EXPLORING THE ROOTS OF QUAKERISM IN ENGLAND’S LAKE DISTRICT
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Sunday 23 June - Sunday 30 June 2024
Retrace the 17th-century footsteps of George Fox, founder of the Religious Society of Friends--and of Margaret Fell, an early supporter and later his wife--through the beautiful Lake District of northern England.
And, find adventure, learning, and reflection in community. In addition to being a spiritually nurturing experience for us individually, the Journey is a wonderful way to deepen relationships and build a stronger sense of community among F/friends and Friends institutions.
Individuals within and beyond the CFS community, including educators, Friends meeting members, and other interested adults, are invited on this Summer 2024 trip. You don't need Quaker affiliation, only a seeking heart open to beauty, learning, and human connection.
Be educated. Be challenged. Be inspired. Be empowered.
Travel from the United States to Manchester, England and overnight at the four-star Clayton Hotel (adjacent to the airport) or other lodging. Early arrivals generally go into the city together from the hotel for dinner and an evening stroll.
We take a charter coach from The Clayton Hotel to Oxenholme rail station (for any train travelers) and on to our home for the week, the Victorian-era Glenthorne Quaker Conference Centre and Guest House, in Grasmere (what William Wordsworth called The loveliest spot that man hath ever found).
Over afternoon tea, we orient ourselves to Glenthorne and our week together. The rest of the afternoon is open for rest, local exploration, or other activities.
You can see his reflections about the power of experiencing "1652 Country" in this 2010 article by British historian and Quaker Roy Stephenson, our 2013 and 2018 guide and a guest for 2024.
We take our comfortable charter coach from Glenthorne to Oxenholme Station and then on to the Manchester Airport for travel to the United States or other destinations.
Please note itinerary details are subject to change.
We'll have various opportunities for reflection and sharing, for small-group walks, for shop and pub visits, and for other optional activities.
The itinerary incorporates some significant walking and an optional climb up Pendle Hill; if you have questions about mobility expectations, please contact the trip organizers at ExtendedLearning@cfsnc.org.
Please wait for participation confirmation from us before making any travel reservations.
Each participant is responsible for arranging and paying for individual travel to and from England. England is five hours ahead of EST in the US. We recommend flying into Manchester Airport.
We have arranged for one shuttle (included in the registration fee) between Manchester Airport (and/or the nearby Clayton Hotel), the Oxenholme rail station, and the Glenthorne Quaker Centre and Guest House in Grasmere on the mornings of June 23 and June 30.
If you are planning to ride the shuttle from Manchester Airport, your flight must arrive before our 9:00 am departure the morning of Sunday June 23. We encourage you to consider arriving the day before on June 22 and staying at the Clayton or another Manchester hotel close to the airport.
Alternatively, you could fly in and out of other UK cities and travel to Glenthorne via rail to Oxenholme station or rent a car and drive.
Some participants might choose to travel to other places in Europe before and/or after the tour.
For many years, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (PYM) has sponsored Quaker Pilgrimages to England. For the CFS staff members who'd participated, the Pilgrimage was an unparalleled experience that continued to have an impact deepening their appreciation of our Quaker roots and practices.
In Spring 2012 a group--Cesanne Berry (Durham Early School head), Charlie Layman (Lower School teacher and staff clerk), and Natasha Shannon (Lower School art teacher), with organizing support from Lynn Drake (Chapel Hill Friends Meeting) and Nikki Vangsnes (Durham Friends Meeting)--felt led to consider whether we might be able to replicate the experience for interested F/friends in our local Quaker communities using the same Quaker retreat facilities, itinerary, and contacts in England. They were delighted that PYM organizers were willing to share all their information and help facilitate connections with “1652 Country Pilgrimage" planners in England.
So, in August 2013, 10 Chapel Hill Friends Meeting (CHFM) and eight Durham Friends Meeting (DFM) members joined eight current and retired Carolina Friends staff members for the weeklong adventure. Learn more about their journey in this We & Thee article.
The power of that trip led Nikki to join with CFS Director of Extended Learning Anthony L. Clay (a 2013 participant) and Lower School teacher Lynn Pickles (a native of the Lake District) to organize another iteration of the trip. In July 2018, almost 30 travelers joined once more with British historian, Quaker, and guide Roy Stephenson for a week in Cumbria.
The significance of 2013 and 2018 seems to call for another such experience, so Anthony, Lynn, and Nikki are now looking to Summer 2024. Won't you join us?!
Anthony returned to Carolina Friends in August 2009 as the first Director of Advancement, responsible for alumni, parent, and grandparent relations; development; communications; community partnerships and outreach; and other aspects of the School’s external relations. In 2016-2017, he transitioned to the new Director of Extended Learning role, supporting after-hours, summer, and other enrichment programs for students, adults, and families and now is launching and leading our new Institute for Teaching and Learning.
An Arkansas native, he earned baccalaureate degrees magna cum laude in International Relations and History and an Asian Studies Certificate at American University and then completed an M.A. in History and received Phi Beta Kappa honors at Emory University. Anthony has worked as a teacher--in subjects including U.S. history, government and politics, debate, and economics--and as a college counselor at four schools (including Carolina Friends from 2002-2005). He's grateful that his own children were nurtured by Quaker values and dedicated teachers at CFS.
Lynn Pickles Carolina Friends School
Lynn has always been passionate about teaching math, writing, and cultural geography, and feels very much at home at CFS as she was born in Nelson, Lancashire, in the shadows of Pendle Hill, a cornerstone place in the history of the Quaker movement. She and her husband John have a son, Leon, and they enjoy traveling whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Lynn grew up working in her parents’ fish, fruit, and vegetable shop in the 1950s and her formal post-secondary education took place at St Martin’s College in Lancaster, England, after which she taught in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa for four years. She and her husband came to the U.S., to State College, Pennsylvania, in 1978 where Lynn worked as a Special Education Teacher and as a Young Adult and Children’s Librarian for the County.
She undertook a second Education / Math degree and a Masters Degree in International Affairs and Linguistics at Ohio University, prior to moving to Morgantown, West Virginia. There, she started an alternative elementary school with a group of parents. Lynn later moved to The Lexington School, in Lexington, Kentucky, and then to the Duke School in Durham before working in Lower School Forest Class at Carolina Friends School. Now retired after 48 years of working with children, she has come full circle and is looking forward to taking you to Pendle Hill and tracing George Fox's 1652 itinerary.
Nikki Vangsnes Durham Friends Meeting
Since 1985, Nikki has been active in the Durham Friends Meeting where she has served in various capacities, including clerk of the Meeting. For 10 years she served in various governance roles, including as clerk of the Board, for the American Friends Service Committee. Nikki is also a former member of the Carolina Friends School Board of Trustees and parent of three alums. Since 1999, she has worked as the Associate Director of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, and History of Medicine at Duke University.
With 2013 and 2018 guide Roy Stephenson, who'll join us for part of the 2024 experience.
round-trip ground transportation via air-conditioned coach between Manchester and Glenthorne
all ground transportation between Glenthorne and itinerary stops
entry fees, honoraria, and gratuities for site visits and guides
the services of three experienced trip organizers and of knowledgeable British Quaker guides
The trip fee does not include:
airfare
optional evening or other activities
trip/travel insurance
incidental purchases
A $1,200 deposit is due at the time of application.
The balance ($750)is due Friday 15 March 2024 ($750).
We're glad to work with you on alternative financial arrangements.
The trip cost is non-refundable unless we reach capacity and are then able to fill your space.
We encourage you to consider purchasing travel insurance to cover air travel for unforeseen circumstances.
We have some tuition assistance funds available to support Carolina Friends staff members and possibly also other educators who couldn't afford to go otherwise.
If you're in a position to do so, even a modest tax-deductible gift added to the overall tuition amount can increase our program funds and expand access for educators. Thanks for your consideration!
Educators, Friends, and other curious adults are welcome to the Quaker Journey (23-30 June 2024) exploring the early roots of Quakerism in England's scenic Lake District. But, please hurry--only one space remains!
Learn and grow at the body movement workshop offered by longtime CFS dance teacher Annie Dwyer and dancer/choreographer Leah Wilks '05 on 27-28 April (attend one or both mornings).
We happily welcome the wider community, not just Carolina Friends families, to all our programs.