Strolling Mummers: Pilgrimage for Re-Pair

In the autumn 2023, the Strolling Mummers set off again, embarking on a remarkable journey, walking from north to south along the Spine of Albion. This pilgrimage followed the Belinus and Elen energy lines, beginning at Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh and concluding at Culver Down on the Isle of Wight.

Earlier in the year, the Mummers gathered at Dragon Hill for a magical week, creating a new mummers play inspired by the legend of King Arthur. Along the Spine of Albion, they passed sacred sites steeped in Arthurian lore, including Alderley Edge—a place where Arthur is said to slumber, awaiting a time when the land calls for his return to save his people.

In a world filled with upheaval, the group walked with the sense that Arthur himself might be stirring. Step by step, they sought to re-pair and re-imagine the connections between the inner and outer worlds, reclaiming sovereignty and renewing their bond with the land.

Reconnecting with the Land and Its Stories
The Strolling Mummers’ mission breathed life into the UK’s indigenous culture, which once deeply rooted communities to the land. They walked with an awareness that the common people of these isles were the first to experience colonisation, and that those who took the land had not always treated it well. Their pilgrimage became a powerful act of remembering and reclaiming—strengthening their relationship with Mumma Earth and finding that this connection enriched their lives in profound and unimaginable ways.

A Legacy of Pilgrimage and Performance
The Strolling Mummers first came together in 2021 to walk from London to Glasgow along the Spine of Albion. That journey, Listening to the Land: Pilgrimage for Nature, culminated in a performance they created along the way, presented to delegates in the Green Zone at COP26.

The following year, they walked the Michael Line, a horizontal leyline stretching from Carn Les Boel in Cornwall to Hopton-on-Sea in Norfolk. This Pilgrimage for Unity featured their reimagined mummers play, Saint George and His Many Enemies. The performance explored the ways we project and create enemies, emphasising our shared humanity and interconnectedness.

In 2023, their Pilgrimage for Re-Pair combined hiking with their newly developed mummers play. This story delved into the unity of inner and outer worlds, head and heart, inviting participants to discover their own "High King"—a metaphor for personal sovereignty—while walking in harmony with themselves, each other, and the land.

The Journey and Invitation
Their route passed through Edinburgh, Carlisle, Burnley, Manchester, Birmingham, Stratford-upon-Avon, Winchester, and finally the Isle of Wight. Along the way, they performed their play, offered workshops, and engaged with communities. The generosity and support they received—hospitality, stories, and shared meals—became integral to the journey.

For those unable to join them in person, the Strolling Mummers documented their adventures in a video blog playlist. Their ongoing mission to celebrate connection, creativity, and hope continues to inspire.

Follow their journey on Instagram and Facebook @strollingmummers. If you're along their future routes and can offer a place to stay or host a performance, get in touch to join the story.

Watch the video blog playlist.