Footsteps on Ancient Roads
Pilgrimage Trilogy - Footsteps on Ancient Roads
My trilogy of books describe a five-part journey on foot from Canterbury to Jerusalem – a pilgrimage that unfolds across ancient roads, scattered histories, and landscapes walked by pilgrims long before me. While each of the three books may stand alone, together they form a single, continuous path: geographical, historical, and contemplative, leading step by step towards the Holy City.
Why did I walk to Jerusalem? I am often asked this question. My answer remains the same: it was both a celebration and an adventure. A celebration of ten years of restored health and of a spiritual moment that turned doubt into certainty. And an adventure because, at seventy-five years old, I was preparing to walk more than 6,500 kilometres across twelve countries and two continents, carrying my life on my back and trusting the road to shape what came next.
Canterbury to Rome
From Canterbury's medieval cathedral to the Eternal City, David Jury undertakes the opening stage of his late-life pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Following the Via Francigena, he crosses France and Switzerland before tackling the heights of the Great St Bernard Pass and descending into Italy. Along the way, landscapes and encounters intertwine with stories of faith and history — from abbeys and cathedrals to Roman roads and quiet villages. Each step brings both challenge and renewal, as ancient pathways reveal their power to shape the pilgrim's heart. Footsteps on Ancient Roads: Canterbury to Rome is both a travel memoir and a reflection on the timeless call of pilgrimage, reminding us that every journey leaves its mark.
Please note this volume will be available at the end of January 2026
Rome to Istanbul
From the Eternal City to the meeting point of continents, David Jury continues his late-life pilgrimage across Europe and Asia Minor. Leaving Rome beneath Constantine's Arch, he follows the Appian Way south through Lazio and Campania, crosses the rugged Apennines, and reaches the Adriatic shore.
Beyond, Albania, North Macedonia, and Greece open before him, where echoes of Paul's missionary journeys mingle with the stones of the Via Egnatia. Through landscapes shaped by empire, faith, and conflict, he retraces the routes of soldiers, traders, and pilgrims who once connected Rome to Byzantium. His journey culminates at the Golden Gate of Istanbul — a symbolic bridge between East and West. Blending vivid travel writing with history and reflection, Footsteps on Ancient Roads: Rome to Istanbul captures both the endurance of pilgrimage and the enduring power of roads that have bound civilisations together for millennia.
Istanbul to Jerusalem
In the concluding volume of his pilgrimage trilogy, David Jury journeys from Istanbul to Jerusalem, retracing ancient routes once walked by emperors, crusaders, mystics, and pilgrims. Following the Sufi Trail Across Anatolia, sailing to Cyprus, and pressing on through Holy Land, his steps echo centuries of faith and struggle. Blending personal reflection with history and landscape, Footsteps on Ancient Roads: Istanbul to Jerusalem weaves together endurance, discovery, and a profound search for meaning. It is a testament to the timeless call of pilgrimage and the marks we leave along the way.