It promised to rain. But I have an umbrella. It was an early start (for me, anyway). But our house is only a couple of hundred yards away. The weather was looking iffier. But I wanted to go. So rainbow umbrella in hand, my most comfortable green shoes, warm yellow coat and blue gloves, (unlikely to get lost in a crowd, me), and off I set up the hill to Cookham Parish Church. Not my own church, St Elizabeth’s RC Church, but the Anglican one. Very ecumenical. We had been enjoined the previous Sunday by our priest to attend the Walk of Witness, or Good Friday Pilgrimage, which was organised by the Parish Churches of Cookham. The walk was from St John’s down to the Holy Trinity taking in a few landmarks (I would have said places of worship, but not all were,) on the way.

The focal point of each stop was a large picture of an event during Jesus’s walk to Calvary – I was expecting 14, as is customary for the Stations of the Cross, but here we had nine, all painted by members of a Cookham art class.

I arrived at St John’s not really expecting to know anyone, but also not expecting many people. I arrived at 5 to eleven, thinking I would be just in time (our priest had said 11) but I was early. The walk was actually going to start at 11:30. The day was getting sunnier, so I didn’t mind waiting. A few minutes later I ventured towards the church hall where I could see a few people gathering. I wanted to ask what was going on, but I didn’t have to. I was immediately welcomed with delicious real coffee and warm buttered hot cross buns. I was tempted to eat my fill and go home, but I didn’t. As I stood by the wall, watching the little hall get more and more crowded, I began to enjoy the atmosphere as people were friendly and chatty- it turned out that a lot of people didn’t know each other and so were willing to make friends.

At 11 25 there was a mad rush to clear the decks and we all stepped outside to start our own Via Dolorosa. The new vicar had no idea which way to go but was soon pointed in the right direction. But first we looked at the picture (somewhat Stanley Spencerish) outside the church, while the artist explained his ideas and his reflections on the theme (Crucify him), and then we said a prayer. The vicar hauled the cross onto his back, and we set off, through the muddy field to the Cricket Ground. (Jesus Accepts the Cross) Then onto St Elizabeth’s (Jesus meets his mother) where a few others of my congregation joined in. The atmosphere was actually very jolly – a bit like the start of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales but without the Wife of Bath or any horses. Well, maybe not as raucous, and decidedly more prayerful and reflective as the morning drew on.

The Methodist church was the next port of call. (Jesus falls)I was rather hoping to go inside and see as I have never visited it, but it was firmly closed.

We walked down to Cookham itself and there in The Station Parade, outside Malik’s Indian takeaway we stopped to contemplate the next picture which was hung in the window. Rather incongruous, I thought, but actually an excellent place for it. A lot of people came out of the surrounding shops to see what was going on, as we all gathered round. It was also the most interesting art work, for me anyway, as it looked like a piece of modern stained glass. (Simon of Cyrene helps to carry the cross)

Luckily for the vicar there were many modern day Simons of Cyrene to help him carry his cross, which I am sure grew bigger and heavier with every step.

We walked along the Pound to be confronted by a very interesting pointilliste face of Christ as imprinted on Veronicas’s handkerchief

and then down to the Causeway where we were confronted with a sideways perspective of Christ on the Cross. I wonder what unsuspecting passers-by make of this brutally honest and powerful depiction?

Down to the war memorial where there was a very fitting and luminous illustration of Christ dying on the cross. the author of this representation was one of the people I had talked to over our hot cross buns and it was very illuminating hearing him discuss his process and ideas when making the painting. Unfortunately I did not get a picture of it!

The weather was actually getting better so I decided to go to the end and see the last image in situ in the gardens of the Holy Trinity church. Actually I could not really see it, (except in the programme) as there were so many people there. Just four or five from my little church, but perhaps others I did not recognise from the Maidenhead churches.

It was a very uplifting morning. I did not think I would do the whole walk; my husband was on alert to come and collect me at any point, but I didn’t make use of him until I was halfway home again!

I hope that next year it will be a more truly ecumenical event and more people from all the local churches will join in.

I forgot to say that we were offered more coffee and hot cross buns at the end of our little pilgrimage, which was a lovely gesture.