Hope Pilgrimage (Peak District) – 29 miles, 2-3 days

This pilgrimage route goes in the opposite direction to the Pennine Way. It takes you over Mam Tor to Castleton, famous for its caves and its Blue John semi-precious stones. Mostly the hills and valleys are extraordinarily beautiful, and you walk through the country’s largest cement works and an old Roman camp on the way to the village of Hope. After a stiff climb up Win Hill and a good look down the plughole at the end of Ladybower Reservoir you will climb up to the rock climbers’ favourite place on Stanage Edge and down to Hathersage, where you can swim outdoors before tackling the last climb to Eyam, where in 1666 the villagers heroically stayed put to contain the plague within the village.

As well as taking you through awesome, beautiful and remote landscapes, the Hope Pilgrimage takes you into nine lovely churches where you can pause before stamping your Guidebook. Simply walking through this wonderful scenery is therapy itself, and it might help renew your hope for the future, for this is a pilgrimage of hope.

You can walk the route in about three days, but if you take a bit longer you can also explore the Great Indoors in one of the Castleton Caves and go outdoor swimming in Hathersage. Return home with a Blue John stone and new hope in your heart.

If you think the Pennine Way is too short, start at Eyam and walk the Hope Pilgrimage to Edale – both the guidebook and the waymarks allow for this. Then away you go to Scotland. Alternatively, link the Hope Pilgrimage with the Peak Pilgrimage, start in Ilam and walk all 68 miles off road to Edale through the best bits of the Peak District.

Read more about the Peak and Hope Pilgrimages

Show more +

Route highlights

1
2
3
4
5
6
/6

Location

Nearby Places
1
2
3
4
5
6
/6
No items found.
Nearby Sanctuaries
1
2
3
4
5
6
/6
No items found.

Discover local food

We know that pilgrims get hungry!

Once you have decided on which pilgrimage route you want to walk, we thought you might like to use our Local Food Map.

Learn more

Comments

0 Comments

Login or register to join the conversation.

Be the first to leave a comment.

Tom Jones

Moderator

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

(Edited)
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Tom Jones

Moderator

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

(Edited)
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Already walked this route?

Mark as completed
Mark as completed
Rate this route
4.0
Give feedback on this route

Discover holy places, and bring your own beliefs.

Pilgrimage by foot is connected with places and landscape, and how those places make you feel. Read about holy places.

At the British Pilgrimage Trust, we believe a pilgrimage should be made on an individual’s own terms. We are founded on the principle that we can all bring our own beliefs to the journey, accessible and welcoming to all.

Get started

All great journeys begin with a single step

Start your journey
65e8f32e82917c5c1b48a815
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.