St Mary's Way

St Mary's Way - 67-miles, 1 week

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A Pilgrim Way for the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster from the Cathedral of St Peter in Lancaster to the Diocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes at Cleator.

This magnificent pilgrimage walk (thanks to the Robinson Family) links the Catholic Cathedral of St Peter in Lancaster with the shrine to Our Lady at Cleator. The 67 mile route takes in quiet canal side paths, the wide open views of Morecambe Bay, England's longest lake and a climb in the shadow of Lakeland’s highest mountains, finishing at the peaceful grotto built in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes in West Cumbria.

The complete route runs from Lancaster to Arnside, Grange-Over-Sands to Lakeside at Windermere, along the west side of Windermere to Elterwater then over to Rosthwaite then to Ennerdale Bridge and finally to Cleator. The route follows a number of well-established long distance walks including the Lancashire Coastal Way, the Windermere Way, the Cumbria Way and the Coast to Coast Walk.

About the Catholic Diocese of Lancaster

The diocese was established in 1924, taking areas and parishes from the Archdiocese of Liverpool and the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle. It extends along the west of England from the Ribble River in the south of Preston to the Scottish border, comprising the counties of Cumbria and much of Lancashire.

The diocese has around 90 active priests, 50 permanent deacons, 12 secondary schools, over a hundred primary schools and a similar number of parishes. Areas in the diocese include the city of Preston; a city with a high Catholic population due in part to the fact that the Protestant Reformation never took hold in Preston to the same extent as it did in other places.

Visit the official pilgrimage website and get your pilgrim passport.