NO matter the situation, walking 92 miles for the loo might seem a bit excessive.

But that is exactly what Lucy and Nick Barnwell did, raising money to improve toilet, kitchen and to create a warm space at their 12th century church – All Saints, in the Peak District village of Youlgrave.

The pair completed their pilgrimage from Salisbury to Exeter cathedral over the weekend, clocking up 92 miles over four days.

They are part of the Pommie Pilgrims group – named for the sound of the village band – who are walking to all 42 Anglican Cathedrals to raise money.

All Saints Church is a Grade One listed building and featured in Simon Jenkins’ book England’s Thousand Best Churches.

Although it has undergone many alterations since its founding in 1155, it lacks some key amenities to ensure its sustainability and to make it more welcoming to all: warmth, kitchen facilities and loos.

The pair are fundraising to improve facilities at their local church in the Peak District

The arrival of the first group of 27 pilgrims at Derby Cathedral on March 26 marked the first milestone of the village pilgrimage with eight other cathedrals already reached including Worcester, Gloucester, Hereford, Chelmsford and Ely.

Manchester, Sheffield and Wakefield Cathedrals are next in their sights, with fellow pilgrims Lisa Bingham and Saffron walking from Southwell to Lincoln later in the summer.

Lucy grew up in the south west and spent time as a child in Salisbury for recorder concerts and competitions and a number of trips to Exeter for school uniform.

She and husband Nick were both born at Yeovil Hospital – a town they walked through on their Pilgrimage – and were married in Sherborne Abbey, where they received a special blessing of their pilgrimage and marriage on Saturday morning. Lucy was also confirmed in Sherborne Abbey, played the organ and sang in many a concert there too.

They also stayed overnight in Hardington Mandeville, visiting the church where Lucy was christened.

She said: “We are visiting places that have played important parts in our lives and I am excited to share them with Nick.

“To be able to walk through this wonderful part of the country and enjoy so many memories, while making new ones, meeting new people and old friends, all for such a wonderful cause is so special.

“It is 12 years since we were married but also importantly 10 years since we started our love affair with long-distance walking, having completed the last 125 miles of the Camino de Santiago in 2014.

“Although I now live in Youlgrave, my connection with the city of Exeter gave me the inspiration to take on this leg of the pilgrimage linking our beautiful village with Salisbury and Exeter by our own footsteps and spreading the word about our ambitious village pilgrimage.”

All Saints Church in Youlgrave

The Pommie Pilgrimage aims to create a unique network of footsteps, linking Youlgrave with all 42 Anglican Cathedrals in England.

The walkers plan to raise £42,000 towards All Saints’ renovations, the full cost of which is still being researched.
Cathedral clergy are being invited to welcome pilgrims as they arrive and share in a service as well as making use of the facilities.

“We really didn’t know where to start with the huge task of modernising our church, so we went for a walk and had a think,” said Kate Heath, pilgrim and avid walker who has walked the whole of the English coast path over the last three years.

Pilgrimage is traditionally defined as journeying with purpose, on foot, to a holy place.