Pilgrims complete 118-mile Holy Week walk

Each year the Northern Cross pilgrims cross the tidal causeway to Holy Island barefoot

A group carrying large, wooden crosses has completed a pilgrimage dating back almost 50 years.

Northern Cross began in 1976 when a group of Christians decided to make a journey in the week before Easter to Holy Island off the Northumberland coast.

It took the walkers a week to cover the 118 miles (190km) from Carlisle arriving at the island on Good Friday.

Pete Coppola, who is the secretary of the Carlisle group, has been doing the pilgrimage since 1979.

The group left Carlisle a week ago for the long trek

At its peak, more than 100 people did the walk, with legs from Carlisle, Bellingham, Melrose and Dunbar, but this year fewer than 20 took part.

Walkers stayed in basic accommodation, which included sleeping on village hall floors.

Their journey began close to the border between Scotland and England, trekking through Lanercost, Haltwhistle, Wark, Elsdon, Ingram and Lowick.

On Good Friday they walked barefoot across the sand along Pilgrims Way, to reach the island to celebrate Easter.

Part of the route passed near Sycamore Gap on Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland

During most of his walks over the past 20 years, Mr Coppola, 65, from Rochester in Kent, has been joined by his daughter Nadia.

He said not being on Holy Island at Easter was "unthinkable".

"It all went very smoothly and there were not many walking wounded," he added.

"We were pleased that lots of people joined us and there were between 40 and 50 at the end."

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