A circular walk of about two and a half miles following the medieval pilgrimage route along Old Road in Liskeard will take place at the weekend.

The walk will continue down the Mass Path to the holy shrine in Ladye Park and will take place on Sunday, October 2.

From the earliest days of Christianity in Cornwall, Mary, the mother of Jesus, was revered in Liskeard under the title ‘Our Ladye of the Park’.

A shrine was established over a well, in a valley below the town, close to a tributary of the East Looe River. A chapel was subsequently built and became a place of pilgrimage, known as Ladye Park.

The walk will be led by local historian Brian Oldham, of the organisation Liskeard Walkers are Welcome, who will tell of local characters as their houses are passed along the route.

At Ladye Park, Peter Murnaghan will give a short history of the site to include the rediscovery of the shrine by Margaret Pollard in the 1950s.

Everyone is welcome to take part in the walk, which will set out from the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Neot, in West Street, at 12.30pm and will also pick up participants from the top of Westbourne car park. Walkers are welcome to join members of the congregation for tea and coffee in the St Neot Room at the church at just after midday.