In Columba’s footsteps – without Cuban heels
‘Whenever I would tell my friends, they’d laugh and I’d be like ‘‘why is that so funny?’’, I believe in God.’
A TV series will feature Mid Argyll as it follows seven celebrities on a pilgrimage through Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
‘Pilgrimage’ follows the celebs – of different faiths and none – for 15 days as they follow in the footsteps of Saint Columba, seeking out his legacy as a key figure in early British Christianity, helping spread the faith from Ireland to Scotland and beyond.
Along the way Will Bayley, Scarlett Moffatt, Monty Panesar, Louisa Clein, Laurence Lewellyn-Bowen, Shazia Mirza and Nick Hewer enjoyed the hospitality of the people of Knapdale.
They arrived in Achahoish on September 15 last year, having set off from Northern Ireland the previous day by boat.
Tired and weary, the pilgrims were welcomed into South Knapdale Parish Church at Achahoish, where they met with some of the congregation and shared a meal.
South Knapdale Parish Church minister Reverend David Carruthers explained: ‘The programme’s producers – and the visitors – had caught wind of the fact that the church in Achahoish has been used previously by pilgrim groups passing through.
‘The Presbytery of Argyll's youth workers have previously arranged pilgrim walks under the banner of the Columba Experience and the church at Achahoish was used for accommodation on two successive years.’
After their meal at Achahoish, the group started to share with one another something of their backgrounds, beliefs and faiths whilst the TV cameras rolled.
After three hours of fascinating chat, the locals went home and the travellers bedded down on the church floors in their sleeping bags.
Next day the pilgrims headed northwards via Columba’s Cave near Ellary, where Father Simon MacKenzie of Christchurch in Lochgilphead conducted a short act of worship.
The celebrity pilgrims began their journey in Donegal before travelling to Argyll.
From Knapdale, they headed up the west coast, sailing to Lewis and Harris before arriving at their final destination, Iona.
Covering almost 1,000 miles in the series, they visit places of worship, from pagan stones to an early Christian cave and a contemporary mosque and Sikh temple.
The journey tests the pilgrims not just spiritually, but physically too.
TV celeb and comedian Scarlett Moffatt, 31, said: ‘At school, I spent a lot of time just reading books and on my own and so that’s how I got into faith really. It just felt calming. There’s almost a stigma attached to sort of being religious.
‘Whenever I would tell my friends, they’d laugh and I’d be like, ‘‘why is that funny?’’, I believe in God, there has to be something that started all this.
‘I would describe myself as Christian, but not a strict Christian. I don’t go to church, but I definitely believe and religion to me is security.’
She added: ‘In my head somebody on a pilgrimage is in a loin cloth and they have really long hair...and they look a bit dehydrated like they need a good moisturiser mask.
‘I’m doing the pilgrimage as I want to know what my religion is. I want to be able to answer that question with confidence.’
TV personality and interior designer Laurence LewellynBowen describes himself as a ‘non-conforming pagan’. The 56-year-old explained: ‘I think pilgrimage is about clearing out your mental closet by physical exertion and by spiritual conversation with yourself or, if you believe it, then conversation with your God.
‘I know I come across as all sort of flouncy and floppy and rather cavalier, but I am capable of existing in the real world.
‘However, I don’t think I’ve walked so far not wearing Cuban heels.’
Pilgrimage: The Road to the Scottish Isles will be screened on BBC Two and iPlayer in the spring with three one-hourlong episodes, and is a CTVC production.