To go on a pilgrimage is to walk with a purpose. This one will aim to address (from a religious perspective) important issues which affect the Islamic Centre, Beckford’s Tower and Fairfield House, respectively.
Those arriving early enough will be shown round the Islamic Centre. From there we will follow the Cotswold Way, pausing outside Bath Abbey to reflect on the relationship between the building and some of those memorialised on its walls. The Cotswold Way winds through some iconic parts of the city before climbing High Common up via woods near Primrose Hill to the grotto at the end of the path leading to Beckford’s Tower (where we will reflect on the link to the slave trade with which it is associated). We will then walk along the south-facing ridge to Lansdown Racecourse (passing near the P&R) to the panoramic viewpoint at Prospect Stile.
From there we descend along the Cotswold Way (with more fine views) towards Lower Weston and our destination of Fairfield House (home of the late Emperor Haile Selassie), aiming to arrive by about 5pm for a short tour and liquid refreshment before gathering on the site of the chapel where Haile Selassie used to pray for some closing words from Ras Benji about the religious significance of the place.
N.B. An option for those who would find the ascent from the City Centre too steep will be to take the P&R bus from Milsom Street to the Lansdown Cemetery stop near Beckford’s Tower, and then join the pilgrimage by the grotto at the end of the path leading from Beckford’s Tower at about 2.30pm.
Details: meet at the Islamic Centre, 8 Pierrepont Street, BA1 1LA. The walk is nearly 8 miles up from the city centre to Lansdown, then down to Lower Weston, finishing at Fairfield House, 2 Kelston Road, BA1 3QJ.
There are toilets and shops at the start and toilets at the finish. This walk includes steep uphill, steps, stiles and kissing gates.
Well-behaved dogs on leads welcome.
Please bring your own picnic lunch/snacks, which we’ll have during the stop at Beckford’s Tower. There are public buses back from the finish to the centre (the X39 from Newbridge Road).
The walk leaders are from Bath Interfaith Group.
If you have any access queries, please contact Lucy on 07816 641 745 or info@bathscape.co.uk.
You can book your free ticket here – Pilgrimage
