We know him as Cuddy. He was a humble, spiritual man whose followers went on to establish a cathedral in 995AD in modern-day Durham to house his tomb. Thousands of pilgrims journeyed to visit his shrine after the Age of the Saints, and St Cuthbert continues to inspire pilgrims to this day. Indeed, some would say we need his quiet wisdom now more than ever.
“Cuthbert is woven into the landscape of the North East,” said Charlie Allen, Canon Chancellor of Durham Cathedral when we met last autumn in the Cathedral cloisters, the melodies of the choir practising for evensong beyond the ancient, stone walls.
“There were times when the pilgrims couldn’t get to his shrine as it was so crowded,” she added. “Today, pilgrims come for different reasons but the idea of making a pilgrimage remains a transition point in life. It’s a time to reassess.”
Durham is the visitor hub for the six new long-distance walking trails of the Northern Saints project, which maps the spiritual heritage of North East England as the Christian crossroads of the British Isles. The trails, following ancient pilgrimage routes, were waymarked to coincide with the Association of English Cathedrals naming last year as the Year of Pilgrimage. The walks are designed to appeal to modern-day pilgrims and serious walkers, but also weekend hikers seeking a post-lockdown lift of their spirits.
I had come to County Durham to walk The Way of Life, following in the footsteps of St Cuthbert heading north towards Durham. One of the shorter of the six trails, the 29-mile hike divides conveniently into two or three sections for a weekend of walking and local history. There are places to stay and eat along the route with more infrastructure to be added. The route is waymarked with circular symbols of a purple Celtic cross and more waymarking is being completed. Once Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted and following the trails is possible again, it is hoped that they will be complete.
I set out on a sunny morning from the village of Gainford, where the spring at St Mary’s Well is said to have healing properties. People have gathered here for worship since pagan times and Cuthbert himself is said to have passed this way on route to Lindisfarne, where he ran the monastery and was first buried there in 687AD. His body was later moved to Durham after Viking raids on the North East coast.
The route took me across farmland initially before leading into the market town of Bishop Auckland, the ancient residence of the Prince Bishops of Durham. The Auckland Tower, the new viewing platform and tourist information centre, is due to open in June, alongside the Mining Art Gallery, as part of the Auckland Project regeneration of the town.
Roman remains
After a lunch stop at a cafe on the market square, I walked onwards to Binchester Roman Fort, where successive excavations of the AD79 fort have revealed one of the best-preserved Roman bathhouses in Britain. Binchester is one of the attractions along the trail and provides a link between the spiritual beliefs of the Romans and the later Saxons.
“Spiritually is one of the key characteristics of this region, closely associated with the saints and the monasteries they founded,” explained David Mason, Principal Archaeologist for Durham County Council as we explored the treasures unearthed by multiple archaeological digs.
“Before the saints, the Romans tolerated many religions, absorbing people from different backgrounds into the Empire,” he added. “That’s why we’ve found here altars used for offerings to Roman gods like Mars and Jupiter but, also, artefacts of Christian worship from the later Roman period.”
The next stage of the walk leads along the banks of the River Wear, cutting through Woodland Trust-managed land after Sunderland Bridge, and woods beyond Durham University. The woodland glades showcased the changing colours and swirling leaves of autumn with oak trees and tantalising glimpses of deer. In other seasons, however, the area can be alive with bluebells, daffodils and otters.
The final leg took me through the rural landscape on the fringes of the city. The last push came with the challenge of the 224 leg-straining Doom Steps up to the hilltop plateau of Mountjoy. Here pilgrims would traditionally catch their first glimpse of the journey’s end: the Unesco World Heritage Site of Durham’s Cathedral Green with the Romanesque cathedral at its heart.
The trail enters the city on its southern fringes, crosses the graveyard of St Oswald’s Church, where St Cuthbert is alleged to have appeared in a vision, and hops over the river at historic Prebends Bridge. Modern-day pilgrims now enter the cathedral via the Galilee Chapel, where a new light installation will recreate the medieval tradition of washing feet upon arrival. The nave offers alcoves to stop for private reflection but, after the drama of giving thanks at the elaborate High Altar, Cuddy’s simple shrine is starkly understated: a stone slab etched with the epitaph “Cuthbertus”.
“Current events make pilgrimage more important than ever,” smiled Charlie, the choir taking their places for evensong. We joined the faithful, reflecting on how the ancient concept of pilgrimage has evolved from the Age of the Saints to modern times.
“I think we have been united by lockdown,” she added. “We need these physical and internal journeys to help us pause and re-engage with the bigger picture.”
How to plan a post-lockdown hike on the Northern Saints Trails
The writer stayed at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Durham. Doubles from £99 B&B.
Binchester Roman Fort is open 10.30am-4pm.
The Castlegate Café in Bishop Auckland is a good lunch stop.
More information
northernsaints.com
thisisdurham.com
See gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home for current advice
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