by Jonathan Thorndike (Author), Claudia Thorndike (Editor)
The Pilgrim's Way in England runs 140 miles on a chalk ridge from the Shrine of St. Swithun in Winchester Cathedral to the Shrine of St. Thomas a Becket in Canterbury Cathedral. The pathway passes through Hampshire, Surrey, and Kent Counties through a variety of terrain such as nature reserves, woodlands, villages, pastures, farms, and scenic byways. For hundreds of years until disallowed by King Henry VIII, pilgrims walked to Canterbury to have an adventure, to bring back a drop of Thomas's blood for a miracle, and to see the country. Inspired by Chaucer 's pilgrims and the deep traditions of English literature, Jonathan and Claudia Thorndike walked the Pilgrim's Way to learn about St. Swithun and St. Thomas, to stay in scenic rural villages, to process life changes, and to honor Jonathan's mother, Sarah Thorndike. The Long Walk to Canterbury: A Personal Journey is an unforgettable chronicle of a life-changing journey about the primal attraction of the road and surprises discovered along the way.