Welcome

I attended the British Pilgrimage Gathering 2025. 

The first panel, The History of Pilgrimage: rediscovering landscape, meaning, and self: What does pilgrimage mean? And where did it all begin? brought together Guy Hayward, Director of the British Pilgrimage Trust (BPT), with historians Alice Loxton and Daniel Wilson, and pilgrim, author, and bookseller Luke Sherlock to explore the ancient roots and modern revival of pilgrimage in Britain. The BPT also published a short summary essay to accompany the video.

In the second panel, Toward an inclusive folk: belonging, culture and the commons in modern England, BPT Trustee Daze Aghaji spoke with artist Jeremy Deller and folklorist Jennifer Reid to discuss folk traditions and how folk belongs to us today. Again, the BPT published a short summary essay to accompany the video.

The third and fourth films were Nature Restoration through Pilgrimage: how this works and The Return of the Witches and Cunning Folk: reconnecting with ancestral wisdom. Guy Hayward spoke with Martin Palmer (Alliance for Religions and Conservation and FaithInvest), Zofia Page (Friends of the River Medway), and Jonathan Weekes (Sacred Earth Activism) and BPT Trustee Daze Aghaji spoke with India Rakusen (broadcaster and creator of Witch and 28ish Days Later), Ruth Dillon (artist and founder of We Are Witch), and Kaz and Fi (The Seed Sistas).

The last panel from the Gathering: “Beyond the Ordinary: pilgrimage as a threshold into the unseen”, reflected on pilgrimage not as a journey between landmarks - but as a path into renewed connection with the sacred in everyday life.

The BPT also produced summaries of the rest of the panels.

In addition, the BPT offers number of free resources, including:

• A comprehensive library of ancient and new pilgrim routes and sacred places.
   
• Guided pilgrimages, including for groups in need, such as the bereaved.
   
• Practical resources like how-to guides and a book.
   
• A growing network of Sanctuaries, to provide affordable overnight stays that support local communities.