From the John Bunyan Trail to Silbury Hill, these brief “pilgrimages” provide an opportunity to immerse oneself in myths and legends
The Hadrian’s Wall Pilgrims’ Way
Start at Housesteads Fort and finish at Brocolita Roman Temple, covering a distance of 4¼ miles (you can use the regular AD122 bus to shorten the journey if needed). While those who walk the entire 84 miles of Hadrian’s Wall in a week may consider it a form of pilgrimage, in recent years, the innovative British Pilgrimage Trust has collaborated with English Heritage to create historical pilgrim trails that include ancient sites across Britain. One such trail covers the 23-mile section between Housesteads and Corbridge. For a pilgrimage with a Roman flavor, begin at the Roman fort of Housesteads, believed to be a site where “hooded gods” were worshipped. Walk east, taking in the milecastles, turrets, and the remains of the temple dedicated to Mithras, the Roman god of light. You can use the Hadrian’s Wall bus to return to the starting point.
St Patrick’s Camino, Newcastle, County Down
Start and finish your journey at Harbour House in Newcastle, covering a distance of 3 to 7¾ miles. Established by the St. Patrick’s Centre in Downpatrick as a guided offering (still available as a day trip for £45 per person), this Irish Camino includes the town where C.S. Lewis vacationed as a child. Undoubtedly, Lewis heard the legends of the nearby mountain of Slieve Donard, which is said to house a hermit’s cell for Saint Donart, as well as, in Irish mythology, a tomb of mythical figures and a doorway to the otherworld.
The route forms a loop from town (simply follow your instincts or a map from the center). The destination is the enchanting Tollymore Forest Park, reminiscent of Narnia, where various footpaths offer a circular stroll through towering redwoods, rocky outcrops, and across stepping stones and 16 bridges spanning the Shimna River. This area is of special scientific interest due to its rare mosses, population of Atlantic salmon, and unique geology. Evidence of prehistoric human habitation has also been unearthed here.
Trail named after John Bunyan in Bedfordshire
The two and a half miles of travel begin and end in Sundon Hills Country Park. The 1678 publication, “The Pilgrim’s Progress,” has been translated into more than 200 languages, is in print continuously, and has impacted authors including C.S. Lewis, Charlotte Brontë, and Enid Blyton. This trail has the name of its author, who was incarcerated due to his preaching. A commemorative walking route that superimposes locales from his book onto the real sites that served as inspiration for his writing was designed in 1995 by the Bedfordshire Ramblers club. This part starts at the residence of one of Bunyan’s assailants and winds over the chalky terrain to the summit of Sharpenhoe Clappers, a forested spur that rises sharply from the surrounding flat farmland (you bypass Streatley for this shorter route).
Cuckmere Pilgrim Path, E Sussex
Start and finish your journey at Berwick station, covering a distance of 1 to 11¼ miles. In 2014, Will Parsons and Guy Hayward discovered an ancient path on the 14th-century Gough map (one of Britain’s oldest maps) that connected churches and holy places. They used this path to revive what they called the Old Way, linking Southampton to Canterbury. This initiative sparked a renewed interest in walking ancient trails. Inspired by their efforts, in 2018, Reverend Peter Blee from East Sussex created this circular route (divided into six shorter options) that intersects with many points of the Old Way and includes seven rural churches. What sets this route apart is the opportunity to stroll through the clay and chalk landscapes of the South Downs, Low Weald, and the archaeologically significant Cuckmere Valley. Along the way, you’ll encounter a gnarled 1,600-year-old yew tree, bird hides for observing migratory and nesting birds, and the Long Man of Wilmington, a 72-meter figure carved into the chalk hillside in the 16th or 17th century.
Old Stones Way in the Peak District
Start your journey in Rowsley and finish in Youlgreave, covering a distance of 8 miles. For a shorter option, start at Birchover and walk 1¾ miles there and back, either to Hermit’s Cave and Robin Hood’s Stride or to the Nine Ladies.
The entire length of this Neolithic route spans a little over 37 miles, but this particular section covers some of its key highlights, concluding at a convenient YHA youth hostel in Youlgreave, housed in a former village Co-op a few miles outside Bakewell. Instead of Christian saints, this area is rich with prehistoric chieftains’ cairns and standing stones. Among these are the Nine Ladies, a stone circle (according to local legend, women who danced on a Sunday and were turned into millstones), a massive tor known as Hermit’s Cave featuring a 13th-century carved cross, and the picturesque rock formation of Robin Hood’s Stride. This site, perfect for scrambling and feeling the cool limestone under your fingers, may be familiar to movie enthusiasts from its appearance in the 1987 film “The Princess Bride.” These landmarks overlook distant Minninglow, which features a chambered tomb dating back thousands of years to pre-Christian times, as well as barrow bowls crowned with beech trees.
Avebury Day Pilgrimage
Start and finish at the Avebury National Trust car park, covering a distance of 11 miles.While many visitors to Stonehenge also make a quick stop at Avebury to see its unfenced prehistoric stone circle, few take a full day to truly immerse themselves in the depth of history found in this landscape. By following one of the oldest footpaths in the area, the Ridgeway, you can start your journey by exploring the ancient oval Sanctuary, once marked by timber posts believed to have served as a gathering place and entrance to Avebury’s stones. Continue to the West Kennet Long Barrow, a site used for 50 burials dating back nearly 6,000 years. Along the way, you’ll pass the source of the River Kennet, where overhanging trees are often adorned with “clouties,” strips of ribbon. You’ll also encounter the 4,500-year-old Silbury Hill and the Longstones, which are aligned with the winter solstice. Finish your day by visiting the trees that are said to have inspired J.R.R. Tolkien to create his tree-like creatures, the Ents, in “The Lord of the Rings.” If you’re exploring Avebury with children, simply wandering around the area can be a pilgrimage in itself.
North Wales Pilgrims Way
Start your journey at Tŷ Coch Inn in Morfa Nefyn and finish at Y Gegin Fawr in Aberdaron, covering a distance of 15½ miles. For a shorter option, start at Porthor. Launched officially in 2015, the North Wales Pilgrims Way retraces the path taken by medieval pilgrims as far back as the sixth century. Their ultimate destination was Bardsey Island, also known as the Isle of 20,000 Saints (as those buried there were believed to be guaranteed ascension to sainthood), although archaeological remains found on the island predate Christianity by 700 years. Weather conditions often prevent the journey from the Llŷn peninsula to Bardsey Island, but this particular section of the route, from a remote hostelry accessible only by foot to the Big Kitchen – once frequented by pilgrims and still serving coffee today – offers a delightful outing. The journey encompasses rugged sandy beaches, quaint hamlets, eroding cliffs, and the whistling sands at Porthor (which emit a squeaking sound when walked on due to the unique molecular makeup of the grains). The path then crosses through farmland and rivers, culminating in a panoramic view of the island.
Brecon Cathedral Pilgrimage, Powys
Start and finish your journey at Brecon Cathedral, with a distance of 4½ miles and two route options available.Starting and ending at a cathedral café, The Hours Café & Bookshop, you might assume this walk is tailored for the faithful. However, the two routes, created in the last year as part of the Visit Wales Year of Trails, offer much more than just religious sites. The lower-level Llanddew loop follows mainly waterways, including an ancient well and the River Honddu, leading to a market town. The higher-level Pen y Crug route includes the River Usk and the Iron Age hillfort at the summit, from which it derives its name. From this vantage point, pilgrims are rewarded with breathtaking views of the Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly the Brecon Beacons) and the Black Mountains.
Pilgrimage to St. Ninian’s Cave in Dumfries and Galloway
Begin at St. Ninian’s Chapel on the Isle of Whithorn and conclude at St. Ninian’s Cave, covering a distance of 5½ miles one way. For a shorter option, start from Kisdale, covering a 2-mile distance to reach the cave.The village of Isle of Whithorn is home to the ruins of the chapel of Saint Ninian, a fourth-century saint credited with converting many Celts and southern Picts to Christianity. In the 12th century, pilgrims would arrive by water to rest before continuing to Whithorn and its priory, dedicated to the saint. Follow the green signs marked “Core path 356,” part of a coastal network established by the local council, which leads you along sea cliffs to the cave where the saint sought solitude. The names on the map, such as Rock of Providence and Devil’s Footsteps, add to the atmosphere. This coastline is also where the final burning effigy scene of the 1973 classic film “The Wicker Man” was filmed. Keep an eye out for birds, particularly cormorants, perched above the turquoise water, and spot numerous caves once used by smugglers until you reach Port Castle Bay and St. Ninian’s Cave, where 18 medieval stone crosses were discovered.
Iona of the East, Fife
Begin at North Queensferry station and conclude at Aberdour station, covering a distance of 8 miles. A shorter option of 2½ miles is available if using the train at Inverkeithing.Marked as part of the longer Fife Coastal Path, this walk traverses a region of Scotland that, during the height of ecclesiastical pilgrimages, would have been bustling with pilgrims. In the 11th century, Queen Margaret, later canonized as a saint, established a ferry there to assist pilgrims in crossing the water (hence the name Queensferry) to reach the renowned St Andrews further along the coast. The route encompasses numerous bays, coves, tree-lined paths, and the picturesque fishing village of Aberdour, home to a 13th-century castle believed to be one of Scotland’s oldest standing examples. Along the way, enjoy views across to Inchcolm, also known as Iona of the East, where the ruins of a 12th-century abbey can be seen. Perhaps even more enticing are the numerous beaches along the route, perfect for a refreshing open-water swim surrounded by fulmars and seals.
