Walking a pilgrimage to a grand destination was a lesson in the importance of taking life one intentional step after the other for one local author.
Ken Haigh, the former head of both the Collingwood and the Thornbury libraries has just released his second book, On Foot to Canterbury, which is the tale of his own journey along Pilgrim’s Way, a trek across southern England ending at the famous Canterbury Cathedral.
Haigh began his walk in Winchester in May 2014 spending 16 days and 15 nights on the Pilgrim’s Way, taking steps that would lead to years of writing and revising his book and his priorities.
The journey was supposed to be one taken by father and son, but while planning the trip, Haigh’s father died unexpectedly of a heart attack. At his wife’s prodding, Haigh eventually took the trip alone using it to say goodbye to his father, and contemplate his life’s path.
“For the pilgrimage, I didn’t have super high expectations, I didn’t have the kind of faith my father had, so I didn’t expect to have a spiritual awakening,” said Haigh. “But I did enjoy the trip, and one of the things I realized is that a) walking is really good for you if you have lots of things to think about … and b) you should make time in your life for contemplation.”
On his pilgrimage, Haigh used a guide to plan the days walking distances and pre-book his beds for the evening. He walked alone with a small pack on his back and boots that squeezed his toes.
In the evening, when he reached his overnight accommodations, Haigh wrote down the events of the day’s walk in a diary and read one of the books he packed for the trip – Pilgrim’s Progress, by John Bunyan.
He structured On Foot to Cantebury with a single chapter to cover each day, and wrapped his narrative around the plots and events in Pilgrim’s Progress he read each evening. Relating sometimes to Bunyan’s Christian, and sometimes to the adversaries.
“That was just serendipity,” said Haigh. “It was on my list of books I should read, and I thought ‘this is a perfect opportunity, I’m going on a pilgrimage.’ It just sort of meshed.”
Haigh has spent some of his career as a manager of local libraries (Thornbury and Collingwood included), and spent his post-secondary education as an English major.
So while Pilgrim’s Way may be a spiritual journey most often travelled by those looking to be closer to God, Haigh’s journey was always going to include characters and writers from literature.
“Walking Pilgrim’s Way takes you through a literary landscape in England where you keep being reminded of books you’ve read and enjoyed,” said Haigh. “Part of the pilgrimage for me was visiting these places that meant so much to me as a reader.”
His trek took him through the stomping grounds of literary giants like Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Gilbert White (The Natural History of Selborne), and, of course, Geoffrey Chaucer (The Canterbury Tales).
As the days and chapters pass, Haigh shares his own progress as a pilgrim suffering from depression, unhappy with some of his life and career, who finished Pilgrim’s Way with no spectacular, life-altering moment of revelation. Instead, the change came in the same way as Haigh arrived at Canterbury Cathedral, quietly and step-by-step.
“I think I’m honest enough to say there are some things I learned on the pilgrimage, but don’t expect a huge transformation at the end of the book because that’s not the kind of book it is and not the sort of person I am,” said Haigh. “I hope it’s an honest book. That’s what I tried to write was an honest account.”
Though Haigh didn’t set out to write a book about his pilgrimage right away, it became a book and he benefited from support, encouragement, and honest feedback from the Collingwood Writer’s Collective, a group that met at the library once every two weeks.
“I needed to bring something to the group every two weeks to share so this was an easy thing for me to write,” said Haigh. “The writer’s group really helped because it kept pushing me along to keep writing until the book was finished … it helped me a bit with the editing process knowing how a reader would react to the book.”
Haigh thanked the members of the writer’s collective in his acknowledgements.
Before On Foot to Canterbury was published, Haigh left his “very good” job as CEO of Collingwood Public Library, a mission he set in motion on his pilgrimage.
“When I did finish the walk, I realized yes, I do need to change some things in my life,” said Haigh. “Life is finite. It only lasts so long, and don’t put off things you want to do if you don’t have to.”
Though his father didn’t accompany him on the walk, Haigh did use the time to reflect on the relationship he had with his father too.
“I wrote the best book I could … if people enjoy it, that’s amazing,” said Haigh.
So far, his book is getting a good reception. It’s been named a finalist in the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize and Haigh has had an offer for an audiobook version.
There will be a virtual book launch hosted by Collingwood Public Library and with participation of nine area libraries, on Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. You can register for the Zoom event online here.
On Foot to Canterbury is Haigh’s second non-fiction book. Haigh’s first book, Under the Holy Lake, was published in 2008, as a story about his two years teaching high school in Bhutan.
The first run of Haigh's latest book has sold out, but more are being printed. There will be copies available for purchase at Jessica's Book Nook in Thornbury.
