If you can't wait to hear Christopher Somerville at the Wells Festival of Literature, he will be talking to Philip Welch on Glastonbury fm (107.1fm) tomorrow (Thursday October 3) at 2pm.

He will, however, be fielding further interesting questions from his sister, the newsreader Julia Somerville, when she interviews her brother at Cedars Hall in Wells on Sunday October 20.

The walking correspondent for both the Daily Telegraph and the Times has written a book called Ships of Heaven, about this country's majestic cathedrals.

He starts with his first impression of Wells Cathedral, at the age of six, waiting expectantly on a cold stone bench, whenever he could, for the great clock to start the midday chiming.

St Andrew links Wells with the final cathedral in the book. Inverness is also dedicated to this Apostle, as are Dundee, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Fife and is "a notable cathedral in a notably modest Scottish city".

Full of disappointment that he is unable to see others undertaking their celebrations around Christmas on his itinerary because of Storm Caroline, he sits and contemplates the history, atmosphere and architecture of the 18 he has managed to visit.

This is a beautiful love story with our country's most magnificent buildings – with their history of architects and masons, embroiderers, choirs and organists, puffed up prelates, treasures of glass and stonework, guilt and atonement, the horrors and heroes of war, worshippers and lost souls, and the bones of their saints.

He writes with a light touch, celebrating the highlights and quantifying the sadder times of these towering monuments to God – and Mammon. 

In the last quarter of a century, Christopher Somerville has written around 40 books on travel because, as he explains: "What I love to do is wander through the country lanes, the back hills and villages of Britain and Ireland, as well as the far-flung corners of the world to which a travel writer gets blown."

The siblings take up their seats at noon on Sunday October 20 at Cedars Hall in Wells where tickets are available to purchase for the event or by telephone from 01749 834483.