The Chevening Parkland Scheme embracing a wide area has resulted in an unexpected and very welcome improvement.

The footpath running east from Chevening churchyard runs directly to a lodge on a very busy road bend.

Thanks to the opening of new paths it is now possible to avoid walking along the road lacking a pavement by taking a loop using an original stretch of the ancient Pilgrims’ Way track.

The new directions after leaving Chevening are:

Stay on the way as it swings left, shortly before the lodge ahead.

Follow the path north at the side of Turvin’s farmhouse. Where the way turns to a junction bear left to continue north following a hedge (left). Ahead go up a steep slope to join the line of the ancient Pilgrims’ Way.

At once go right on the original PW to go through a farm gate. Keep forward with a panoramic view over the hedge (right). At a crosspath still keep forward. The way rises slightly before reaching a squeeze stile.

On the far side turn right to go downhill. The path passes the barns of Morants Court Farm (right) to reach the road. Cross with care to the pavement opposite and walk left.

Whilst the new route is a great and permanent improvement some may still wish to continue ahead at the lodge to visit the Eat ’N’ Mess cafe at Turvin’s Farm (open daily 8am-4pm). Beyond the gate to the main road turn left and pass the farmhouse gate (left) to follow the verge to the farmyard gate (left).

Good news from Hollingbourne in Kent.

The Dirty Habit next to the Pilgrims’ Way is due to reopen in 2026.

The pub was devastated by fire in the autumn of 2022.

The exterior restoration is nearing completion and in the New Year work will begin on the interior.

The reopening, expected late next year around the fourth anniversary of the fire, will see the inn offering accommodation as well as refreshment.

Formerly known as the King’s Head and The Pilgrims Rest Inn, the present name is a reference to the monks of Canterbury who once worked in the local vineyard.

Although the Dirty Habit site is claimed to date from Norman times, the surviving building is mainly early 17th-century.

A Pilgrims Way patch is now available from the Rochester cathedral shop.

The woven patch (71mm height x 53mm) is made from recycled yarn and has an easy iron-on backing.

The price is £6 but purchased online there is £4.99 postage charge.

Rochester Cathedral Shop is open Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 11:30am to 4pm.

Doggett’s Coat and Badge race was run today from opposite Hay’s Galleria in the Pool of London to Cadogan Pier in Chelsea. A number of vessels followed with former winners in their scarlet coats on board.

Sunday’s Quality Street Fair at Merstham saw large crowds on a very short stretch of the Pilgrims’ Way.

The annual event with stalls is the successor to a horse fair operating under an Edward III charter.

The Pilgrims’ Way runs down Quality Street which is named after the 1902 stage play Quality Street. This eventually gave rise to the Quality Street sweet tin.

Yesterday the coconut shy was giving Quality Street chocolates as prizes.

Many other stalls were offering refreshments.

At the end of the street a narrow passage carries pilgrims over the M25 and directly to the church on a hill.

The ancient church is open daily and warmly welcomes pilgrims with offer of a stamp and even tissues and chocolate if required.

Also available is basic accommodation in the church hall -a floor, kitchen and toilet. Booking via [email protected]

Soon after the beginning of the Pilgrims’ Way Stage 2 at Alresford the route follows Whitehill Lane to Bishop’s Sutton.

The lane is now temporarily closed due to the building of an industrial estate and a realignment of the road.

The one mile walk up Whitehall Lane is replaced for now by a 1.5 miles diversion:

On reaching the end of Tichbourne Down road bear left into Sun Lane. Follow this road (pavement on left) north to the railway bridge. Do not cross the bridge but go right to follow a footpath.

At the far end go right along Bishops Sutton Road (pavement on left) into Bishop’s Sutton.

There is a welcome suggestion that in 2027 the reopened Whitehill Lane should become a traffic free ‘green link’.

The good news now is that after walking the diversion you will find The Ship pub at Bishop’s Sutton reopened.

This week Tuesday to Friday there will be haymaking in the paddock, or meadow, on the northern side of Winchester Cathedral.

The site is where the Minster stood which preceded the cathedral and where St Swithun was first buried. His grave is marked.

This is an experiment started recently to nurture wildflowers and re-establish the meadow.

Bales of hay will be available to purchase.

‘Of all the tears that St. Swithin does cry, St. Bartholomew will wipe them dry‘, says today’s rhyme.

St Bartholomew’s Day, or Bartlemas, being 24 August is forty days after St Swithun’s Day on 15 July when the much quoted lines in Winchester are:

St Swithun’s day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
St Swithun’s day if thou be fair
For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.

So it’s the last of the forty days of rain or sun.

Diamond Geezer has been keeping a record with his Swithinometer.

There is a St Bartholomew’s church at Hyde Abbey on the edge of Winchester.

There is also one at Otford where the pilgrims, from Southwark and Winchester unite on the way to Canterbury.

An arm of St Bartholomew was in the care of Canterbury Cathedral from the 1030s until the 1530s. The monks accepted the relic from the Bishop of Benevento, near Naples, in return for a fine cope .

Bartholomew is one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus who first saw him under a fig tree.

The Ship in Bishop’s Sutton is reopening today at 10am.

Kelly Shaw, who grew up in nearby Winchester and worked in its pubs, is the new landlady of the village inn which is mainly late 18th-century but probably dates from the 1600s.

The Ship’s wine list is now entirely organic and the menu will follow the seasons. ‘You won’t find strawberries in winter here,’ insists Kelly who describes The Ship as ‘an all day pub in the truest sense’.

The food can just be described as affordable with snacks at £8 and small dishes £14. Coffee and pastries are available all day in the stables now called The Ship Studio.

The Ship opening times are Tue-Thu 10am-11pm; Fri & Sat 10am-11.30pm; Sun 12-10pm.

Pub food is available Wed-Sat 12-2:30pm & 5:30-9:00pm; Sun 12-3pm.

The Ship is on the Pilgrims’ Way at the corner of the main street and Church Lane which leads to the church.

The pilgrim stamp is obtainable from the church which has an unusual Norman beakhead doorway decoration.

Today Friday 15 August is The Assumption of Mary.

Once the day was known as Our Lady of the Harvest and today it is a holiday in many countries although in England now it is little noticed.

Upper Foyle in Hampshire is rare in having its 13th-century church dedicated to St Mary of the Assumption. This is probably because its patron at the time was Winchester’s St Mary’s Abbey, Nunnaminster.

It is interesting how important the doctrine was considered at that time since it was not finally defined, and the 15 August made a major holy day, until 1950. However, King Alfred the Great of Wessex (871-899) had made the day a holiday.

The 19th-century lord of the manor was Sir Hubert Miller who with his wife spent the autumn in Venice, winter in Rome and spring in Florence.

So he was home for The Assumption and saw that his church had the best vestments from Italy.

Sadly there is no Assumption celebration in the church today nor any service next Sunday.

But the church is usually open for pilgrims to see some of the vestments on display and the window featuring Winchester and Canterbury cathedrals.

Upper Foyle is on the Pilgrims’ Way out of Winchester between Alton and Farnham. Statues of saints are attached to the estate houses.