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The Way of St Oswald
  • Chris Headon
  • Chris Headon

The Way of St Oswald

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  • 旅行の開始
    2026年6月12日
    Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者

    I'm off again!

    6月6日, イングランド ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    The FindPenguins app tells me that it's 6 days to go!

    Where to this time?
    This time I'm heading back to Lindisfarne, but from further south.
    This is St Oswald's Way.

    This is what the British Pilgrimage Trust has to say about St Oswald's Way:
    This route follows the trajectory of the great battle king Saint Oswald, born in the early 7th century. You start at Heavenfield, where Oswald erected a wooden cross under which he prayed before defeating the Welsh and Mercian forces in a decisive battle that allowed him to take control of Northumbria, a very powerful kingdom at the time. He suffered a terrible fate, and his severed head was eventually buried with Cuthbert, perhaps first at Lindisfarne, where this route ends. The church built over that fateful spot at Heavenfield seems to feel pivotal in its placement both in the landscape and in Christian history. After all, King Oswald was the great benefactor of St Aidan, who founded the monastery at Lindisfarne.
    The scenery is stunning – following almost the entire length of the Northumberland Coast Path. You will visit castles at Warkworth and at Oswald’s royal seat of Bamburgh, Norman churches, medieval abbeys, neolithic sites with rock art, gentle remote villages, sites of special conservation and meet much wildlife, especially birds. The journey traverses diverse landscapes of farmland, heather moorland, sandstone crags and sublime coastline. A particular charm of this route, because of the low visitor numbers and low-density population in Northumberland, is that despite this rich offering you will meet very few walkers compared with elsewhere in Britain- a fact that belies the route’s extreme beauty.

    Why am I doing it?
    Spending quality time with Jesus (in a stunningly beautiful place) is enough of a reason!

    It is a privilege to be able to do this, and even more of a privilege to be able to share it with others through this medium.

    For those of you who pray, I ask your prayers that God will lead me and challenge me to walk in His way as I travel with Him; and that He will use me to encourage others as I journey.

    I pray that God will bless you, as you follow me on this adventure.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者

    Off to the north

    6月12日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Packed and ready as I'll ever be.
    Change at Birmingham; change at Newcastle...
    Who I will meet along the way; whether it's raining, windy or maybe even sunny... is not for me to control, but I was reminded twice yesterday of Psalm 139v5 (NLT)
    "You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head."
    What more could I ask?    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Chesters Bridge at Chollerford on the River North TyneBrunton Turret on Hadrian's WallApparently the original village of Wall was built using stone from Hadrian's WallOn the drive of the B&B

    Evening (5mile) wander

    6月12日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Having been picked up, in Hexham, by Harry (my host at the B&B) and driven to show me the start of St Oswald's Way and Chesters Bridge at Chollerford; I sorted out my things for tomorrow and took a walk down to the bridge in the early evening sunshine (and wind!)
    Downhill all the way of course means uphill all the way back!

    The bridge was built in 1785 and designed by Scottish architect Robert Mylne, who also designed Blackfriars Bridge in London.
    On the way back up, I made a quick visit across a field to Brunton Turret, which is preserved as part of a section of Hadrian's Wall near Chesters Roman Fort.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    St Oswald's church

    Walking in step with Jesus

    6月13日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 12 °C

    I know who goes before me
    I know who stands behind
    The Lord of heaven's armies
    Is always by my side

    (Chris Tomlin: Whom shall I fear?)

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    23Errington Coffee House ahead!

    Along Hadrian's Wall

    6月13日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    This morning's walk was relatively short and easy walking.
    The views on both sides of Hadrian's Wall are spectacular. Everywhere is so green! What a pleasure to be able to enjoy God's wonderful creation at a leisurely pace!
    I met a few people, mostly walking along the Wall, rather than St Oswald's Way. Many were travelling east to west, so had the strong wind against them. I had the advantage of a tail wind to cheer me on my way 😊
    I arrived at the Errington Coffee House, and can recommend their lemon meringue, shortly before reaching my accommodation for the night.
    I now have an afternoon to enjoy what I only glimpsed yesterday, as I'm told Hexham is the only place I'll get a main meal today.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    1Beautiful tapestry explained in the next two picturesBenchmark on the Abbey wallHexham Gaol house

    Hexham (take 2!)

    6月13日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    I have just spent a very pleasant afternoon taking in some of the sights of Hexham.
    The Abbey is beautiful inside and out. It has a history as a Benedictine Monastery dating back as far as the 600s. Much of it has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the years since.
    Following an interesting wander around the Abbey, I went to the old gaol house. The history of this place was gory and violent, despite it being linked with the Abbey, in that the judgements were made by the church. Most judgements seem to have depended on how much money the accused could pay!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Brown hareBeesOne of the few St Oswald's Way signs!Roe deer

    Halton to Hallington

    6月14日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    A lovely walk again today. The weather is near perfect for walking. I will be picked up in a while, to be taken to my accommodation. Meantime, I'm surrounded by swallows and house martins, sitting on a grassy bank, leaning on a beautifully built dry stone wall, with my backpack as a comfortable cushion!
    The hamlet of Hallington has about 3 farms, 2 houses and a manor house!

    The walk today has been very pleasant (though much of the signposting has been vague at best, and often non existent!) I ended up being very thankful for my St Oswald's Way map and my OS app, reaching my destination in good time. The wildlife has been both very varied and rather exciting included dozens of skylarks, curlew, hares, roe deer and even two swarms of bees sitting comfortably in a tree!
    So special to be alone in God's creation!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Julie's beautiful garden!

    Hospitality!

    6月14日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Wow! What a lovely surprise!
    I was sitting at the roadside having posted my last footprint, when a lovely lady came out of her house (having driven past me) and invited me in for coffee and biscuits in her glorious garden. I spent a wonderful hour or so chatting with her, surrounded by the most spectacular flowers, and a family of young woodpeckers for entertainment.
    Hospitality at it's best!

    During this time I found out about Hallington:
    The name originates from the Old English meaning Holy Valley... documented in the early 13th century as Halliden. It was once a possession of Hexham Abbey.
    Hallington is one of the historically disputed sites for the 635 AD Battle of Heavenfield, where King Oswald of Northumbria defeated the Welsh King Cadwallon after erecting a wooden cross.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    1121

    Sunset scenes

    6月14日, イングランド ⋅ ☀️ 11 °C

    The place I'm staying tonight is a country pub. The views are spectacular in daylight but, as the sun began to go down, an evening stroll was a must!
    The 'castle' ruins just a five minute walk down the hill are actually the ruins of the building that housed two huge steam powered beam engines. These engines powered blowers that kept the fires of three blast furnaces roaring for the short lived Ridsdale Ironworks.もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    There IS a path there!1There is also a path here!Fabric track!Close up of the fabric track2A rare privilege to see a stoat12Skylarks were everywhere2The record for this church goes back a good wayA 'working' sundial! 😅🌞

    Hallington to Kirkwhelpington

    6月15日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Another fairly gentle day gave room for reflection and wildlife! Today brought me more skylarks and curlews and a beautiful stoat with prey. It also took me through a farm breeding horses. The horses themselves were so friendly and came towards me rather than shying away.

    One farm track I walked along felt very soft. I looked closely and realised it was made entirely of various pieces of fabric... scraps of carpet and the like.

    The route itself was mainly across farmland (and not particularly well signposted, or even visible at times!). But between the maps and apps, I arrived at the B&B without getting lost, and had time to leave my belongings and spend a very pleasant hour in the church.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    2
    Climb along the wall......or wade through this!

    Kirkwhelpington to Harwood Forest

    6月16日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Yesterday evening at the B&B was amazing! Another couple of people were staying, who were doing St Oswald's Way. They had started by doing St Cuthbert’s and continuing down (hence doing St Oswald's in the opposite direction). What a privilege to meet them and spend the evening (including a wonderful dinner supplied by our host) chatting and sharing our faith experiences together. Sometimes you simply bump into people and other times you really meet them. This was definitely the latter!

    Today's walk has not been easy. Firstly, I missed a St Oswald's sign, because a hedge had grown over it. As a result, I got to the wrong road. Because there are often simply Public Footpath signs instead of St Oswald's signs, I ended up in completely the wrong place. I realised by looking at the OS app and turned back. By the time I reached the right path (about 100 yards from the house) I'd walked 2 miles! Not the end of the world, but very thankful that it was only a short walk today, though much of it was on unmarked pathsI was picked up from the edge of Harwood Forest (where I start tomorrow) and brought back to where I stayed last night. I will be taken back there again in the morning.
    Having experienced the hospitality in this particular B&B, I'm definitely pleased to be staying a second night!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者

    Target achieved!

    6月16日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    Many of you will know that I had challenged myself to walk 14000 miles... the world's longest walkable path (virtually) since the start of 2020, before the end if 2026. I had recently realised I would finish it during my walk along St Oswald's Way, and today I did it! (I guess it makes those extra two miles this morning worthwhile!) 😅

    I am so thankful to God for my health and fitness, and for my energy.
    I remember well, that first tentative 50 miles in January 2020, for Global Care, that I wasn't even sure I could manage!
    I am thankful to God for those who've walked with me, and for those who've supported me along the way. 
    I am thankful for the places I've seen and God's amazing creation that has brightened my way and, through photography has enabled me to bring that same beauty to others (25000+ pictures!!! 😅)
    I am also thankful that, over 6 years 6 months, in peace (and quiet), I have been on a 14000 mile virtual walk praying God's Spirit as I 'walked through' some of the most troubled places in our world 🙏

    I will, of course, continue walking... any ideas for a (slightly shorter) challenge?!!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    2Northern Marsh Orchid1A well disguised path! 😅3Coquet Cairn

    Harwood Forest to Rothbury (in the forest)

    6月17日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    I was dropped off by car where I finished yesterday and set off on what should be my longest and most challenging day.
    A physically demanding day, mainly in very warm sunshine. My first view of the sea and some stunning scenery! I've taken way too many pictures, so they have to be whittled down 😅

    The morning through the forest started with a little drizzle, but that soon dried up. Sadly no sightings of red squirrels, but some of the forest pathways were enchanting, and some were, as ever, almost non existent!
    I came out at the top of the forest at Coquet Cairn, where I sat and enjoyed my lunch with a view of the sea and a strong wind at my back.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    1Painted Lady butterflyRoe deer

    Harwood Forest to Rothbury (Simonside Hills)

    6月17日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Once out of the forest, the sun was very warm (only cooled by the strong wind). The views were spectacular and far reaching. I met a few people on the paths. Most were doing local walks, but one or two were heading south on St Oswald's. All were very friendly (of course).
    I enjoyed the sound of skylarks all the way and was most amused when I startled a couple of red grouse! 😅
    Coming into Rothbury is straight down the hill and my B&B is straight up the other side!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Disused railway track
    1Common spotted orchids13Lambs lead the way 😅A very friendly lamb!The River Coquet

    Rothbury to Weldon

    6月18日, イングランド ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    An easier day today, especially following a really good night's sleep 😴!
    Still very warm though, and much 'wading' through long grass (plus thistles and nettles!) 😅
    The River Coquet, when I could see it, is a very pretty river. I think I saw considerably more of it from the taxi than I did when I was walking!
    This morning, along a shady track of a disused railway, gave me a very good opportunity for prayer and reflection and further along the way I met several friendly people. A small group I walked with for a while and caught up with at the Anglers' Arms, where I was finishing today's walk and they are staying. We were able, with the aid of maps, poles and helping each other over gates and fences, to get back onto the right path when, between us we had got onto the wrong side of a fence 🤔
    I also spent a good while chatting with a friendly local farmer, through whose farm the path went.
    At the end of the walk I enjoyed a lovely chat with the taxi lady, Sarah, who brought me back to the B&B (and will pick me up in the morning to restart the walk opposite the Anglers' Arms)    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Another overgrown pathWheat and barley togetherA banded damoiselleLunch stop... highly recommended1

    Weldon to Togston

    6月18日, イングランド ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    It's been quite a long day today. Breakfast was amazing, but I suspect I started the 'up and down' walking in hot sun too quickly, which resulted in indigestion.
    Thank you to those of you who were praying!
    By the time I reached Felton (and lunch) I was feeling considerably better. The route had taken me alongside the really pretty River Coquet.
    After lunch the weather was a little cooler. There was a pleasant breeze and the terrain provided slightly easier walking. I was able to spend some time praying as I walked and now have much to write in my notebook.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Towards the sea
    InlandSt Lawrence Church222On the beach2

    Togston to Alnmouth

    6月20日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 55 °C

    I've reached the sea! Not been for a paddle yet, but I did take a quick detour through the sand dunes to stand on the beach.
    The day started with a real mix of weather... it depended which direction you were looking! Towards the sea, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. Looking inland, the sky was black and you could see the rain.
    I walked between the two!
    As it happened, I stopped in the shelter of a barn to put the waterproof cover on my rucksack and, as a result, missed a heavy downpour in Warkworth!
    St Lawrence's Church (Much of which has survived since the 1100s) was worth a quick visit on my way to the St Oswald's panel.
    St Oswald's Way has now been joined by the very new King Charles III English Coastal path. This will now take me almost all the way to Lindisfarne.
    It's been lovely to see such a variety of birdlife, especially amongst the dunes... though skylarks on the beach... bonkers!
    My walk has taken me to Alnmouth and I have been taxied back to Warkworth to stay in the shadow of thr castle. Tomorrow morning I will be returning to Alnmouth to recommence my walk northwards.
    For those of you who remember it, the song "Fool's Wisdom" sung by Malcolm and Alwyn, has been buzzing round my head all day. Those of you who don't remember... YouTube!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    1This made me think of God's love!My companionsKittiwake cliff!

    Alnmouth to Craster (Dunstan)

    6月21日, イングランド ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    FindPenguins says, "What have you been up to?"... I guess 'walking' is the obvious answer, but it really has been a time for reflection too. I was reminded again this morning of Father Murray Bodo and the Pilgrim's credo:
    "I am not in control,
    I am not in a hurry,
    I live in faith and hope,
    I greet everyone with peace
    and I bring back only what God gives me."
    There have been many times as I've walked, that I've found myself focusing on various parts of that, but I've never really given much thought to, "I live in faith and hope."
    This last week I've been reminded about our God being a God of miracles and so those two things have, as I've walked above the glorious beaches and calm seas, been much on my mind this morning and have led me to worship and praise of Jesus, Miracle Maker, in whom I live in faith and hope.

    The morning walk through to Boulmer was on my own. After a restful stop for a cool drink, I was caught up by the group of friends who helped when we all managed to get the wrong side of the fence a few days back. We have bumped into each other at some point almost every day. Today we travelled together for much of the way into Craster.
    I stopped in Craster for a light lunch, before heading the mile or so inland to Dunstan, where my B&B is. It is called The Cottage Inn and I had to walk through a driveway in the woods. It is really beautiful! I'll try to get a picture later, to add to this footprint, but for the moment I'd like to stop.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    2
    1Looking towards the hills above WoolerInner Farne islandsBamburgh and Holy Island

    Craster to Seahouses

    6月22日, イングランド ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Last night, I was so exhausted from the heat, I made the decision to make today's journey by bus. A wise friend (who knows about these things!) said that pilgrimage is all about the journey. It doesn't have to be walking, just travelling onwards.

    So, I'm now in Seahouses and trying not to feel like I've failed.

    The weather is much more comfortable today (though I didn't fancy the boat out to the Inner Farnes in 15/16 mph winds this afternoon! 😅)
    So, now I've been 'bad'! 🙃
    I've had an ice cream AND a cream tea, but I've walked a little distance back down the coast path to stretch my legs, so I've not been ALL bad! 😅
    It's also given me the opportunity to visit a pharmacy to check out some tick bites I got at the end of last week (the first pharmacy I've actually seen along the whole coast!), which, thankfully, he said are showing no sign of infection 🙂

    Before I left this morning, I took a quick walk along the drive of the B&B I stayed in last night. I didn't have the energy to take pictures when I arrived, and I wanted to share how beautiful it was in the first three pictures. A real "hidden cottage in the woods"!    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者

    A new day

    6月23日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Yesterday was not an easy day.
    I felt very far from friends and family. Everything I'd planned, or wanted to do, seemed to be thwarted and that made the day frustrating.
    We all have days like that, but I'm reminded that, even through those difficult days, Jesus is still there.

    Psalm 118:24 (NLT)
    This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

    Today is a new day! It's a short, level walk.
    Those of you who pray, please pray that I will be very aware of Jesus walking beside me.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    A pyramidal orchid

    Along the beach

    6月23日, イングランド ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Having woken early, I took the opportunity to make an early start after breakfast and, because it was only three miles along the beach, arrived in Bamburgh before 10am. I will visit the castle and find some of the links with St Oswald, but more of that later.
    The easiest way to walk was along the beach; the dunes being lots of narrow paths of soft sand, through high grasses, uphill and down-dale! A calming walk, which I enjoyed very much.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    Swifts everywhere! 🙂Holy IslandSt Oswald's GateNorman keepThe ruined chapel3This view is basically the walk I did along the beach and through the dunes this morning

    Bamburgh Castle

    6月23日, イングランド ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    It felt right to visit the castle, as it was the seat of Oswald's throne.
    Like many castles and churches, it has been added to over the years and most of the original is no longer there.
    It has a beauty, though, and many, many stories to tell!
    One of the staff gave a fascinating talk this afternoon telling the stories of Oswald and his predecessors and the spread of Christianity in the kingdom of Northumbria; his links with St Aidan and St Cuthbert and the monks of Iona and Lindisfarne.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者

    Trust

    6月24日, イングランド ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Thank you for continuing to follow me and, especially, a huge thank you to those of you who are praying!

    Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)
    Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.

    At the moment I'm at the point of 'putting one foot in front of the other'. I'm really struggling with the heat, and it's nothing like as hot here as elsewhere, so I can only imagine how some of you must be suffering in it!
    I have made the decision to limit my walking to about 3 miles each day and use the local buses where I can (and a cab, where I can't)
    Interestingly enough, the 97 miles that I set out to walk, I have already completed and, even with using other transport, I will have walked well over 100 miles by the time I reach Lindisfarne.
    I'm generally sleeping well, although the attached picture was taken out of my window at 1.57am! Not quite the midnight sun (and not a very clear picture) The full sunrise picture was taken at 04.23 from the same window.    もっと詳しく

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  • Chris HeadonThe Way of St Oswald旅行者
    St Aidan's church, Bamburgh
    St Mary's church, Belford

    Bamburgh to Belford

    6月24日, イングランド ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    I walked to Waren Mill, as planned, pausing as I left Bamburgh to visit St Aidan's church (which, despite signs to the contrary, didn't appear to be open)
    The walk down to Waren Mill goes past the extremely tranquil nature reserve at Budle Bay. Barbra had promised that I would love Budle Bay and she wasn't wrong! I took several pictures, but none of them really does it justice. It is a local nature reserve in its finest glory.
    The bus (right on time) took me to Belford. I soon found the hotel (not difficult when it's pretty big and right beside the bus stop! 😅) and popped in to sort out my evening meal. I then went to the church and spent a reflective quiet time there before checking in at the hotel (and discovering that tonight I will be sleeping in a four-poster bed!) 🙃

    I have also managed to sort out my transport for Friday morning and to the station in Berwick on Saturday.

    It's been so much better today, with some time for reflection and quiet. Just what I needed!    もっと詳しく

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