TWO men have retraced the long journey of St Cuthbert's remains around the North-East, Cumbria and Yorkshire to celebrate the return of the Lindisfarne Gospels to Durham this summer.

Writer Richard W Hardwick and photographer Paul Alexander Knox travelled the same route taken by monks carrying the saint's body after they had fled Viking raids on Holy Island in the ninth century.

They set off last month and arrived at Durham Cathedral on Saturday after visiting 47 towns and villages where the monastic community is said to have taken refuge.

The journey involved driving and walking some 1,660 miles over 15 days with over 70 stops.

The pair have blogged about their pilgrimage and plan produce a photography show, book and touring exhibition.

Mr Hardwick, of Hartlepool, said: “It was quite emotional arrived at Durham Cathedral. It was time away from the stress and busyness of everyday life.

“There is a lot of writing to do now for the exhibition and the website needs updating, but the journey is now complete." 

It is also hoped their work will transform the monks' route into a national tourist trail.

After abandoning Lindisfarne, the monks are said to have wandered modern day Northumberland, the Scottish Borders, Cumbria and Yorkshire before settling in Chester-le-Street seven years later. They reached Durham in 995, leading to the founding of Durham Cathedral.

Mr Hardwick, who teaches creative writing at Frankland Prison, near Durham, is writer-in-residence at Durham University’s School of Applied Sciences, and Mr Knox, is an award-winning documentary photographer from Gateshead.

The St Cuthbert's Final Journey project, funded by The Leverhulme Trust, is part of a regionwide cultural celebration marking the Lindisfarne Gospels loan from the British Library, in London, to Palace Green Library, Durham, from July 1 to September 30.

To find out more, visit the sites stcuthbertsfinaljourney.com or lindisfarnegospels.com