Pilgrimage

Seven well known personalities of differing faiths and beliefs set off on a unique 390km series of trails through the stunning landscapes of north east England to explore the lives of early Celtic Christian saints.They trek through the heart of Northumberland and the Scottish Borders along a curated network of trails celebrating three of England's seventh-century northern saints – Hild, Oswald and Cuthbert. During the journey, they encounter Whitby's famous cliff-top abbey and two of the most important pilgrimage sites in north east England – the Unesco site of Durham Cathedral and their final destination, the Holy Island of Lindisfarne.

The pilgrims continue their adventure in Durham and visit the 12th-century Norman cathedral, where they are introduced to the ancient pilgrim tradition of foot washing.

The pilgrims are in the Scottish Borders on St Cuthbert's Way in the Cheviots. It takes them on a strenuous route up Wideopen Hill to reach some spectacular views.Later, the pilgrims head to Cuthbert's Cave in the Kelso Hills, where legend says the monks rested with Cuthbert's body when they fled Lindisfarne in the late 9th century in the wake of Viking raids. And on the last day of their pilgrimage, they follow the 5km walk across the tidal sands of Pilgrims' Way, where saints and pilgrims have trekked for over a thousand years.Finally, they arrive at Holy Island, where they reflect on a journey that has brought some surprising emotional revelations.

Seven celebrities of differing faiths and beliefs take on a pilgrimage through the Austrian and Swiss Alps to Einsiedeln Abbey, a pilgrim destination for over a thousand years.

It's day five, and the pilgrims prepare for the challenging Alpine paths ahead of them. As they go along the path, they discover part of their route is covered by a deep snow drift.

The celebrities finish their journey at Einsiedeln Abbey, a pilgrim destination for over 1,000 years.

Seven celebrities of differing faiths and beliefs experience an emotional journey on a pilgrimage in north Wales, a route linked by churches dedicated to early Celtic Christian saints.Immersing themselves on this spiritual journey are wildlife presenter Michaela Strachan, who places her faith in the natural world; Spencer Matthews, a former Made in Chelsea reality star who was christened in the Church of England but is still searching for answers to life's big questions; Sonali Shah, a journalist and TV presenter who grew up in a Jain family; comedian Eshaan Akbar, a lapsed Muslim; Amanda Lovett, a practising Catholic who was catapulted into the public eye in the first series of Traitors; actor Tom Rosenthal of Friday Night Dinner fame, who is irreligious; and TV personality and former model Christine McGuinness, who is spiritual but doesn't practise one particular faith.Travelling on foot and by bus, the seven pilgrims begin their adventure at Flint Castle on the bank of the Dee Estuary and follow the coast path to Greenfield Valley, the official start of the 220km Pilgrim's Way.

The pilgrims head into Eryri National Park as the pilgrim path leads the group to one of Wales's most famous natural wonders, Aber Falls.They take a detour to the island of Anglesey, which is rich in pre-Christian history. The pilgrim path then goes right past Yr Wyddfa, or Mount Snowdon, the highest mountain in England and Wales, where the group rise to the challenge and attempt the summit. Along the way, they discuss grief, forgiveness and the overwhelming power of nature.

The pilgrims' final destination is Bardsey Island, the fabled ‘Island of 20,000 Saints'. Along the way, they see spectacular landscapes, visit holy sites and engage in fasting, ritual and meditation.

Seven well-known personalities, with differing faiths and beliefs, meet in northern Portugal to tackle a modern-day Catholic pilgrimage. Known as the Northern Way, their destination is the famous sanctuary in the city of Fatima, one of the biggest Catholic pilgrimage destinations in the world. Travelling by foot, road and train are actor Su Pollard, who was raised in the Church of England; Jewish actress Rita Simons; Pentecostal born-again Christian Shane Lynch of Boyzone fame; reality TV star and influencer Vicky Pattison, who is agnostic; Bobby Seagull, a practising Catholic, maths whizz and TV personality; Nabil Abdulrashid, a comedian and practising Muslim; and Paralympian skier Millie Knight, who is non-practising Church of England.Living as pilgrims, they begin their adventure in the border town of Valenca and over 14 days the celebrity pilgrims will follow the 364-kilometre path as it winds its way south through stunning landscapes, passing places of historical and cultural interest.

With less than a week to go before they join tens of thousands of people in Fatima for the annual celebration of the Miracle of the Sun, the pilgrims decide to speed up their journey. They climb the 570 steps to the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte, try the centuries-old tradition of suckling pig in Mealhada, and visit the tomb of one of the country's most famous women, the queen and saint Isabel.

In the medieval city of Coimbra, the group split up. Millie, Su, Vickie, Shane and Bobby visit the St Theresa convent and meet a Carmelite nun who served one of the three shepherd children. Nabil finds a mosque for Friday prayers and invites Rita to join him. Keen to connect with her own Jewish culture, Rita seeks out an old synagogue in Tamar and asks Millie to join her.After 14 days and 364 kilometres to reach the famous Sanctuary of Fatima. Over 70,000 people from around the world gather in the sanctuary to celebrate the reported sighting of the Virgin Mary over a hundred years ago.

Seven celebrities of differing faiths and beliefs set out in search of St Columba, an Irish monk born 1,500 years ago who helped spread Christianity from Ireland to Scotland.

Nick, Laurence, Scarlett, Monty, Louisa, and Shazia are on their final day in Derry Londonderry, when the delayed 7th pilgrim arrives. Jetting in from the Paralympics in Japan, table tennis legend, Will Bayley, happily completes the pilgrim band.As the pilgrims prepare for a demanding walk from Portstewart, 77-year-old Nick and injured Scarlett, who has a bad leg, take a rain check and offer to shop for the evening meal. Shazia, Monty, Laurence, Will and Louisa head off on an exposed clifftop trail, which leads them to their basic overnight accommodation, a bothy, located at the foot of a perilously steep path.As they start setting up their beds for the night – blowing up mattresses on a concrete floor - Nick and Scarlett arrive by boat. Over dinner, the group learn more about Will, whose grandfather was a vicar, and Monty questions Laurence about his faith, or lack of it, which ignites a healthy debate.It's the first time the pilgrims have all shared a room: it turns out there are two snorers, and nobody gets much sleep.The pilgrims leave Northern Ireland behind them and set sail across the North Channel to western Scotland and join the Kintyre Way. Keen to trace Columba's footsteps, they make tracks to Dunadd Fort, where Columba is thought to have visited the local king. In torrential wind and rain, everyone but Scarlett, who is still struggling with her leg, eventually makes it to the top.Continuing their search of the mighty monk, not far from the fort is an extraordinary ancient place of worship. Saint Columba's Cave is hidden in nature, and some of the pilgrims take communion with a local Episcopalian priest. Scarlett is moved by Shazia's knowledge of the Christian faith.The long walks encourage the pilgrims to exchange confidences, and Monty and Scarlett discuss their shared experiences of trolling and the pain it caused them both. That evening the pilgrims reach the village of Achahoish and are welcomed by the local minister and his congregation. Before the pilgrims bunk down for the night amongst the pews, a prayer triggers emotional childhood memories in Will.After an early start and limited sleep, the pilgrims head further north into the highlands. Following the Glen Way, they make tracks for Loch Ness to investigate the much-told legendary tale of the monster and St Columba, who are said to have come face to face on the lake's shores. At the hostel that evening, Louisa shares her Jewish faith by cooking a traditional Friday night dinner for her fellow pilgrims.

In this third and final episode, the pilgrims head north east to Moray on the edge of the Scottish Highlands. Their first stop is Pluscarden Abbey, Britain's only working medieval monastery. Keen to see how these current-day Benedictine monks live and work, the pilgrims stay overnight and sample some of the routines of monastic life, which include helping with domestic duties. As they question the monks about their life choices, Monty, Louisa, Will and Nick fruit pick in the orchards, while Lawrence, Shazia and Scarlett start cooking dinner. But over supper, and after attending a service conducted in Latin, the group's first proper argument erupts over a few misplaced words.By the following morning, all tensions are forgotten, and the pilgrims head off to Forres, a nearby ancient town dating back to around AD900. Louisa, Shazia, Scarlett and Will discover the Witches Stone, a memorial to so-called witches killed in the area during the Middle Ages. Meanwhile, Lawrence, Monty and Nick seek out Sueno's Stone, a famous Christian Pictish monument thought to be evidence that, three centuries after Columba's death, Christianity had reached the territory inhabited by pagan Picts.The pilgrims head west across the Highlands and catch a ferry to the Outer Hebrides and the Isle of Lewis. In Stornoway, Shazia takes the chance to pray at Britain's northern-most mosque, taking Nick and Louisa with her. After the service, they're invited to stay for tea when they find out more about this small, friendly Muslim community. Once reunited with the other pilgrims, they head to the Calanais Stones, which are older than Stonehenge. While Lawrence ponders how Columba would have reacted to these pagan megaliths, Shazia shares that with any place of pilgrimage, its significance is not what it is, but the faith you have in it.The pilgrims then start heading back south on the Scottish mainland towards the Inner Hebrides. On the way, they stop off for a wet and wild walk in Glen Nevis in the shadow of Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, and with Columba's Isle now only two days away, their thoughts start turning to the end of their pilgrimage and their own personal spiritual journeys.Another ferry ride gets them to the Isle of Mull - just a hop away from Iona - and their last overnight stop, where they sit down together to celebrate their journey and Columba. Early the following morning, day 15 of their pilgrimage, local boatmen take them on the final leg of their pilgrimage, from Mull to the tiny island of Iona.The current abbey on Iona was founded in the 13th century over the foundations of Columba's original 6th-century monastery, but it was Columba's settlement which made Iona an island famed for its scholarship and culture. The pilgrims visit the shrine where it's most likely Columba was buried, and a last walk to the hill of Iona brings about an emotional farewell to their pilgrimage, with the final words belonging to Nick, who salutes the memory of Columba and his achievements.

Journalist Adrian Chiles, former politician Edwina Currie, Olympian Fatima Whitbread, broadcaster Mim Shaikh, TV presenter Amar Latif, comedian Dom Joly and actress Pauline McLynn set out to cover sections of the Sultans Trail - a modern-day 2,200km pilgrimage across Eastern Europe that starts in Vienna and ends in Istanbul. Each has varying religions, with Dom and Pauline confirmed atheists. Starting in Serbia's capital Belgrade, they stay in basic hostels and sleep in shared dorms, acting as simple pilgrims traversing the ancient military route by rail and foot.

Life on the Sultans Trail begins to challenge the celebrities as Adrian Chiles tells the group he is struggling with the purpose of pilgrimage in the face of their experiences.

The celebrities set off on the final leg of their pilgrimage and arrive in Turkey, where they head for the magnificent Suleymaniye Mosque in the historic city of Istanbul.

In this first episode, the intrepid eight arrive in Martigny, Switzerland, and find out for the first time who will be sharing their pilgrim adventure. They make their way by mountain train to the start of their pilgrimage in Orsieres, high up in the Swiss Alps. The Via is based on a journey taken to Rome in 990AD by Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury, which crosses the Alps at 2,500m and goes over the Great St Bernard Pass. Like Napoleon, his 40,000 strong army and the pilgrims before them, the group also have to make their way up the challenging mountain path.

In this second episode, it is day four, and Stephen, Greg, Brendan and Les wake up in a yurt. They are all staying in a hostel on a Roman road in a tiny village in the Tuscan Appenines, and they are beginning to realise how important the simple life is to the pilgrim experience – especially when a donkey appears in the kitchen to try and eat their breakfast.

The celebrity pilgrims set off on the final challenging stretch of the Via toward Rome. When they receive an extraordinary invitation from the Vatican, emotions run high.

In this first episode, the intrepid seven arrive in Biarritz and make their way to the start of their pilgrimage, a small town in the foothills of the French Pyrenees, St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. They are shown a copy of the ancient Codex Calixtinus, a medieval guide to the route, before heading to the Pilgrims' Office where they register and collect their all-important pilgrim passports, which they'll get stamped where ever they stop along the way.

In this second episode, our seven celebrities travel from the region of Navarre to the start of the final 100km in Galicia. In Irache, to their great delight, Neil, JJ and Kate come across a fountain of wine, where thirsty pilgrims can drink straight from the tap. One hundred litres of wine a day are supplied free by a local vineyard, and priest Kate, who struggled through the Pyrenees, celebrates this kind of charity as a spiritual moment. She dismisses the notion that through pain comes a better understanding of God, and that self-denial is the way to salvation.

The group are now in Galicia, walking the last 100km to Santiago. Priest Kate still dreads the walk, but non-believer Raph is beginning to enjoy the opportunity it is giving him to appreciate his surroundings. They stop by a river and chat to Guy Hayward, who runs the British Pilgrimage Trust. He explains the meaning of river pilgrimage and encourages them to take a dip in the freezing water. Against his better judgement, Ed decides to join the swimming party, along with Kate, who is much happier in water than she is walking.