This is Spectator Radio and you're listening to Holy Smoke with Damian Thompson.

Welcome to Holy Smoke, the Spectator's Religion podcast. I'm Damien Thompson. Here's a strange thing.

In our unbelieving age, with church attendance and organised Christianity falling off a cliff,

there's unflagging enthusiasm for visiting cathedrals, going on retreat,

and even going on pilgrimage. A few years ago, I was astonished when a very bright young

colleague of mine, Guy Stag, threw in his job and as it seemed, hurled himself into a full-scale

solo pilgrimage to Jerusalem via Rome, choosing arduous roots in difficult

weather. Now he's written a book about it, The Crossway. And the first thing you learn is that

Guy isn't a believer, wasn't when he started, still isn't. He joins me today, along with

Harry Mount, editor of the oldie, an expert on the holy buildings and holy things of Christendom.

But again, not a believer.

So, obviously, I'm puzzled by this vicarious thirst for the sacred.

But first, Guy, I'm not surprised that Crossway has made an impact. Congratulations, because some of it is air-raising.

For example, you crossed a broken wooden bridge in Switzerland and ended up half submerged in the water held up by your rucksack.

You went out in the Alps to continue your journey and whether the,

well, locals had told you not to, which is normally a good idea to take their advice.

Why? If you had asked me before I started walking why I was going to Rome, Istanbul and Jerusalem,

I would have told you that it was an adventure,

that it was an exciting opportunity,

that I might learn a bit more about religion along the way.

And this was true, but it wasn't the truth.

The real reason was that in the years prior to the walk,

...