St Mary’s Whitekirk to Prestonkirk East Linton – Saturday 27th September 2025
Below you will find details and a registration form for our upcoming Pilgrimage from St Mary’s Whitekirk to Prestonkirk East Linton. This event is being held jointly with the Scottish Pilgrimage Routes Forum who will be holding their AGM later in the day. We do hope you can join us for what promises to be a very special Pilgrimage.
WHITEKIRK to PRESTONKIRK WALK
We will be meeting from 9.30am at The Stables Prestonkirk where tea and coffee will be available. There will be a welcome from Rev. Douglas Hamilton before we travel by private bus from East Linton to Whitekirk at 10.15am. Or if you prefer you can meet us at St Mary’s at 10.30am. There will be a guided tour of St Mary’s before heading off on the route at 11.15am.
On arrival back in East Linton a soup and sandwich lunch is being provided at a charge of £10 per person. When registering below please indicate if you require lunch, and if you have any dietary requirements. You are of course welcome to bring your own picnic.
Walk Details
The walk is on part of the Forth to Farne Way, is approximately 6.5km on level ground, tarred side roads, farm tracks and grassy paths.
St Mary’s Parish Church, Whitekirk was mostly rebuilt in the early 1900s after it had suffered a fire. On the hillside just behind the church is a large former Tithe Barn (15th century) which was used to accommodate pilgrims in the middle ages. At that time approx 10,000 pilgrims a year would pass through Whitekik on their way to North Berwick, an on to St Andrew’s.
We leave Whitekirk on the West Road. To the south of the road is Binning Memorial Wood, a popular alternative ‘resting place’.
After approx 2km we turn south on road and farm tracks that will take us through Kamehill Farm and eventually to East Linton. To the East of the way you will see the former Newbyth Mansion House which after a destructive fire was restored and formed into flats for private rental.
After 3km we join the B1377 just outside and above the south of East Linton. From this point you get a panoramic view over the River Tyne valley, Traprain Law and the Hammer Muirhead Hills. To our left is a 16C beehive dovecot which housed 500 pigeons in its day.
From here we drop down into East Linton to end our walk at Prestonkirk Parish Church. The church was founded by St Baldred in the 6thC. The existing tower dates from 1631 and the main building from1770. The beautiful St Baldred Window was installed in1959.
After lunch you are welcome to join us for some updates on a number of SPRF pilgrimage routes and stay for AGM of SPRF.
Registration
Please register for our September Pilgrimage using the form below
The Pilgrimage on Saturday 10th May took place in glorious sunshine. We met at Athelstaneford Church, and walked to Prestonkirk. Around 40 people joined us at various points.
Pilgrimage has been an important part of the life of our church for many years. As well as organising local pilgrimage walks, some of our members and previous ministers have been instrumental in establishing the Forth to Farne route between North Berwick and Lindisfarne.
