Day 6: West Drayton to Tokyngton

Our final day, and we're woken early because some bright spark's turned the TV on. Groan! Turn it OFF! But no, there is logic...

The TV is showing the Pope arriving at Gatwick airport, being greeted by our Bishop, Cormac (Gatwick being in his Diocese).

Having seen that the Pope was on British soil added some extra drive to our pilgrimage as we started our final day's walk. Again we had a split Eucharist, starting in the Catholic Church of St Catherine

then processing with our banner to the Anglican Church of St Martin for the concluding rites.

And then we were off, on an amazing journey through west London. This heavily built up, quite industrial, area looks like a complete non-starter for a scenic walk, or for an off-road walk of any description, but Bill had planned a route which utilised the tow path of the Grand Union Canal for 10 miles and proved quite surprisingly peaceful.

This is Horton Bridge, soon after we joined the canal.

The graffiti was an eye-opener to some, but we were philosophical: after all, a pilgrimage isn't just a pleasant country walk, and we shouldn't shy away from the realities of life.

The were all sorts of industrial units beside the canal - not all as modern looking as this (and several derelict).

Canals have signposts too - like this one where the canal divides. We headed for Birmingham (little knowing that we would walk the other end of this canal some 18 years later).

As well as the greys of industry there were bright colours along the canal too.

Lunch was at the Civil Engineer at Northolt, close to the canal. Our future Chief Route Planner is seen here in his role as Beer Quality Controller.

The weather is hotting up as we study the map, working out just how Bill is going to get us to Wembley.

After lunch we pray at St Mary the Virgin, Northolt - a surprisingly rural setting.

Having left the canal, we climb Horsenden Hill, at 276' one of the highest points in West London, with a view to match (including our first sighting of Wembley Stadium).

As I said, it was hot now, and some pilgrims needed reviving (with a little help from our friend Patrick)

Down from Horsenden Hill, it's soon up again

this time to the top of One Tree Hill (significant enough to have a trig point). More important, it had a DRINK STOP. God bless those who carried the drinks up the hill.

And, as we descend from One Tree Hill, Wembley is definitely getting closer.

Come on pilgrims! Not far now!

For Julian, of course this is not only "home ground" but railway heaven. Here we're crossing the main LMS lines out of London, but we'd previously seen Piccadilly Line trains passing One Tree Hill.

And thus, we reach St Michael's Church Hall, Tokyngton, where we'll stay two nights. In what was an erstwhile tradition, we celebrate singing "Rise and Shine" - is this the animals going in "by two-sy, two-sy" or coming out by "three-sy, three-sy" ?