Week 7
Brother John’s Journey – Week Seven Diary
11–17 June 2025 | From Land’s End to Winchester
Wednesday 11 June – Land’s End: A Windswept Finish
Brother John left Redruth at 09:40 on the T1 to Penzance, then continued via the 13:00 First Bus to Land’s End. The route took him through Porthcurno, home of the UK’s first subsea telegraph cable—“a marvel of Victorian ingenuity,” he noted.
The journey was made all the more memorable by the “quite remarkable” skill of the drivers navigating narrow lanes and stubborn tractors. Land’s End itself, however, he found “scruffy and over-commercialised,” its iconic signpost fenced off and photo rights sold. “I took my own,” he said, “trencher removed, lest it sail off to America.”
Returning on the 13:57 to Penzance, he then took the U4 at 15:38 to Marazion, where he was met by Lord St Levan and ferried by boat to St Michael’s Mount, the tide having hidden the causeway. His bags were hauled by cable wagon while he made the steep climb on foot—his host bounding ahead, while he “puffed like a grampus.”
Before departing Redruth, Brother John also stopped at a delightful local café, warmly welcomed by the owner, Dawn, in an establishment “emblazoned with Brother on a Bus material, photographs, etc.” It was a cheerful and heartfelt reminder of just how far the journey’s spirit had travelled.
Thursday 12 June – A Rainy Reception in Truro
In heavy rain, Brother John made the return crossing from the Mount and travelled via Penzance and Camborne, eventually reaching Truro on the T3 from Camborne at 16:35. There he was received by Bishop David Williams, formerly of Winchester and Basingstoke. “He is a tireless and gifted communicator,” John wrote. “Truro is very fortunate to have him.” The Bishop, fresh into post, was off to the Scilly Isles the next morning—leaving John to prepare for a complicated day ahead.
Friday 13 June – Weather, Hiccups, and a Railway Compromise
Leaving Truro at 09:30 on the U1, John travelled to Newquay, reunited with Inspector Paul, and caught the 11:15 GoCornwall 92 to Wadebridge, with driver Tony at the wheel. He had hoped for a scenic ride, but by Newquay’s edge, “the rain came pouring down,” clouding views and dampening spirits.
He continued to Padstow, then headed inland to Bodmin—but ran into an unexpected snag. Bus route changes meant no onward service to Plymouth. “Thereby failing to circumnavigate the UK by bus,” he wrote ruefully. A reluctant train journey followed. The heavy rain persisted; even the Saltash rail and road bridges were obscured as he arrived in Plymouth.
Needing to connect with the Stagecoach Gold to Paignton, he took a taxi—but just as the bus pulled away, he realised: his mobile was still on board. A quick-thinking Stagecoach driver directed him to Jay Clark, Station Manager, who sprang into action. Though the Gold bus was from Plymouth (with no radio link), Jay contacted HQ, confirmed the phone’s recovery, and arranged for its return.
Friday Evening – Newton Abbot and Racing Revelry
Brother John arrived in Newton Abbot at 18:33, met by Simon, and whisked to an 80th birthday party at the racecourse. “Felicity, my hostess and cousin, introduced me to the guests, and we watched the racing from a box balcony,” he wrote. “I lost a tenner; Simon won about £3.50.” Their home, with its rare apple orchard, was “a tranquil end to a turbulent day.”
Sunday 16 June – Eastbound Again
He resumed travel with the Stagecoach 7 at 09:38 to Exeter, then the 444 to Axminster, and the X53 to Bridport, passing the Jurassic Coast. “Think French Lieutenant’s Woman,” he mused as they dropped into Lyme Regis and Charmouth. At Bridport, his daughter Joanna collected him. “I was put straight to bed to shift the cold I’d picked up in Cornwall’s wind and rain.”
TUESDAY 18 June – The Road to Winchester
The final day began with the X37 to Dorchester, CR9 to Blandford Forum, and the 20 to Salisbury, where serendipity struck—a passer-by recognised him as a Brother from St Cross, astonished to see him on the street. With time before his 15:55 bus, he had tea and cake at the Red Lion Hotel, but slow service meant he ate his sandwich on the bus to Winchester, arriving at 17:05.
There, he was greeted by James Freeman, his journey’s mastermind; Darragh Morris of Stagecoach, his principal bus company supporter; and his sister Hermione. A final Stagecoach 61 to St Cross brought him home.
Final Reflections
“To return not just to a place, but to a community, is a rare and precious thing,” he wrote that night. He praised “the astonishing kindness of bus drivers and station staff,” and the unwavering support of James Freeman, who managed shifting timetables plus Gerry Harmon whose tireless work filling holes in the accommodation schedule were essential.
A journey of 1,000+ miles, 30 counties, and uncountable cups of tea, brought to a close—on time, on purpose, and with gratitude.
