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An Interview with Mark Hoare
We begin our exploration of pilgrimage, with an interview with a modern pilgrim - Mark Hoare.
Mark Hoare was the Sir Laurens van der Post scholar at The Prince of Wales's Institute of Architecture between 1995-1996. Since then he has been living and working in Norfolk, while studying Architecture part-time in London. He is also a REEP Trustee!
In the late summer of 2000, Mark set out on foot from Le Puy in the French Massif Central. He followed the ancient pilgrimage path to Santiago de Compostela, painting each day and recording the changing seasons, landscapes and buildings along the way.
He painted in sun, rain, hail and snow, reaching the furthest west of mainland Europe during the winter solstice. He had walked 1000 miles over three and a half months
Why are you interested in pilgrimage?
Pilgrimage gives people the opportunity to leave home, and to undertake a journey by foot, horse or bicycle - sometimes for several weeks or months. On such journeys, we benefit from fresh air and exercise, we have time to meet new people, and we get to know new towns, woods, fields villages and food.
Once we have left home for more than a few days, our minds become empty of the day to day worries which we all carry about with us so much of the time. We then begin to experience the world anew and we come to see our place in the world with much more clarity. In particular we are able, through prolonged contact with nature, to re-sensitise ourselves to the natural world. I think that many of our environmental problems today result from a lack of contact with nature.
Have you been on a pilgrimage? What was it like?
Three years ago I walked 1000 miles of the medieval pilgrimage route to the Christian shrine of Saint James at Santiago de Compostela, in north-west Spain. I set out in September and arrived in Santiago in mid-December, having walked through sun, rain, hail and snow. Each night I slept in hostels or refugios, which are big rooms with beds and basic facilities. These places are mostly looked after by volunteers, many of whom dedicate their lives to helping the pilgrims passing through their town or village.
While I walked, I met all sorts of people and, although my journey was not motivated by faith or devotion, by the end of the journey it was. Something changed within me over the three months away from home, and I became increasingly aware of the presence of God helping me along. I painted watercolours each day and I think that my 'inner change' is apparent in the paintings.
What is your "Pilgrim Britain" project?
Pilgrim Britain is just an idea at the moment - the idea is to try to establish a network of footpaths in Britain which would link historic and contemporary spiritual centres. If affordable accommodation could be found along these paths, then it might be possible for lots of people to make a long journey away from home.
For many people, such a journey might be their first chance to visit the British countryside, to meet its people and eat its food, as well as an opportunity to visit new towns, villages, churches and mosques.
More Information
Information about Mark's book A Painting Pilgrim can be found at http://www.mudwall.co.uk/. If anyone else has been on pilgrimage and would like to share their experiences via REEP, then please contact us!