Find rest for your soul
St Wite’s Way Pilgrimage
St Wite’s Way is a guided pilgrimage experience in West Dorset for those seeking restoration and renewal.
The pilgrimage is open to everyone no matter your faith and tradition. Take time to pause, listen and look more deeply within.
Drawing on the life and tradition of St Wite, Dorset’s patron saint the pilgrimage literally follows in her the footsteps. As we walk we stop and reflect on our own lives and experiences inspired by St Wite’s story of courage, sacrifice and hope immersed in the area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that is the Marshwood Vale and Lyme Bay coastline.
I have walked pilgrimage routes before but because this was a guided experience, it was a far deeper and richer than anything I have known before. I cannot thank you enough.”
Paul, a pilgrim
Dates for 2025
Join us for a unique pilgrimage inspired by the life of St Wite — a woman known for her courage and healing. We’ll walk in her footsteps, beginning and ending at her ancient shrine, a place long associated with renewal. Rooted in Christian tradition but open to all, this retreat offers space to reflect, reconnect, and explore your own spiritual path in a welcoming and unpressured way.
Saturday 9 August
Friday 15 August 2025
Monday 25 August 2025
Saturday 13 September 2025
Friday 19 September 2025
Tuesday 7 October 2025
[Full Residential]
Step into the story
This short film offers a glimpse into the heart of the journey: one shaped by ancient paths, spiritual reflection, and the beauty of creation. Whether you're seeking stillness, connection, or a deeper sense of purpose, St Wite’s Way invites you to walk in the footsteps of generations past – and discover something new along the way.
Walk St Wite’s Way
Inspired by the life of St Wite, Dorset’s patron saint this pilgrimage retraces her footsteps to sacred places long associated with healing and renewal . The journey offers space for personal reflection immersed in the breathtaking West Dorset country side. It is open to all .
The main route is a 7-mile, one-day walk to the highest point on the south coast, Golden Cap. Along the route, guided pauses create space for prayer, meditation, and meaningful encounter.
Who was St Wite? A Saxon woman of mystery, healing, and faith whose story still echoes through Dorset’s hills.
The Holy Shrine of St Wite, Dorset’s patron saint, has welcomed pilgrims for over 1,000 years. For centuries, those seeking healing and help have made the journey to this sacred site. In medieval times, pilgrims would rest at the Shave Cross Inn, shaving their heads in penance before continuing on to St Candida and the Holy Cross — often completing the final miles on their knees.
Remarkably, St Wite’s shrine was one of the few to survive the destruction of the Reformation, alongside only King Edward the Confessor’s in Westminster Abbey. This rare survival offers an unbroken thread to a deep and ancient tradition of pilgrimage. Today, St Wite’s Way invites you to walk that same path — through day walks and retreats that honour her legacy and the spiritual landscape of West Dorset.
