In late April fifteen East Staffs Group members completed the 40 mile Peak Pilgrimage walk over 4 days. Based in a hotel on the A515 and with a minibus to transport us to and from each day’s start and end point, we covered an average of 10 miles a day through some of the most wonderful countryside in the White Peak. We visited a dozen churches along the way, some of us stamping our guide books in each one. Unbelievably the weather stayed dry for the whole 4 days we were walking! Is this a first for East Staffs Group?
Staring at Ilam and ending at Eyam, the Peak Pilgrimage was originally designed to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the bubonic plague. The plague afflicted many parts of our country, but under the leadership of the local vicar and Puritan minister, the good citizens of Eyam chose to isolate themselves from the outside world, preventing the disease spreading to neighbouring parishes and beyond. Over a period of about 14 months in 1665/66 about a third of the residents of Eyam died of the plague, but their selfless action saved many more.
Walking entirely on footpaths we started at Ilam and continued through Dovedale up to Milldale, Alstonefield and Hartington on the first day, Monyash, Lathkill Dale and Over Haddon on the second, Bakewell, Chatsworth Park and Baslow on the third, finishing with the three gritstone edges, Grindleford, Stoney Middleton, arriving at Eyam on the afternoon of day four.
What a great walk! We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Sincere thanks from everyone who participated to Wendy, Lynn and Eddie who organised the event and guided us along the way. Thanks also to Helen, the provider and supervisor of quizzes and games which kept us entertained in the evenings.
During our trek we discovered the existence of the ‘Hope Pilgrimage’ from Edale to Eyam, slightly shorter than the Peak Pilgrimage, but with steeper ascents. Maybe next year? Let’s hope so!
