Ancient Paths, Modern Wisdom — a pilgrim walk through the timeless paths of Herefordshire

Walking the ancient pilgrim paths.

Pilgrimage has deep roots in both Wales and Herefordshire, where ancient churches, holy wells, and timeworn paths crisscross the borderlands. In Wales, pilgrim ways once led to St Davids and Bardsey Island, drawing seekers to places known as “thin” — where earth and heaven felt close. In Herefordshire, routes threaded through hidden valleys and ridgeways, linking villages and market towns with small rural churches like Huntington or Old Radnor. Today, these pilgrim paths are being rediscovered not only as routes of faith but as ways to reconnect with landscape, heritage, and personal reflection — a chance to walk slowly, breathe deeply, and step into the rhythm of those who walked before us.

A Pilgrim Walk through the Ancient Paths of Herefordshire with Kington Walks festival and Kington Parishes.

There are places where the land seems to hold memory — old lanes worn deep by centuries of footsteps, churches standing quietly in their stone patience, and paths that feel as though they are waiting to be walked. My chosen walk was booked through the fantastic local walking festival held annually here in Kington 'Kington Walks' - a grassroots walking organisation driven by local volunteers who share a love for footpaths, scenery, history and community. Kington is a hub for walkers: the Offa’s Dyke Path meets several regional trails here, making it an ideal base to explore dramatic landscapes. The group organises two annual walking festivals that showcase everything from rural vistas to industrial heritage, natural history, local arts, and the cozy character of village pubs. They also look after local footpaths, run health-walk schemes, and aim to offer a warm welcome to both newcomers and regulars alike. Ancient Paths, Modern Wisdom is one of those walks that invites you to step into that story...

Beginning at the atmospheric and secluded church of St Thomas a Becket in Huntington, tucked beneath the rise of Hergest Ridge, the journey unfolds gently: four miles of moderate walking, around two and a half hours of steady rhythm through the Herefordshire countryside.

Led by Canon Dr Sally Welch, the walk was less about covering distance and more about opening space — space for reflection, for listening, for noticing what the path itself might offer. Along the way, Sally shares stories of pilgrimage: how people once travelled these routes in search of faith, healing, or understanding, and how their footsteps linger in the earth beneath ours.

There are moments when the silence becomes the teaching — the crunch of leaves, the call of a bird, the pause by a boundary stone or hedgerow. At times the walk feels like moving through layers of time, the ordinary landscape suddenly threaded with something timeless.

At its heart, the walk is an invitation: to think about the paths we choose in life, the ones we return to, the ones we long for. It reminds us that pilgrimage is as much an inward journey as it is an outward one.

The walk closes as it begins, back at the church — but not before sharing a delicious home cooked meal with fresh vegetables from Fiona’s impressive garden and greenhouse at the beautiful Huntington Court. We ate together sharing stories with strangers from many different paths of life but now connected through the walk, that time of food and conversation grounds the experience, reminding us that pilgrimage is not only solitary but also communal: we walk, we pause, we share.

What lingers afterwards is a sense of connection — to the land, to history, to one another. These ancient paths remind us that wisdom is not only found in books or words but in the simple act of walking with awareness, of letting the way itself become the teacher.

The Setting & Starting Point

We met at St Thomas a Becket Church, Huntington a tucked-away jewel at the foot of Hergest Ridge. The church itself is beautifully quiet, ancient stones speaking of centuries of worship and reflection. It made a perfect place to gather, breathe in the cool morning air, and set off with a shared sense of purpose.

The Walk

We wound our way through rural Herefordshire. Canon Sally Welch guided us, sharing stories of pilgrimage: old ways and paths, how people in England (and Wales) walked as an act of faith, of penance, of seeking. We paused to look at landmarks, old footpaths, boundaries, the land itself: how the terrain shapes human life, and how human devotion has shaped the land in turn.

It was quiet in parts; birds, farmers, hedgerows, sheep. I found those moments just as powerful as the talking — when the walk became meditative. It felt like walking through layers of time: you sense the footsteps of many who’ve gone before, and despite all the centuries, those ancient paths still resonate. There was also discussion about what pilgrimage means today — spiritual benefits, social and psychological wellbeing, connection to place. It wasn’t preachy, more invitational: “how do you walk your path?”

Lunch & Practicalities.

We were advised to bring along a mid-morning snack and plenty of drinks — something we were grateful for once we set off at pace. The opening stretch was brisk, and by the time we paused, the simple act of eating outdoors made even the smallest bite taste restorative. There’s something about walking that sharpens both appetite and appreciation.

The real highlight, though, was the two-course lunch awaiting us at Huntington Court cooked by Fiona. We were expecting sandwiches but were greeted with salmon and homemade bread and fresh salad on a bed of lentils, delicious, far more than just a meal. Sitting together at the long table, we shared food and stories, letting the morning’s rhythm of movement give way to the warmth of conversation. Plates passed around, strangers beginning to feel like companions.

This closing moment transformed the walk into something richer — not only a journey through landscape, but a gentle weaving of community. The lunch offered both nourishment and pause, anchoring the experience in a way that felt deeply satisfying and grounded.

Lunch at the beautiful Huntington Court with home grown vegetables from the greenhouse and gardens.

Reflections: Ancient & Modern Wisdom

• Pilgrimage as metaphor and practice: what struck me was how pilgrimage is many-things: a journey in outward steps, sure, but also inner. The walk encouraged reflection: where am I walking in life? What paths do I choose or avoid?

• Connection to land & history: being in Herefordshire, near Hergest Ridge, the landscape feels alive with history. Old churches, ancient boundaries, hidden paths — they tell stories of belief, struggle, community.

• Community & presence: walking with others, sharing silence and conversation, breaks open what solo walks sometimes cannot. There’s something powerful in collective movement, in listening to others’ insights.

• Modern relevance: mental health, spiritual wellbeing, slowing down, being present — these are not new needs, but perhaps more urgent now. Ancient paths remind us that people before us walked, rested, reflected, found comfort in walking as practice. We do too.

  

You can walk from here to the Pilgrim path that starts at St Stephen’s Church, Old Radnor, I plan to do this walk myself soon and I’m already excited. I want to capture something of what draws me to walks like these — history, beauty, silence, question. St Stephen’s stands in Old Radnor on a site sacred for centuries. With its medieval screen, ancient font, and an organ case from around 1500, even the church building feels like an echo of many who’ve walked, worshipped, and reflected here before. I imagine starting there early in the day, breathing in the quiet, letting the peace of the place ground me.

Then the route will take me through the countryside: lanes and fields, hedgerows, maybe glimpses of Radnor Forest, climbing and descending, the slow rhythm of footsteps and breath. There’s likely to be views over hills, old castle earthworks, perhaps the sense of stepping through layers of time.

You can find all the local Pilgrim paths here