Simon Reeve embarks on a 400-mile journey to Canterbury from the north of England, beginning at the mystical Holy Island, just off the rugged coast of Northumberland. Medieval Britons believed that journeys of endurance, suffering and sacrifice to a holy site would help them find a place in heaven. Traveling further south through England, Simon gets to try medieval food; marvels at the beauty and majesty of the Lincoln Cathedral, once the tallest building on the planet; and joins thousands on an annual pilgrimage at a remote village in Norfolk. He learns more about exquisite medieval travel souvenirs that have been discovered in the muddy banks of the Thames. Then, heading out of the capital, Simon meets a group of Chaucer enthusiasts who walk the pilgrimage route made famous by the Canterbury Tales. Along the road, he also meets a pilgrim who has carried a heavy life-size cross thousands of miles, and gets to see the 700-year-old cranium of a monk housed at an ancient monastery. Part one concludes at Britain's ultimate medieval pilgrimage destination - the site where Thomas Becket was murdered: Canterbury.
