Day 7: Sheffield to Chapeltown

Well, our session went on quite late (at least for some) last night, and not all were keen to wake up this morning. When they did, they found a steady fine rain falling outside.

But breakfast served from under a canopy cheered us up!

Before leaving, we celebrated Mass in the dining room.

And then we were on our way - parallel to the tramway past the station...

and along the tramway as we crossed to the quays.

The restored quays have an olde-worlde feel to them, cobbled streets and all.

Soon we joined the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, to be our companion for 3.5 miles.

There was a great variety of bridge styles (road, rail, pedestrian, service pipes etc)

all of which offered Ant an opportunity for inventive waymarking.

While Nick stayed closer to the water (hoping he wouldn't get even closer!).

Circumnavigating Meadowhall - the biggest shopping centre in ... who cares where, Nick picked up the Trans Pennine Trail signs, and tried to look like a cross parsons.

The front markers arrived at the drink stop just before the drinks car (they'd suffered a flat battery and come the long way round to build up a charge). Meadowhall is behind us now.

Following the TPT through woods and back to the road, we scorched along, reaching the pub in record time. Even the backmarkers were there before the scheduled time.

After a long and leisurely lunch (we had to hold back or we'd be too early for the recently-scheduled late-afternoon god stop), we set off across the park...

to Ecclesfield Church. We had planned a prayer stop

but it had to be cancelled because of a wedding. John presented a card for the bride and groom on behalf of the pilgrims.

Then an easy walk over the fields

and through a park before dropping down through the back roads of Chapeltown to the Methodist Church

where we prayed.

And then, just 400 yards to the hall, where John has minimised the distance that the bags have to be carried.

So here we are: it's still early. Some have gone swimming, some have gone home, some are simply relaxing, Frances and Mary are slaving in the kitchen, and the backmarkers are still checking all the pubs en route.