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+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · The Birmingham Oratory

In the Footsteps of St. John Henry Newman

Cambridge, Walsingham, Birmingham, Maryvale, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford and London

Nine days with the saint who was received into the Church at Littlemore, from the Oratory and Maryvale in Birmingham to Oxford, by way of Walsingham and the martyrs of London.

Departures

Current Tours to England & Scotland

Upcoming departures to England & Scotland. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Eight stops between Cambridge and London

Cambridge, Walsingham, Birmingham, Maryvale, Stratford-upon-Avon, Oxford, Windsor and London.

Itinerary · EU_GB-9D-01

The St. John Henry Newman Itinerary

This nine-day route is the only one of ours built around a single saint, and it reaches the places in England that Newman made his own. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

DAYS 1–2

Arrival and Cambridge

Photograph to come · The Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cambridge
The Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, Cambridge
Day 1

Departure

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to England. Dinner and breakfast are served during the flight, and the group travels together from the first evening.
Day 2

Arrival and Cambridge

Our escort meets the group on arrival and travels with us by motorcoach to Cambridge, where there is time to rest and settle in before a welcome dinner opens the pilgrimage.Overnight in Cambridge.
DAYS 3–4

Walsingham and the Birmingham Oratory

Photograph to come · The Birmingham Oratory and the shrine of St. John Henry Newman
The Birmingham Oratory and the shrine of St. John Henry Newman
Day 3

Cambridge, Walsingham and Birmingham

A walking tour of one of the oldest universities in the world, and the Church of Our Lady and the English Martyrs, which remembers the Catholics executed between 1535 and 1681. We travel on to Walsingham for the Holy House and the Slipper Chapel, and celebrate Mass at the shrine.Dinner and overnight in Birmingham.
Day 4

The Birmingham Oratory and Maryvale

A day given entirely to St. John Henry Newman. We tour the Oratory he founded in 1849 and the national shrine where he lived for decades and wrote his great defences of the faith, and celebrate Mass there. We continue to Maryvale, where he established the first English Oratory in 1848.Dinner and overnight in Birmingham.
DAYS 5–6

Stratford-upon-Avon, Blenheim and Oxford

Photograph to come · Blenheim Palace at Woodstock
Blenheim Palace at Woodstock
Day 5

Stratford-upon-Avon, Blenheim and Oxford

We visit Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, and celebrate Mass at the Church of St. Gregory the Great. The road to Oxford runs through the Cotswolds, and we stop at Blenheim Palace, where Winston Churchill was born.Dinner and overnight in Oxford.
Day 6

Oxford, Tolkien, Lewis and Newman

Wolvercote Cemetery, where J.R.R. Tolkien is buried, and Mass at his own parish church of Saints Gregory and Augustine. A tour of Oxford takes in the grave of C.S. Lewis, Trinity College and Christ Church Cathedral, and we stop at Littlemore, where Newman lived four years and was received into the Church.The afternoon is free. Dinner and overnight in Oxford.
DAYS 7–9

Windsor and London

Photograph to come · Tyburn Convent and the Altar of the Martyrs
Tyburn Convent and the Altar of the Martyrs
Day 7

Windsor and London

Mass at the Oxford Oratory Church of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, then the road to London by way of Royal Windsor, with the town, the State Apartments and St. George’s Chapel. We reach the capital in time for Westminster Abbey, coronation church of England’s kings and queens.Dinner and overnight in London.
Day 8

London and the Tyburn Martyrs

A tour of London takes in Parliament, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace, then Mass at the Brompton Oratory. At Tyburn Convent we pray at the Altar of the Martyrs, and we see St. Paul’s, the Tower and the chapel where St. Thomas More rests.Farewell dinner and overnight in London.
Day 9

Return Home

With hearts renewed by the intercession of Our Lady of Walsingham, St. John Henry Newman and the martyrs of England, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
Littlemore, OxfordThe cottages where Newman waited and studied, and where he was received into the Catholic Church on a wet October night in 1845.
Photograph to come
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
The great east window arch of the ruined priory at Walsingham
The ruined abbey at Walsingham
Photograph to come · Maryvale and Britain’s first public shrine to the Sacred Heart
Maryvale and Britain’s first public shrine to the Sacred Heart
Photograph to come · The Church of St. Gregory the Great, Stratford-upon-Avon
The Church of St. Gregory the Great, Stratford-upon-Avon
Photograph to come · Newman’s rooms at Littlemore
Newman’s rooms at Littlemore
Photograph to come · St. George’s Chapel, Windsor
St. George’s Chapel, Windsor
Photograph to come · The Brompton Oratory, London
The Brompton Oratory, London

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to travel to England and Scotland?

Groups travel from April through October. May, June and September bring long daylight and the most settled weather, July and August are the warmest and busiest months, and the north can be cool and wet at any time of year. Walsingham and the London shrines receive pilgrims all year round.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for England and Scotland?

United States citizens need a passport and do not need a visa for a short stay, but every traveller must obtain a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation before departure. Each pilgrim, including children, applies through the UK ETA app or gov.uk, currently 20 GBP, usually approved within minutes and valid for two years or until the passport expires. It is an entry requirement rather than part of the tour package.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to England & Scotland?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

    Where You Would Like to Go

    Destinations of interest (check all that apply)

    These are some of our most popular destinations, but we build CUSTOM ITINERARIES anywhere in the world. If you do not see your destination, tell us below.

    Italy, Rome and AssisiFrance, Lourdes and ParisPortugal and FátimaSpain and the Camino de SantiagoPortugal, Spain and France togetherGreece and TurkeyThe Holy LandEgypt and Mount SinaiPoland, Prague and Central EuropeMedjugorje and the BalkansIreland and the United KingdomMexico and Our Lady of GuadalupeArgentinaPeruJapan, Nagasaki and AkitaUnited States and Canada shrinesA pilgrimage cruiseSomewhere else, or not sure yet

    When

    Group Size and Budget

    Complimentary places are arranged based on the size of your group. Let us know how many you expect so we can request them from our suppliers from the start.

    A Few Last Details

    Would you like sample itineraries emailed to you?

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