Day 14: Clitheroe to Blackburn

One of the harder days of the Roses pilgrimage has been saved for the end. We head out of Clitheroe past former cotton mills, which once dominated the town, following the river Ribble south before crossing at Mitton bridge to Great Mitton church. We need to take great care walking along the main road to Lower Hodder Bridge before we follow a quieter road up to Stonyhurst College, a leading Catholic boarding school. There is tight security at the school, so we will need to keep together for lunch, a guided tour of its museum and historic library followed by Mass in the Sodality Chapel. In the afternoon we walk back downhill to cross the Ribble again and continue South through hilly open country to St Peter's Salesbury and the outskirts of Blackburn. The final section through Blackburn involves a long, steep hill up and then down to the cathedral before we follow busy roads out to St Luke's Blackburn, our final church.

Pilgrimage Newsfeed - Day 14

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Trinity Methodist Church, Clitheroe

Aidan the human arrow. veronique garnier-clair

Are these boots dry yet? We've got a long walk to do... veronique garnier-clair

What's happening in and outside Clitheroe church ...... veronique garnier-clair

All Hallows, Great Mitton

Front marker being welcomed to All Hallows Great Mitton Aidan Simons

All Hallows Great Mitton Aidan Simons

All Hallows Great Mitton Aidan Simons

All Hallows Great Mitton Aidan Simons

St Michael window at All Hallows church, Great Mitton Michael McCabe

Close up of St Michael at All Hallows Church, Great Mitton Michael McCabe

Tiles at Great Mitton Aidan Simons

Sir Richard Shireburne at All Hallows Church, Great Mitton Michael McCabe

Aidan playing peekaboo with Sir Richard Shireburne at All Hallows Church, Great Mitton Michael McCabe

Lower Hodder / Cromwell's Bridge

Cromwell's Bridge Aidan Simons

Stonyhurst College

Observatory and front marker at Stonyhurst Aidan Simons

St Peter's Church at Stonyhurst Aidan Simons

St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits, was struck by a cannonball May 20, 1521, during the Battle of Pamplona, leaving him with a lifelong limp Michael McCabe

Garden at Stonyhurst School Claire Glover

Croquet equipment, Stonyhurst School Claire Glover

Stonyhurst School Claire Glover

Pilgrims gather John Chenery

A precious medieval cope John Chenery

Close-up of the historic cope in the museum at Stonyhurst Aidan Simons

St Thomas More’s nightcap Marie Drakes

Thomas More's nightcap Aidan Simons

In one of the historic libraries John Chenery

Treasures in the Bay Library Aidan Simons

Relic of St Thomas More Marie Drakes

The Bay Library, Stonyhurst College Julian Glover

Book Hospital, Stonyhurst Claire Glover

Our knowledgeable and passionate guide, Tim, had our full attention Aidan Simons

The "square" library has very high shelves John Chenery

On our tour of Stonyhurst's museum Aidan Simons

The birds and animals aren't stuffed (as in modern taxidermy) but stretched over a frame, and they are quite remarkable. Aidan Simons

The Sodality Chapel for mass John Chenery

In the Sodality Chapel John Chenery

Sodality chapel Thomas

Altar in the Sodality Chapel Aidan Simons

Advice for pupils at Stonyhurst Francis O Sullivan

Anne puts an arrow on the Lady statue at the end of the Stonyhurst avenue Michael McCabe

Stonyhurst College Thomas

Last view of the River Ribble Aidan Simons

Dinckley

Saint Peter, Salesbury

Michael leads the sheep, after Salesbury Aidan Simons

Where’s Aidan? (approaching Blackburn) Michael McCabe

Here’s Aidan! Michael McCabe

Tree growing out of an old post, Ramsgreave Aidan Simons

Outskirts of Blackburn, nearing the finish Julian Glover

Mosque on our route into Blackburn. We remember our Muslim friends in prayer this Friday. Aidan Simons

Blackburn

Michael leads us to Blackburn Cathedral Aidan Simons

There front markers at the cathedral Aidan Simons

St. Luke with St. Philip, Blackburn

A nice place to sleep Aidan Simons

John hoping in vain for an early dinner so he can get to the pub to watch Crystal Palace Claire Glover

Chris, testing out tomorrow's pudding Claire Glover