New pilgrimage routes across the North invite people to walk, wonder and discover

New pilgrimage routes across the North of England are inviting people of all backgrounds to step into journeys of reflection, discovery and hope.

The routes - including the Kent Estuary Pilgrim Way, Spurn Point Way, Fountains Way, St Paulinus Way and St Bega's Way amongst others - connect churches, historic sites, coastlines, countryside and communities. Together they offer opportunities to explore the North at walking pace, and to rediscover the long tradition of pilgrimage as a way of seeing the world differently.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: "Pilgrimage teaches us to slow down, to notice the world around us, and to become more attentive to God and to one another. These new pilgrimage routes across the North invite people to discover afresh the beauty, history and spirituality of this extraordinary part of the country. Whether you walk in faith, curiosity or simply in search of peace and reflection, pilgrimage has the power to change us."

Each route offers its own invitation into landscape and story:

St Bega's Way is a 36-mile route in Cumbria linking the Norman Priory Church of St Mary and St Bega at St Bees with the pre-Norman church of St Bega near Bassenthwaite Lake. Much of the journey lies within the Lake District National Park, it's a route shaped by sheep, saints and stunning scenery and is currently being relaunched ahead of a Festival of Pilgrimage in Carlisle Diocese.

Spurn Point Way celebrates the life of Wilgils, a 7th-century hermit devoted to prayer on this remarkable stretch of coastline. The 7-mile route runs from the Yorkshire Wildlife Discovery Centre at Kilnsea to Spurn Head, a striking natural landscape.

The Kent Estuary Pilgrim Way offers five circular walks and a return route of around 30 miles in total, linking churches in Levens, Heversham, Milnthorpe, Beetham, Storth and Arnside in South Cumbria. Designed for both visitors and local residents, the route encourages exploration of the landscape alongside a deeper encounter with the churches and stories of each village.

Fountains Ways - Ancient Paths for Modern Pilgrims - includes three pilgrimage trails linking eight village churches across rural parishes in the Fountains Benefice around Masham. All three routes are circular, including two seven-mile walks starting from Kirby Malzeard and a nine-mile route passing through Studley Royal Park and near Fountains Abbey. Many churches along the way offer a warm welcome, alongside "Church Explorer" activities inviting families and visitors to discover their history and heritage.

The Paulinus Pilgrim Trail traces the footsteps of St Paulinus, a missionary and the first Bishop of York, who played a key role in the spread of Christianity in the 7th century. Beginning in Todmorden, the 87-mile route passes through Halifax, Dewsbury, Wakefield and York, following a network of established paths including the Calderdale Way, Kirklees Way, Trans Pennine Trail, Leeds Country Way and Ebor Way. Highlights include Dewsbury Minster, which houses fragments of the St Paulinus Cross. This new route is being created as part of the anniversary celebrations in 2027 of 1400 years since the baptism of King Edwin by St Paulinus.

These pilgrimage routes offer a renewed invitation to walk, reflect and explore - whether for faith, curiosity, or simply the desire to experience the North in a new way.

Phil McCarthy, founder of pilgrimways.org, told ICN: "Before the Reformation England had two of the great pilgrimage destinations of Europe, Canterbury and Walsingham. It is wonderful that this tradition is being rediscovered in our nation. These new routes are a welcome contribution to this development in the north of England. They complement the St Wilfrid's Way in the Diocese of Leeds and the pilgrim ways in other Catholic dioceses. More information can be found at www.pilgrimways.org.uk"