WALSINGHAM AND WELLS

We've been to Walsingham several times in the past few years. The Friday lunch crew like it because The Shrine of Our Lady offers a traffic-free environment with beautiful gardens, a chapel for communion and a refectory for lunch. The drive was uneventful. Father Michael fell asleep as soon as we left Cambridge - but then he always does and Keith, our driver, had faith in his SatNav which led us further away the nearer we got. The new development since we last visited includes a reception area and visitor centre pictured below. On arrival, Michael celebrated mass in the St Augustine chapel, when we remembered dear friends who are no longer with us, including Michael, Len, David and Bill.
		We then moved over to the refectory, arriving just ahead of a large party from Cardiff so there was no waiting in line for the roast pork lunch or the salad alternative. The rest of our time at the Shrine was spent exploring the chapel, the grounds, the Visitor Centre and the village of Little Walsingham.  Pilgrims have made the journey to Walsingham from all over the world since the 11th century, not long after the Lady Richeldis had her vision of Our Lady in 1061. However, Henry VIII ordered the Shrine to be destroyed in 1538 as part of the Reformation and it was not until 1922 that the then Vicar of Walsingham decided to undertake restoration of the Shrine.
Walsingham is a truly holy place, whatever your persuasion, dating back to before the Norman conquest. Wells next to but actually nowhere near the sea - our subsequent destination - is a holiday resort with a huge mobile home park and a train to the beach. It's great for ice cream and fish and chips, although the consensus was that it was too early after lunch to indulge in the latter. One of our party was taken ill but happily the paramedics gave her the all clear. We counted them out and back into the coach and as usual there was one missing: Sunny Forbes Morgan no less. Eventually he turned up. As it happens our next trip is to the Crown Hotel in Wells not remotely close to the sea. It promises to be another great day out - as this was.