The Long Walk: A Pilgrimage from Canterbury to Rome

Imagine walking 2080km from Canterbury to Rome, carrying a backpack and retracing one of the ancient pilgrimage routes of Europe. In medieval times the Via Francigena was an important route for pilgrims wishing to visit the sacred sites in Rome. Chaucer’s ‘Canterbury Tales’ captures something of the spirit of pilgrimage of that time, with its memorable characters and their adventures. Modern pilgrims still endure hardships. They also meet amazing and inspiring people and gain important insights into their own lives. Robert Muirhead accomplished the journey in three arduous stages over 2012–2014. Be with him as dead soldiers whisper of hope in a military cemetery in France. Experience his exhilaration when crossing the snowy Alps. Feel the power of music in the famous Hospice at St. Bernard’s Pass and in the ethereal singing of Sisters at Vespers in a tranquil convent near Rome. Suffer with him when he is ill and lost along the way.