To celebrate turning 70, I walked a 200 mile pilgrimage from Coventry to Bath

Writer Penelope Swithinbank took on the challenge of a 200 mile pilgrimage to mark her 70th birthday, spending time with God and raising money for charity at the same time.

I decided on a long walk to celebrate my 70th birthday. A mere 200 miles. I hiked from Coventry Cathedral to Bath Abbey, along the canals and waterways of England, asking people to sponsor me for International Justice Mission (IJM), a Christian non-profit working in 20 countries around the world to end modern slavery and human trafficking. The walk took a little organising – planning the route, and where to stay each night. I offered up my own guestroom to Airbnb to earn the money to pay for the accommodation. I practiced walking with a loaded backpack and set up a JustGiving page.