Plans to reopen west coast pilgrims' way

IT HAS been closed since the 16th-century when pilgrimages were banned as part of the Protestant Reformation.

But plans are now being developed to reopen the ancient pilgrim's way which once stretched down the Ayrshire coast to Whithorn, Scotland's "cradle of Christianity."

European funding is being sought to revive at least 75 miles of the ancient pathway along which kings, queens and commoners in their thousands once travelled to pay homage to St Ninian, who founded a place of worship in Whithorn in 397.

Mapping work is ongoing to establish an exact route as close to the original as possible but the new trail - to be called St Ninian's Way - may have twin starting points in Largs and Lochwinnoch to the east. It will then progress south through Beith, Dalry, Dundonald, Troon, Alloway, Crossraguel, Girvan, Barrhill, and Ballantrae and on to Galloway via Glen App.

Elaborately carved milestones with a cross engraved on the surface will be installed and any old fingerposts which can remain on the route will be restored. Highlights will include Dundonald Castle, which once had a chapel dedicated to St Ninian, Crossraguel Abbey at Maybole, Glenluce Abbey and Whithorn itself, the former royal burgh which once greeted pilgrims on their way to visit St Ninian's shrine.

Supporters of the plan hope it will eventually be extended to pilgrim attractions in Glasgow to provide a more southerly rival to the better-established religious tourism trail centred on Iona to the north. The Ayrshire Pilgrims' Trail initiative is also intended to raise awareness of Whithorn's ancient yet widely unappreciated status as the original site of Christian influence in northern Britain.

James Brown, a marketing consultant, who has produced a feasibility study into the project on behalf of Maybole Historical Society, is optimistic the route could be put in place within two years.

"I believe the trail would be of international significance," he explained. "The Scandinavians used to come on pilgrimage to Whithorn, along with the Irish, the English and others from mainland Europe.

"The timing of the project seems to be right, because we're approaching a couple of big anniversaries in 2013. It's the 500th anniversary of the death of James IV, who came down the Ayrshire trail several times. It's also the 850th anniversary of the founding of Paisley Abbey."

With support from local authorities in Ayrshire and an application made to a European funding programme, Brown is hopeful that the first signs will be going up along the trail by next year, with local craftsmen employed to carve the milestones.

"I got the inspiration from a European cultural route called the St Olav Way in Scandinavia," he explained.

The trail was not about worshipping "the bones of a dead saint," he added. "It's a trail which nowadays would allow people to go on a spiritual journey into self, those people looking for a challenge and an experience."

The Whithorn Trust, set up to explore the heritage the former royal burgh, has been exploring ways to revive the south-west peninsula's appeal and believes the reinstatement of a trail which holds great significance in Scotland's Christian history is an important step.

Business manager Janet Butterworth said: "In the medieval period, the trails were about a connection with God. It was also the only legitimate reason for a lot of people to have a holiday and set off. We know from historical records that there were pilgrims coming from all over Europe to Whithorn. It was one of the main pilgrimage centres in the sixth and seventh centuries right the way through to the Reformation.

"Just about every member of royalty has been on the trail. Prince Charles came a few years ago and the Queen came in the 1950s."

St Ninian founded a church in Whithorn at the end of the fourth century but despite the town's renown until the point when pilgrimage was banned it has been largely eclipsed by Iona in recent times.

During a period of archaeological excavation in the 1980s, visitors to Whithorn peaked at 30,000 a year, but that number has fallen dramatically. Brown believes that in time the trail could be extended to run its full original course from Galloway to Glasgow and has already held positive discussions with other councils, Historic Scotland, and Paisley Abbey.

Bailie Catherine McMaster, from Glasgow City Council, said the pilgrims' trail was a "fantastic idea" which would also help people learn more about St Mungo, the city's patron saint.

"The trail should come all the way to Glasgow, it shouldn't stop," she said. "Nobody has joined this trail up until now, and its history isn't as well known as it should be."

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