Reflections from participants
Jade
"...Walking to Firbank Fell was not only exhausting but also uncomfortable (the shoes didn't really fit then my feet got wet but thank you so much for helping me out), when we got there my first thought was all this way for a rock but as we sat down and had a moment's silence I began to realise how much it meant to me. This was the time I fully decided that I want to become a Quaker...."
Amy
Okay, since almost everyone else has written something, I'm going to get off Facebook for a couple of minutes and share my thoughts… well, this was my first Link group and to be honest I didn't really know what to expect - bits of the itinerary made it look more like a school history trip than anything else - but I knew from my experience of other Young Quaker events that it would be fun no matter what we did, because it's the people that you're with that make it so special...
At first I was a bit let down - all this way for a rock. But when we were all sitting in silence I could really imagine the 'great number gathered' there many years before and it was very to moving to know that it was here that it all started. And when we finished the silence and turned round to see the horses standing behind us quietly it was really moving - I don't really know why...
Peace and love, Amy
Corrie
Heey everyone Corrie here...
What I found great for me is that this trip really spoke to me in a way that I feel more of a Quaker, and I love the fact that I feel comfortable ministering, because before I just sat in quiet while counting how many people had glasses and grey hair now I feel I got to grips with what it's all about. I really enjoyed learning new things (that's a start for me so cheers)...
Danny
As soon as I stepped into the (rather cramped) minibus and saw all those familiar faces I knew we were going to have a great time. Not very soon after we arrived at our first destination - Lancaster meeting house. Here we met some northerners who very rapidly became our friends through a series of wild games!
...Firbank Fell was a tough time for some, but we struggled through and all agreed in the end, that the briefly interrupted silence we had was absolutely amazing. We all appreciated what the early Quakers had done but for me, this was the moment I truly was thankful for what we have now, and decided I really did want to become a Quaker.
Henri
Going on the trip allowed me to find out about Quaker roots that I only knew a fraction about before hand. Going up Firbank Fell was the best bit. I also enjoyed seeing many people who I don't usually see for many months between camp. The time in the evenings we had to socialise was very nice.
Kate
It was very good, and fun, I learned a lot about Quakers when I didn't know very much before. I enjoyed the games which we played all together and visiting the castle. It was interesting visiting the places as we learned about them so that the story came alive.
Maya
I think the most amazing part of the whole trip... was sitting on that rock after the long climb we had done. Everything was so incredibly peaceful. I think almost everyone was taken over by how fortunate we were to be sitting on perhaps the same rock where Quakerism began. In a strange way without that rock [and George Fox of course] then maybe Link Group wouldn't even exist? IT was all down to that one speech which influenced so many people to become Quakers...
But I think the experience that will stick in my head for a very long time was just as we shook hands and I turned around and there was this magnificent black horse standing on the hill behind us. My Dad said to me that in his Hindu religion they would have said it was the soul of George Fox in another life.
Rhodri
After a long journey, increased by Friday traffic we eventually arrived in Lancaster and found the meeting house hidden behind high walls. One game got us to 'interact' with one another by grabbing pegs off people's clothes and discerning truths from lies from people we had never met before. Little did we know that many of these people would later be stranded on a 'desert island' with us and would be friends for the rest of the weekend and beyond...
Monday was the day that many feared...the walk up Firbank fell after days of heavy rain and as predicted, rivers ran faster and fields were flooded. We soldiered on with 'much ado' and were greeted by a man with a strange idea of George Fox. We had a meeting for worship up there and I began to truly appreciate the beauty of the Lake District....