St Mark's Way (North)

Phil McCarthy • March 20, 2025

St Mark's Way

The northern Pilgrimage of Hope Way from Leeds Cathedral to St Barnabas' Cathedral in Nottingham via St Marie's Cathedral in Sheffield and the Chapel of the Padley Martyrs.

Patron: St Hilda of Whitby (c. 614 – 680) abbess and key figure in the Anglo-Saxon Church.

Hilda founded and was the first abbess of the monastery at Whitby which was the venue for the Synod of Whitby in 664. She was widely recognised for her wisdom and learning and trained five bishops. Her feast is celebrated on 17th November.

Overview:

The Way starts at Leeds Cathedral and follows the Transpennine Trail (TPT) SE beside the Aire & Calder Navigation to Woodlesford. Here the path veers SW to re-join the TPT along a disused railway line and then the River Calder to Wakefield. The Way follows the TPT again beside the former Barnsley Canal and then along a disused railway to Wombwell. The route turns SW along the Barnsley Boundary Walk to Elsecar, and then across farmland to briefly join the Old Salt Rd, beside the A629. The Way soon joins the Sheffield Country Walk and follows this beside the Sheffield Canal to reach St Marie's Cathedral in central Sheffield. From here the Way joins the Padley Martyrs Way, leaving the city through Endcliffe Park and then climbing Houndkirk Moor to arrive at the Chapel of the Padley Martyrs. The path then follows the River Derwent to Matlock. The Way leaves the Derwent at Ambergate and turns east, through Ripley and then along the former Cromford Canal to Eastwood. Here the route joins the Robin Hood Way to Strelley where the Way veers E to Kingsbury and finally reaches St Barnabas' Cathedral, central Nottingham.

Essential facts:

Route length: 105.9 miles
Ascent 3,750 ft: The route is mostly flat with the only significant climb on Day 4 over Houndkirk Moor
Peak elevation: 1,388 ft
Average walk day length: 13.5 miles
Average walk duration: 5-6 hours
First walking day Saturday 6 September 2025
Number of walking days: 8
Number of rest days: 0
Last walking day: Saturday 13 September: arrival at St Barnabas' Cathedral, Nottingham for evening prayer and social celebration
Sunday 14 September, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross: pilgrims are invited to join the 11.15 Solemn Mass at St Barnabas' Cathedral

St Mark's Way route

For details of the day stages and parishes visited see below

NB REGISTRATION FOR DAY PILGRIMAGES HAS NOW CLOSED.

Stage 1: Leeds to Wakefield, Saturday 6th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 15.6 miles
Approximate time taken: 6.5 hours walking
Ascent: 367 ft
Where to join: Leeds Cathedral, Great George St, Leeds, LS2 8BE
Mass at 8am
Time walk starts: 9am
Where walk ends: St Austin's Catholic Church, 6 Wentworth Terrace, Wakefield, WF13QN
Approximate time walk ends: 4.30pm
Accessible sections: Canal / riverside walking to Woodlesford. Buggies with some “carry” okay. Limited for wheelchairs due to bridge steps in places.

Shorter walks
AM: St Anne's Cathedral to Woodlesford (Railway Station): approx 8 miles,
Mass 8am, walk starts 9am,
Approximate end time 12.30pm

PM: Woodlesford (Railway Station) to St Austin's Wakefield: approx 8 miles
Walk starts: 1pm
Approximate end time: 4.30pm
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 2: Wakefield to Wombwell, Sunday 7th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 17 miles
Approximate time taken: 7 hours walking
Ascent: 249 ft
Where to join: St Austin's Catholic Church, 6 Wentworth Terrace, Wakefield, WF13QN
Time walk starts: 9am (after 8am Mass)
Where walk ends: St Michael & All Angels Catholic Church, 23 Park St, Wombwell, S73 0HQ
Approximate time walk ends: 5pm
Accessible sections: This section should be usable by buggies but unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs.

Shorter walks
AM: St Austin's Wakefield to Royston (John the Baptist CoE Church) 9 miles
Mass 8am, walk starts 9am
Approximate end time 12.30pm

PM: Royston (John the Baptist CoE Church) to St Michael & All Angels Church, Wombwell 8 miles
Walk starts: 1pm
Approximate end time: 4.30pm
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 3: Wombwell to Sheffield, Monday 8th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 16.4 miles
Approximate time taken: 7 hours walking
Ascent: 807 ft
Where to join: St Michael & All Angels Catholic Church, 23 Park St, Wombwell, S73 0HQ
Time walk starts: 9am
Where walk ends: St Marie's Cathedral, Norfolk St, Sheffield, S1 2JB
Approximate time walk ends: 4.30pm (Mass at 5.30pm)
Accessible sections: There is a paved section from Sheffield Canal Basin to St Marie's Cathedral.

Shorter walks
AM: St Michael & All Angels, Wombwell to Meadowhall Interchange, 11 miles
Walk starts: 9am
Approximate end time: 1.30 pm

PM: Meadowhall Interchange to St Marie's Cathedral, Sheffield, 5 miles
Walk starts: 2pm
Approximate end time: 4.30pm
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 4: Sheffield to Padley, Tuesday 9th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 10.4 miles
Approximate time taken: 5 hours walking
Ascent: 1,155 ft (significant climb over moor)
Where to join: St Marie's Cathedral, Norfolk St, Sheffield, S1 2JB
Time walk starts: 9am (Mass at 8am)
Where walk ends: Padley Martyrs Chapel, Grindleford, S32 2JA
Approximate time walk ends: 3.30pm
Accessible sections: Between 2.8 mls to 5 mls into the walk there is paved paths, but road crossings are involved.

Shorter walks
AM: St Marie's Cathedral to the Norfolk Arms pub (Ringinglow), 6 miles
Mass 8am, walk starts 9am,
Approximate end time 12.30pm

PM: Norfolk Arms pub (Ringinglow) to Padley Chapel, 5 miles
Walk starts: 1pm
Approximate end time: 3.30pm
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 5: Padley to Matlock, Wednesday 10th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 15.5 miles
Approximate time taken: 6 hours walking
Ascent: 75 ft
Where to join: Padley Martyrs Chapel, Grindleford, S32 2JA
Time walk starts: 9.30am
Where walk ends: Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Church, 1 St Joseph's St, Matlock, DE4 3NG
Approximate time walk ends: 4.30pm
Accessible sections: At 5 mls into the walk there are good paths through the estate from Baslow to Chatworth House.

Shorter walks
AM: Padley Chapel to Chatsworth (Queen Mary's Bower near the bridge over the River Derwent, 8 miles
Walk starts 9.30am
Approximate end time 12.30pm

PM: Chatsworth (Queen Mary's Bower) to Our Lady & St Joseph, Matlock, 8 miles
Walk starts: 1pm
Approximate end time: 4.30pm
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 6: Matlock to Ripley, Thursday 11th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 13.1 miles
Approximate time taken: 5 hours walking
Ascent: 656 ft
Where to join: Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Church, 1 St Joseph's St, Matlock, DE4 3NG
Time walk starts: 9am
Where walk ends: St Joseph's Catholic Church, Butterley Hill, Ripley, DE5 3LW
Approximate time walk ends: 3.30pm
Accessible sections: Start of Cromford Canal to Aqueduct cottage is wheelchair accessible.

Shorter walks
AM: Our Lady & St Joseph, Matlock to Ambergate Station, 10 miles
Walk starts 9am
Approximate end time 12.30pm

PM: Ambergate Station to St Joseph's Ripley, 5 miles
Walk starts: 1pm
Approximate end time: 4.30pm
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 7: Ripley to Eastwood, Friday 12th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 8.3 miles
Approximate time taken: 4 hours walking
Ascent: 217 ft
Where to join: St Joseph's Catholic Church, Butterley Hill, Ripley, DE5 3LW
Time walk starts: 9am
Where walk ends: Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 280 Nottingham Rd, Eastwood, Nottingham, NG16 2AQ
Approximate time walk ends: 3pm
Accessible sections: None suitable. At Codnor Park Reservior there is a car park and walk by the canal.

NB This is a shorter walk, so no part walks are planned.
THE ROUTE IN DETAIL
Stage 8: Eastwood to Nottingham, Saturday 13th September 2025
Details of the walk

Distance: 9.6 miles
Approximate time taken: 4 hours walking
Ascent: 361 ft
Where to join: Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 280 Nottingham Rd, Eastwood, Nottingham, NG16 2AQ
Time walk starts: 9am
Where walk ends: The Cathedral of St Barnabas, N Circus St, Nottingham, NG1 5AE
Approximate time walk ends: 4pm
Accessible sections: From All Saints Church, Main St, Strelly NG8 6PE to the end there is a pedestrian path, although sometimes it is quite narrow and you might need to go onto the road.

NB This is a shorter walk, so no part walks are planned.

THE ROUTE IN DETAIL

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