Pilgrim Steps, Mynydd Mawr

On our return boat journey from Yns Enlli (Bardsey Island) the boatman diverted to show us steep steps cut into the cliffside, which allowed early pilgrims to get down to board the boat to Yns Enlli. The steps were sheer, narrow and treacherous, far from safe. We hadn’t known about this original early route to the island. Then in St Hywyn’s church in Aberdaron, it mentioned the first pilgrim church was a few miles along the coast at Analog. We checked thand discovered that pilgrims went from the Analog church to a holy well on the cliffs, (St Mary’s) adjacent to the pilgrim steps.

So we went exploring. We parked at Mynydd Mawr and walked across steep pasture towards the cliff and holy well. Initially we followed the gully of the water to a treacherous cliff edge and realised this wasn’t where the steps were. Carefully retracing our steps steeply uphill we saw a parallel path and followed it. It took us steeply down a a grassy path to black rocks. The path became steeper and we were very glad of our walking sticks for balance. 

The steps started, rough hewn, narrow, steep, dangerous and carved by hand.. One by one we descended. Then sat, staring out at the incredible view of Yns Enlli. It was enthralling, almost within touching distance.

We sat for a very long time, taking in the courage of these pilgrims and their faith. To have walked for weeks to reach this spot, knowing the danger of crossing by rowing boat, over water with fickle currents and strong winds, risking drowning to reach the holy island. where 20,000 are buried. Many came to die there. What a pull it must have had!

And with good reason. Perched on the ‘edge of the world’, a place revered by Celtic Christians as a ‘thin place’ where heaven and earth meet with no distance between them. No wonder the compulsion to go was so strong.

We prayed and worshipped for a long while, deeply moved by the devotion of others, the wildness of the place and the longing for God we all shared. 

My heart lifts

Breathing in the salt sea air

Relishing the safety of solid rock

As crashing waves

Break below

Yet the Sun is shining today

And there is a little threat

How must it have been 

for those Pilgrims long ago?

Travelling on foot

 traversing rocky paths

 Wind and rain lashing with force 

What Faith drove them on?

what devotion or love or even fear?

whatever the pull

you filled their minds

thoughts of God, of eternity

of heaven, perhaps of hell

 But you were the focus

and today we follow in their footsteps

Faith has called us here

A divine set up

And I sense your joy

 that you led us to this special place

right on the edge of the world