St.Olav’s Day walk/ pilgrimage - Monday 28th July

Dear friend/colleague

We are having our annual St.Olav’s Day walk/ pilgrimage again on Monday 28th July (Part 1) and Tuesday 29^th July St. Olav’s Day (Part 2) –celebrating both St. Olav (Olav Haraldsson, the Patron Saint of Norway) – and Wirral’s (and the North-West’s) great Viking Heritage.  The main St Olav walk is in Norway, but if you are not fortunate enough to be there why don’t you join us instead?

This year for the first time we are going the whole way from St. Bridget’s Church in West Kirby to St. Olave’ in Chester, and over 2 days:

Part 1: (28^th) from St. Bridgets to St. Mary and St. Helen in Neston (approx. 8-9 miles)

Part 2: (29^th) from the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port, & along the scenic Shropshire Union Canal to the Chester City Wall and then to St. Olave’s Church on St. Olave Street - then we will be off to the hostelry across the road (also 8-9 miles).  Both the start and finish on both days will not be far from railway stations (about 10-15 minues walk) to get you back to either West Kirby or Ellesmere Port.  Ample (and free parking) is available at the Waterways Museum.

You can come on either or both days of the walk – and you don’t have to do the complete distance on either day.  We would like to stress that in common with the main walk in Norway, all walkers come at their own risk – we only provide a guide.  If you would like to come please could you let me know by replying to this email by Saturday 26th July 4pm so I can give the police an idea of numbers.  Please could you also read carefully the details on this websites:

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/-sczsteve/Olsok_Part1.htm

and

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/-sczsteve/Olsok_Part2.htm

Although the St. Olave’s church building is not currently used for Services (it is presently used as an Archive for the Cheshire Records Office) the annual walk is important as it helps to keep away the developers from this historic building.

This years walk coincides with the arrival of the Viking Ship Draken Harald Harfagre to West Float Wallasey (18^th July – 3^rd August): http://www.lvrc.co.uk/

All best wishes

Steve Harding

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Stephen E. Harding, DSc RFOO (Norway)
www.nottingham.ac.uk/Biosciences/People/steve.harding