A Scottish artist is planning an arts-focused pilgrimage walk of 1,500 miles from Scotland to Venice. Anthony Schrag, a Glasgow School of Art graduate, will walk for an estimated 18 to 20 days across Britain and France and over the Alps to Italy to reach to what he calls the modern-day "sacred site" of many artists, the Venice Biennale. The walk has been organised by Deveron Arts, in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, and will see Schrag set off in June to reach Italy’s famous canal city in time for the opening ofthe Venice Biennale contemporary art show. Claudia Zeiske, director of Deveron Arts, said: “Deveron Arts values the process of walking, community and the human pace. The participatory practice of Anthony Schrag follows the model of a pilgrimage in which one world collides with others.” Anthony hopes that members of the public will join him on sections of the walk, like a modern-day pilgrimage. On his travels, the Edinburgh artist plans to collect "small relics" that will find their "sacred place" in Venice.

Walk your own pilgrimage this summer

It was in the Middle Ages that religious pilgrimages first became popular with vast numbers of people moving around Britain and Europe. At this time an extensive network of roads were created that led towards destinations of worship across Europe, such as the route of Camino de Santiago. Today, many people continue to walk these routes whether for religious reasons or simply to hike a trail through stunning landscapes. The focus of an A to B route is also attractive and many people choose to walk sections of one long-distance pilgrimage trails over several different walking holidays.

5 of the best pilgrimage walks

1) The hugely popular Camino de Santiago, also known as Way of St James, leads to the shrine of the apostle St James the Great in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwest Spain, where tradition has it that the remains of the saint are buried. There are many different routes leading to this place including the most popular French Way or Camino Frances. See Camino de Santiago for walking tours. 2) In the UK, famous pilgrimage routes include the Pilgrim’s Way, an ancient path from Winchester in Hampshire, through Surrey and following the entire length of the North Downs to finally reaching the city of Canterbury in Kent. 3) In Scotland, St Cuthbert’s Way heads through the beautiful rolling countryside of the Scottish Borders and Northumberland to cross coastal flats to Holy Island, one of Europe’s most famous Christian sites. Walk the self-guided St Cuthbert’s Way tour with Macs Adventure. 4) The Via Francigena, is the “All Roads Lead To Rome” trail that starts in Canterbury, England, before crossing the channel to France and continuing across Switzerland to reach Italy. 5) In Japan, the 11th century Kumano Kodo pilgrim’s trail through rural Japan to the three grand shrines of Kumano is the stuff of amazing sights and fabulous memories. Walk the Kumano Kodo with Macs Adventure.