Pilgrims' walk in honour of Northern saint (From The Northern Echo)

Pilgrims' walk in honour of Northern saint

6:32pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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MODERN-DAY ‘pilgrims’ will trace the journey of an early Christian figurehead’s relics to their final resting place this weekend.

Members of the Northumbrian Association are staging their now annual St Cuthbert’s Day Walk, along seven miles of the River Wear, from Chester-le-Street to Durham Cathedral.

It has been held for the past nine years on March 20, St Cuthbert’s Day, the date of the early Bishop of Lindisfarne’s death in 687AD.

The walk is part of the association’s long-running campaign aimed at bringing about the permanent return of the Lindisfarne Gospels, now kept at the British Library, to the North-East.

Although the British Library has agreed to allow the gospels to go on temporary display in Durham in 2013, it has steadfastly refused all efforts to allow them to permanently return to their home region.

Saturday’s walk begins at St Mary’s and St Cuthbert’s Parish Church, in Chester-le-Street, where Cuthbert’s remains and the gospels were kept for 113 years.

They were taken by his followers under fear of Viking invaders to seek a safe resting place and they eventually settled in Durham, where the cathedral was built as a shrine to the saint.

Association chairman John Danby said the walk is growing in popularity, with 125 people starting, and 124 finishing, last year, on a Friday.

"Given that it’s fallen on a Saturday this year we’re hoping for an even better turn-out.

"There are some regulars, but each year we have some new faces taking part."

Mr Danby said he hopes one of last year’s walkers, Clive Simons, makes it again, on Saturday, so he can pass on his thanks.

"I don’t know where Mr Simons is from, but he turned up and filmed it.

"He sent us a nicely presented DVD of the event, with only his name on, so it would be nice to be able to say ‘thankyou’."

The walk, starting at 10am, roughly follows the course of the river between Chester-le-Street and Durham, taking in a lunch-break at Finchale Priory.

A light lunch is being supplied by Northumbrian Water for all the participants.

Anyone wishing to take part is asked to contact Mr Danby, on 0191-389 2699, so he can order the correct number of lunches.