Inthe Spring Programme 2018 I, Tony Finnegan, appeared as the leader of a walk to Worth Abbey on Good Friday 30 March. It was very much a last resort fall back option as the ramble list compiler really wanted a walk north of the Thames but as the copy date for the programme approached no nominations had come forward north or south of the Thames so I decided to volunteer for an oft repeated walk rather than see the Easter weekend pass with no St Francis Ramble.

In the event weather turned out to be very bad but ten ramblers were not deterred and we set out from Three Bridges for Worth Abbey at 10 30. I had my camera with me but weather conditions outside and lighting conditions in the Cowdray Arms where we spent the lunch time were not conducive to photography. So the following photographs are very much a last resort and the last four are rather better photographs taken by Antoinette .

As we walked along the route of the disused  Three Bridges to East Grinstead  railway line I spotted an opportunity to photograph the group behind me but by the time I was ready to shoot most of them had come alongside me so the photograph includes only the last few members of our group and a local jogger in the luminous jacket!!

Following the recitation of the Peace Prayer of St Francis Antoinette managed to line s few of us up for a photograph.

The trees in the forest around Worth were still bear following the winter frosts.

As I have said above lighting conditions in the pub were ruinous to photography so my photographs are very poor even after doctoring by Photograph and Microsoft Picture Manager

Note the absence of substantial food on the table. Booking a table would have required us to specify what each person wanted to eat and be paid for a week in advance and when we arrived we were told that without a booking, service would be too slow for us to eat before going to the service in Worth Abbey. So lunch was limited to nuts and crisps and for those who bought coffee a slice of cake costing £1.50!!

After the short walk from the pub along the grass verge of the busy Worth Road we approached the Abbey Church.

Although we have had many rambles to Worth Abbey this is the first time we have put up a photograph of the outside of the Church. An impressive 1980s design creates an excellent setting for divine worship and occasionally for musical performances and conferences.

In due time we trudged through the rain to Worth Abbey and took part in the Good Friday service.