A WARM WELCOME
From the Very Rev Dr Sheilagh M Kesting
It is my pleasure to welcome you to our website which is dedicated to the individual pilgrim routes that are supported by the members of the Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum. Right now there is a lot of energy around the development of the routes and we hope this website will prove a key place to share the excitement of what is happening.
​
Sharing news and experience is a key function of the Forum as it supports and encourages the work of local Steering Groups. We have also created a space reserved for members of the Forum. Look out for regular news items about the development of the routes.
​
The Forum is particularly pleased to highlight two of its initiatives that are aimed at supporting and encouraging the development of Scottish Pilgrim Ways: The John Henderson Memorial Award and the Scottish Pilgrim Ways Accreditation Scheme. The former has been set up in memory of our distinguished first treasurer and will be awarded to a person who has made an outstanding contribution to the development of a pilgrim route in Scotland either before or after its accreditation as a Scottish Pilgrim Route.
Our Scottish Pilgrim Routes Accreditation Scheme encourages local volunteer Steering Groups to continue developing their routes to the highest standard at the same time as giving walkers an indication of what facilities they might expect to find along the way. The first award, a Silver one, was awarded to the Forth to Farne Way in September. More applications are currently under consideration. You can find out more about the John Henderson Memorial Award and the Accreditation Scheme by following the appropriate links.
I hope you enjoy browsing this new site. Over time there will be more to explore and discover about the growing network of Pilgrim Routes across Scotland and the work of the Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum to promote and support its development. And for those who are able, I hope you enjoy walking the routes in the spirit of pilgrimage, making each journey one of reflection, a refreshing and healing journey of discovery into ourselves and into our connectedness with people and nature through time.
MEET OUR TEAM
Our board is dedicated to continuing and expanding our charitable mission. We are a family of diverse professionals who focus our different skills and expertise on the singular goal of reviving pilgrimage for the modern era. Read more about our individual team members below.
LORD WILSON OF TILLYORN KT GCMG FRSE
SPRF Patron
Lord Wilson is a retired British administrator, diplomat and Sinologist. He was the penultimate Commander-in-Chief and 27th Governor of Hong Kong. He served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the British Monarch's representative to the Assembly, in 2010 and 2011. He retired from the House of Lords on 12 February 2021 after sitting as a cross-bencher for over 28 years. Lord Wilson has taken a very personal interest in the development of the Northern Pilgrims Way between Tain and Thurso.