+5 if walking the Portway) 
• Duration: 4 hours, not including breaks 
• Level of difficulty: Easy 
• Maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer 170, 169 

Accessibility: This route is accessible for wheelchair users.

Transport links

• Car parking: Limited on street parking along route. See local sites for details of permit restrictions. 
• Railway station along route at Parsons St.
• Extensive bus network in south Bristol area, (see First Bus website) 

Refreshments

Provided by churches along route as well as many cafés and pubs along North St.

Lunch provided by St Peter’s Bishopsworth 

Toilets

Available in all church stops as well as at Hartcliffe City Farm plus see Map of local toilets here

Route Map

There may be some minor changes to the route as the date approaches, but to help you in your planning you can see the expected route with maps and detailed walking instructions here.

OS Route Map

Day 9 - The Conclusion

For our final day we catch public transport from our overnight stay in Stockwood to St Mary Redcliffe church. Those joining just for the day will meet at St Mary Redcliffe Church from 8.30 am to register. From there we will walk a circuit around Bristol City Deanery passing by the Railway Station and all the new developments and heading in towards Castle Park. Leaving the City Centre we will head for Eastville via Old Market and Easton before turning back through St Pauls and up Cotham Hill, before finally descending to the Cathedral for evensong together. The final act will be a 'last supper' at St Stephen's Church.

Points of interest along the way:

• There are the seven saints of St Pauls murals that we will pass a couple of: https://inspiringcity.com/2023/02/13/the-seven-saints-murals-of-st-pauls-in-bristol/
• Then there are Reformation period martyrs and the Medieval “Be-well” cross at Cotham Parish Church - see ‘history’ here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotham_Church
• And St Jordan of Bristol with the beautiful icon in the Elder Lady Chapel in the Cathedral: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_of_Bristol
• There’s the windrush mural as well: https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/features/stories-windrush-generation/

View the route on OS Maps

OS Map of the route

Accessibility: This route is fully accessible for wheelchair users.