On the banks of the River Tiddy lies the quiet village of St Germans. Here the Cornish Celtic Way begins, and not by chance: Saint German’s Priory carries a spiritual legacy that reaches back to the earliest centuries of Christianity in Cornwall. By the early Middle Ages this was a place of prayer and community, dedicated to Saint Germanus of Auxerre. In the tenth century St Germans even became the seat of the Bishop of Cornwall.

By stepping into the church you immediately sense something of that eternal grandeur. The twin Norman towers of the west front make it one of the most striking medieval buildings in Cornwall. Inside you find traces of Romanesque strength and Gothic grace, ancient tombstones and quiet corners where time seems to pause.

To spend the night in this church at the beginning of my pilgrimage was a quietly remarkable experience.