Pilgrim's Road

Since the tenth century, pilgrims have travelled the ancient roads through France and Spain that lead to Santiago de Compostela, the legendary shrine of St James the Apostle. Travelling in groups for safety, they braved marauding Moorish armies, raging torrents and fearsome mountain passes, trusting in the protection afforded them by the emblem of St James, a scallop shell. A thousand years later, Bettina Selby tackled the pilgrim's trail alone and on a bicycle, finding the scallop shell still a powerful talisman, opening doors and providing shelter. Through tiny hamlets seemingly untouched by the twentieth century and the awe-inspiring beauty of the Pyrenees, Bettina Selby discovered a vibrant tradition that lures more and more people to become pilgrims on the road to the 'Field of the Star'.