TOP 10 WALKING PILGRIMAGES

Embarking on a pilgrimage will both test the body and soothe the soul. Dixe Wills picks his favourite options in Britain and Ireland

- Dixe Wills

1 Golden Valley Pilgrim Way, Herefordshire

Unusually for a pilgrimage, this 60-mile route takes devotees around in a loop.

It begins and ends at Hereford Cathedral , where weary pilgrims have a special treat in store: they can spend their final night in the cathedral's cloisters. It's believed this is the first time since the Middle Ages that pilgrims have been allowed to sleep in the precincts of an English cathedral.

Linking the Wye Valley with the Golden Valley and the flower meadows and foothills of the Black Mountains, the Golden Valley route is also unique in being the nation's only pilgrimage furnished with 'sanctuaries' for its entire length. Conceived to function in the same way as the famous 'albergues' that line the Spanish stretch of the Camino de Santiago, the sanctuaries offer basic cheap lodgings (£22-£25/night). There are no fewer than eight churches and two church halls in which the faithful can get their heads down for the night - ideal for those who enjoy the idea of an unhurried pilgrimage. There are camp beds provided at each venue, so pilgrims can travel a little bit lighter too.

Aside from some marvellous medieval churches and holy wells, the route takes in both the Golden and Wye valleys as well as the foothills of the Black Mountains. And if you would prefer to pedal rather than plod, there is an 82-mile cycle route too.

Visit the Abbey Dore Deanery website for details of the route. abbeydoredeanery.org For information about the sanctuaries in Herefordshire and around the country, visit the British Pilgrimage Trust. britishpilgrimage.org

2 St Patrick's Way, Northern Ireland