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The Gathering Place

A Winter Pilgrimage Through Changing Times

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The Gathering Place

By: Mary Colwell
Narrated by: Mary Colwell
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Bloomsbury presents The Gathering Place written and read by Mary Colwell.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE EDWARD STANFORD TRAVEL BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024

'Deeply poetic.' CAROLINE LUCAS MP
'A masterpiece of storytelling.' NICK MAYHEW-SMITH
'Mary Colwell is a candle of open-minded curiosity.' PATRICK LAURIE
'An unforgettable story.' MICHAEL MCCARTHY

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Mary Colwell makes a solo pilgrimage along the Camino Francés winding through forests, mountains, farmland, industrial sprawls and places of worship.

Pilgrims have always walked in times of upheaval, pitching themselves against weather, hunger, thirst and sometimes pain as they tread the paths their ancestors once followed. In the winter of 2020, author, nature campaigner and veteran solo walker Mary Colwell walked a 500-mile pilgrimage along the Camino Francés in northern Spain.

In a typical year, many thousands of people walk this route, but Mary had it virtually to herself at a unique historical moment – a time of profound political change, escalating climate and biodiversity emergencies and global pandemic.

The modern world weaves in and out of the Camino’s worn trackway, providing a focus for contemplation and a place for memories and experiences to gather. In her delightful book, Mary weaves experiences from her solo winter pilgrimage with stories from a walk millions have undertaken over the centuries. Her thoughtful and, at times, humorous journey of body and soul includes moments of intense spirituality, meetings with a demon slayer, strange goings-on and magical tales, and Mary’s exquisite descriptions of the constant backdrop of nature in all its complexity and wonder.©2023 Mary Colwell (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Europe Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Spirituality Travel Writing & Commentary Walking Witty Winter
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Critic reviews

A compelling storyteller, Colwell’s 500-mile pilgrimage is rich with memories, myths and associations from the past. In this deeply poetic journey into an inner and an outer landscape, the natural world is often her only companion, powerfully evoked and brilliantly observed.
The Gathering Place is a beautiful thing: like a warm crystal, full of light, reflecting and refracting and celebrating everything both inside and outside the book.
In The Gathering Place, Mary Colwell is a candle of open-minded curiosity, and she reminds us that while clear answers are hard to come by, we should never stop asking questions.
The Gathering Place is sheer literary alchemy; Colwell’s words are mica-spangled and penetrating.
An unforgettable story of heroes and villains, kindness and horror, holiness and wickedness, miracles, bizarre legends, lost souls, and eventually, solace in a troubled world. Not to be missed.
A rich tapestry full of myth, wisdom and humility, accompanied always by evocative musings on the natural world, enveloped in hope and sprinkled with humour. (Tiffany Francis-Baker)
Mary Colwell brings an inspiring sense of openness, courage, humility and loving curiosity to her daily encounters with the natural and human worlds.
This is a masterpiece of storytelling about a journey that will move hearts and minds alike.
Beautifully written.
The Gathering Place is much more than a travel book down a well-trodden path. It is a brutally honest examination of why we are as we are, and just how important the cultural landmarks of our lives have become in a world of anxiety and change. Brave, tough and surprisingly funny, this is a witness statement from one of the UK's great campaigners.
Amazing.
An enjoyable account of a popular pilgrimage in unusual circumstances. (Philip Welsh)
All stars
Most relevant
This account of the experience of the author and narrator as she set off on the 500 mile pilgrim route across northern Spain to Santiago was beautiful to listen to. I learnt alot as there were so many other stories from her life and experience interwoven with the journey she was on. For anyone who loves nature or who is thinking about doing a long walk this is really helpful listening, highlighting both the joys and the daily challenges of the journey. So much about the physical journey but so much more about the inner journey she was on. The narration was just right.

Wonderful thankyou!

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First I recommend the audiobook. Originally I bought the hardback, but my reading was interrupted and delayed by unforeseen circumstances. Wishing to continue, I turned to the audiobook narrated by the author Mary Colwell, and found her very engaging. With an honesty it opened up the book’s images, her thoughts and experiences. It kept me listening as a friend wanting more might.

Secondly, ‘A Gathering Place’ has much learning within it. Mary shares her openness to people, her learning from them and from nature. She shares her knowledge, her reflections on the past, on literature, on the people she meets, on humanity itself. So the reader learns much as she/he travels with the writer.

I have read other books on pilgrimage and books on the natural world. This book stands out as one of the best in both categories. I plan to go back to my hardcopy and read parts that caught my attention and resonated with me.

A Rich Experience

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Having read and thoroughly enjoyed Curlew Moon and Tooth, Beak & Claw, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this. I love it. It’s a book packed with fascinating, moving, enlightening and entertaining stories. It encapsulates a unique and unprecedented period of shared history and is reflected so well in the author’s empathetic and authentic voice.

A wonderful book woven together with fascinating tales, stories and reflections

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A gentle, beautifully written, moving and rich account of Mary’s pilgrimage spanning the Covid pandemic.

Gentle & beautifully written

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