FOR hundreds of years it was undertaken by those seeking penance for their sins, but eventually the path was trod no more.

And now a modern-day pilgrim has retraced the steps of penitents from the past by walking the Whithorn Way dressed in the clothes of his ancient predecessors, right down to his boots.

Forest Schools Assistant Derek Stewart has spent the last eight days following the 127-mile route once taken by saints, sinners, monks and monarchs from Glasgow Cathedral to St Ninian’s Chapel at the Isle of Whithorn in Dumfries and Galloway.

Along the way he slept under the stars beneath a replica cloak eating only the supplies he could carry in his satchel, and wearing wool and leather clothes he designed himself.

He also carried a ‘pilgrim’s passport’, which medieval walkers would take to prove their credentials and use to get support from the churches they encountered during their journey.

Mr Stewart, whose hobbies include historical re-enactment, said that taking on the route in as authentic a fashion as possible helped him feel closer to those who had gone before.

The 51-year-old hopes to raise awareness of the trail, which is currently being developed by the Whithorn Way steering group.

Keen walker Mr Stewart, who describes himself as “not particularly religious”, said: “I have always had an interest in history, and I hike often, so it seemed natural to combine the two and complete the Whithorn Way.

“I wanted to get a sense of what it was like for those who followed the pilgrim route back in the medieval ages, and the only way to do that properly is to wear what they wore and travel as they travelled. You get an insight into the medieval mind.

“People still do pilgrimages, but nowadays they take a bus, or they fly. Very few people walk them anymore, but the journey is the whole point.”

Whithorn was once a centre of monastic learning and has been a place of pilgrimage from as early as the 7th century due to its ties to St Ninian, who established a church there, which remains in ruins today.

Through the ages the site has seen a number of royal visitors, including Robert the Bruce, King James I, Mary Queen of Scots, the current queen and Prince Charles.

The large-scale practice of pilgrimages died off following the Reformation, and the number of walking the route dried up. However, recent years has seen an increase in visitors to the area and an interest in its history, leading to the revival of the route.

The walk passes Paisley Abbey, Kilwinning Abbey, Old Alloway Kirk and the Martyr’s Tomb at New Luce along with other historic and religious sites as it meanders southwards.

History buff Mr Stewart, who has previously completed the 400-mile St Olaf’s Way pilgrim route from Oslo to Trondheim in Norway and the Camino de Santiago walk in northern Spain, said that he enjoyed visiting the historic sites along the way.

He said: “I enjoy the peace that comes with walking these routes. You get time to think, and your life becomes very simple. You wake up, you walk, then you stop to sleep and do it all over again the next day.

“I hope that people who see me along the way will get interest in the trail, and think about doing something like this themselves.”