A group of Moray pilgrims will undertake a 1,000 mile trek through Europe to raise funds for the restoration of Pluscarden Abbey.
It will be a second pilgrimage in three years for many as they walk from central France to another famous abbey, at Monte Cassino in central Italy.
They will set out in May to help Pluscarden create a new women’s retreat, along with a heritage centre and a library.
The overall cost is expected to be in the region of £2 million.
David Broadfoot is coordinating the restoration appeal and has hailed the pilgrims for agreeing to take part in another fundraising pilgrimage.
He said: “This is really being organised on the back of the 2017 Burgundy to Pluscarden pilgrimage.
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“Some of the people involved in that effort have been getting together since like a band of brothers.
“They told us they would like to go again but to do something simpler as last time it took 18 months of planning and was a huge effort.
“We are going to have the same start point but this time head south to Rome.”
In 2017, supporters of Pluscarden recreated the journey made by the French monks who founded the abbey in Moray during the 13th century by retracing their steps from Val des Choues in Burgundy, France.
For next years route, pilgrims will be heading in the opposite direction and will finish up at Monte Cassino in Italy where the Rule of St Benedict was formulated and governs how the Benedictine monks who reside at the abbey live their lives.
They will set off on May 4, with the journey ending nine weeks later, on July 12.
The pilgrimage will be led by Al Monkman who is a former commander of the RAF base at Lossiemouth.
Members of the public are also being invited to join for various sections of route with more details to follow soon.
Pluscarden Abbey was recently given a cash boost from the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund, which awarded it £80,500.
That money will go towards construction of a car park for two coaches and 34 cars along with a picnic area and loos which will eventually support the heritage centre.
Those improvements are being sought first due to an increase in the amount of visitors who make their way to the Abbey.
It now welcomes about 15,000 people each year.
Learn more about Pluscarden’s restoration plans at www.appealpluscardenabbey.org.uk.
