Nick Mayhew-Smith – författare

Descending into the darkness of a long-abandoned hermit's cave, wading naked into an icy sea to pray, spending the night on a sacred mountain, Nick Mayhew-Smith recounts an extraordinary one-man mission to revive the ancient devotions of Britain's most enigmatic holy places.Based on ground-breaking research into the transition from Paganism to Christianity, this book invites the reader on a journey into the heart of the Celtic wilderness, exploring the deep-seated impulse to mark natural places as holy. It ends with a vision of how we can recover our harmony with the rest of creation: with the landscape, the weather and the wildlife, and ultimately with the body itself.Follow the footsteps of holy men and women such as Columba, Patrick, Cuthbert, Gildas, Aidan, Bede, Ninian, Etheldreda, Samson and others into enchanting Celtic landscapes, and learn the unvarnished truth behind the stories that shape our spiritual and natural heritage.

Britain's Pilgrim Places captures the spirit of 2,000 years of history, heritage and wonder.It is the complete guide to every spiritual treasure, including 500 enchanting holy places throughout England, Wales and Scotland, and covers all major pilgrimage routes.What you’ll find inside:Historic Pilgrimage routes - including the ancient Pilgrims' Way to Canterbury, St Cuthbert's Way from Melrose in Scotland to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, the Cornish Celtic Way, St Michael's Way and the Northern Saints TrailUnforgettable sacred sites - a comprehensive guide to a remarkable range of landscapes and landmarks, artworks and architecture steeped in timeless spiritualityAncient Walking trails - such as the Augustine Camino which charts the beginnings of Roman Christianity in England, the Fife Pilgrim Way and the Walsingham WayEvery medieval cathedral in England and Wales - including York Minster, Salisbury Cathedral, Canterbury Cathedral, Lincoln Cathedral, and Westminster AbbeyProduced in collaboration with The British Pilgrimage Trust, this book encapsulates the timeless quest of the human spirit to find meaning, connection and peace. Each listing is illustrated in full colour and written and presented in a way that appeals to everyone. From wild hermit islands to city-centre cathedrals alike, there is something to surprise and enlighten anyone with a sense of the sacred.One amazing book that gathers the riches of an entire culture, placed at your fingertips and laid out before your feet.The British Pilgrimage Trust's mission is to harness the quiet but powerful resurgence of interest in ancient ways of finding meaning and peace in the landscape. Britain's Pilgrim Places follows on from best-selling Britain's Holiest Places which became a 6-part BBC television series.