Q: When you say ‘we carry a cross to Walsingham’, what exactly do you mean?
A: As Christians and enquirers, we walk our Easter pilgrimage in recognition of Christ’s journey to Calvary and we celebrate his Resurrection on Easter Sunday. The cross we carry is over 6 feet tall and would be far too heavy for one person to carry alone. However, as a community (usually 3 at a time) we are much better equipped to carry our wooden cross along our journey as a mark of witness to those who see us, and as a timely reminder to ourselves of Christ’s Holy Week journey towards death and resurrection. Practically speaking, carrying the cross is very manageable for most since turns are short and communal. If you have any concerns about carrying and/or walking please email northern-leg [at] studentcross.org.uk and we’ll happily talk to you a little more about the details.

Q: Where will we sleep?
A: We sleep mainly on church hall floors (so sleeping bag and mat essential!) but we do spend one night, in pairs, at the homes of friendly parishioners who are kind enough to provide us with beds. Some halls have better facilities than others but we always have the bare necessities necessary to sleep safely and comfortably and be ready to walk the next day.

Q: Is everyone ‘super holy’? What if I don’t go to church regularly or still have a lot of questions? Can I still walk?
A: Every walker and every person we meet along the way is ‘holy’ because we have all been lovingly created by God. Northern is proud to be a welcoming and inter-denominational group of individuals who all walk for a variety of reasons. None of us are perfect and none of us claim to have all the answers. In fact, most of us keep walking in order to keep asking the same questions. You will not be judged on your church attendance or how well you can recite one prayer or another. All we ask is that you join us with and open mind and heart and we believe that God will do the rest.

Q: What happens when we arrive at Walsingham?
A: On Good Friday, the Northern Leg community retakes its place within the wider Student Cross pilgrimage. Having arrived, and laid our cross down alongside those of our fellow groups, we all begin our Good Friday liturgy together. The Easter weekend spent at the Shrine offers opportunities for more prayer, fellowship and celebration and is the focal point of our pilgrimage. Each year different legs take responsibility for different parts of the weekend and there are celebrations based around all the major Christian denominations. During your week on Northern Leg we will talk to you about what to expect at Walsingham and make sure that everyone feels included upon arrival.

Q: I have some more questions to ask – to whom may I direct them?
A: Northern Leg’s leader can be reached via northern-leg [at] studentcross.org.uk if there is anything of a sensitive or personal nature you would like to discuss. For more practical matters, please ask the Northern Secretaries via northern-leg [at] studentcross.org.uk and they will be happy to answer any more questions about the nature of the week.

Introduction to Northern Leg

Northern Leg's route

Find out more: Northern Leg website