Ever felt overwhelmed by the thought of the Pennine Way or the Coast to Coast? Don’t despair there is a walk at hand right here on your doorstep. The walk, Parish Pilgrimage, was launched during Wakes Week but as I couldn’t join that intrepid group I decided to go for a solo attempt. I purchased my guide from Tideswell Parish Church for a very reasonable £2 (apparently it’s a self-funding exercise). I noted the description from Paul Black (he did the planning): ‘A fairly strenuous 8.5mile walk with a couple of steep ascents and descents. Walkers of reasonable fitness will complete the walk in about 4 hours’ Hmmm! Was it wise on such a hot day – do you remember those very hot days?!
Undeterred, with stick in hand, fortified by sustenance from one of our many Tideswell food outlets and making a mental note that Litton Shop, and The Red Lion, were just up the hill and by halfway round (if I made it} there was the Anglers Rest and other opportunities for sustenance at Miller’s Dale Station, it was best foot forward. First stop to find the location clue at the Tideswell Church. There is a badge for a full set of five correctly answered location clues and I’m a sucker for a badge.
Phew! No map. I will go on a map reading course one day – honest, Pete! Paul’s directions were pretty good and I followed them to the letter and made it safely back with only a little sunburn and a rather nasty bite from some small critter in Wormhill.
Confident that I had found each of the location clues I sent my answers and £2 off to Mrs J Gibbs and received my badge in return. The badge is a picture of a shell (commonly a symbol of pilgrimage) and around the shell are the names of the five churches of the parish visited en route, Tideswell, Litton, Cressbrook, Miller’s Dale and Wormhill. So you might ask, ‘Why do it?’ The answer so often proffered is – ‘Because it is there!’ Somehow there was more to it than just a walk, perhaps it was the heat, the challenge, the solitude, I’m not sure but I do know it was a special time and I never felt alone. It was a chance to appreciate the beauty of creation in a very special way and for me some time out with the Creator himself. The views are truly spectacular.
Oh by the way, despite the heat, it took me less than three hours. I hope I’ve inspired some of you to have a go. The walk can be completed in stages or all in one go so if I see you having a go …. I’ll be the one wearing the first Parish Pilgrimage badge!
Apparently, the pilgrimage will be more widely advertised soon so keep your eyes peeled.
Barbara Owen