15.10.2011
Friends of Christ Church & St Patrick’s Cathedrals visit Hereford Cathedral
The annual Friend’s pilgrimage took place from 7 to 10 October, this year to Hereford Cathedral. Following an early start, 19 members of the Friends of Christ Church and St. Patrick’s Cathedrals set off for Hereford aboard the Stena Adventurer. A short lunch stop was made at Capel Curig near Betws–y–Coed in pouring rain before heading south past Shrewsbury and Leominster to our accommodation in the Green Dragon Hotel in Hereford. After dinner, the traditional service of Compline was lead by Canon Billy Marshall.
Following breakfast on Saturday morning, we were joined by two UK based members of the Friends and the whole party met up in Hereford Cathedral with members of the Friend’s of Hereford Cathedral for a guided tour and lunch, at which a donation to the Cathedral was made to the Dean by David Bockett. Following lunch, some of the party made the short trip to Haye–on–Wye, “The Town of Books”, where an enjoyable afternoon of book searching took place.
On Sunday morning we returned to the Cathedral, which was just across the road from the hotel for Eucharist after which we joined the congregation and Friends for coffee. We then travelled to Hampton Court Castle. The castle on the River Lugg, sits on meadows, backed by a steep wooded escarpment and surrounded by woodland and grounds. It was founded by King Henry in the early 15th century. The castle has passed through many hands and is now unoccupied, but is a venue for weddings and corporate events. The restored gardens provided an afternoon of relaxation, which was followed by dinner in the hotel.
Monday morning saw another early departure for a day of travel, interspersed by a stop at the Old Court Hotel, Symonds Yat for a short cruise on the River Wye and lunch. A drive northwards through the centre of Wales with stops at Builth Wells and Caernarfon saw us back at Holyhead for a late night crossing to Dublin aboard the Stella Nordica.
The usual gratitude was expressed to David Bockett who had organised the tour, and to Hugh McGarvey of McGinley’s Coaches of Donegal for his excellent and careful driving.