AN ASSISTANT curate from Exeter diocese is leading a team walking the 256-mile coastal path from Land’s End in Cornwall to Cranbrook, in Devon, to raise money to build a church and community space in the new town of Cranbrook.
An assistant curate in the Broadclyst Team Ministry and Minister-in-Charge of Cranbrook, the Revd Jon Holder, is positive about the experience, which is the equivalent of climbing one-and-a-half Mount Everests. “It’s a whole lot of walking, but I totally believe it’s worth every blister,” he said at the start of the walk last week.
“Cranbrook is a great place to live but there’s no church building and very few community facilities. We have a real vision to build something that meets the needs of our community and share God’s love with them.”
Members of the congregation, walkers, friends, and locals are joining him for sections of the route. The Bishop of Exeter, the Rt Revd Mike Harrison, will be present on 31 May, and the Archdeacon of Exeter, the Ven. Andrew Beane, on Sunday 1 June. Supporters are following progress on a live tracker and daily updates on the church website.
Mr Holder spoke to the Church Times on Wednesday when he and his companions had just been met with a round of applause on arrival in Gorran Haven, a beach near St Austell Bay. A long day was in prospect, he said, encompassing 15.5 miles of “tricky terrain,” including a climb of more than 3000 feet.
“We’ll be doing a similar distance and height tomorrow. It’s the amount of ascent that has a draining effect, and it’s always harder coming down,” he said. “And we have another day next week which will be 6000 feet of ascent.” But he was upbeat, buoyed by the amount of support, the terrain and their vision for Cranbrook. “We have a real heart for the community. We love Cranbrook and want to bless it,” he said.
The walkers have met generous locals along the way who have made donations. “They give us a tenner or £20, or they take details so they can sponsor us when they get home.”
The group is scheduled to arrive at Cranbrook church, which currently meets at St Martin’s C of E primary school, on Sunday 1 June, after 18 days on the road. “We’re on Day Six. That’s a third of the journey,” he said, as he prepared to resume the walk. “We only have to do what we’ve done twice more. Brilliant!”