Come and join us – for the ‘best of times’!
This summer weekend adventure celebrates the Peak District, with a hike that crosses this beautiful national park, between the edges of Sheffield and Manchester. It’s a two-day 50km challenge, which takes in moorland cloughs, gritstone escarpments, summits, rivers and woodland valleys. It includes the famous Kinder Scout plateau and includes contrasting landscapes, geology and wildlife as we traverse from West to East. We’ll walk each day from Hope Village Train Station in the Hope Valley – here there is plentiful accommodation for our weekend base, and train connections to link us with the start and finish of our adventure.
Price range: £55.00 through £105.00
‘Trail of Two Cities’ – Peak District Challenge
Overview: The Challenge Walk is from New Mills Central Train Station on the outskirts of Greater Manchester and crosses the Peak District, via Hope Station, to Dore Station on the outskirts of Sheffield. We will meet and finish both days from Hope Station, using train connections to start and finish our walks. This means you can base yourself in the Hope Valley for the weekend.
This weekend is graded Tough! (See our walk difficulty guide here >). On both days, to maximise your enjoyment and safety, we may have to alter or shorten routes according to weather conditions, party ability or any altered train timings. Or, in the event that trains are not running. Alternative routes will be in the same area.
Saturday Route – New Mills to Hope
We’ll meet/park at Hope Station and hop on a train to New Mills Central Station (20 mins) on the edge of Greater Manchester – our day’s walk then returns to Hope Station.
The Route: From New Mills, we join the Sett Valley Trail , an easy ‘warm up’ along a former railway line through lovely countryside to the village of Hayfield. We then follow a quieter route up onto the spur of Kinder Low End, with fabulous views over the Kinder Reservoir, reaching the Peak District highest trig point on Kinder Scout at 2077 ft / 633m. From here we follow KInder’s southern escarpment overlooking the Vale Edale below. We descend via the summit of Grindslow Knoll to the village of Edale, the start of the Pennine Way and a great spot for refreshments and a loo!
From here we ascend onto the Great Ridge, high above the Hope Valley descending via Lose Hill summit to the Village of Hope and along the valley back to Hope Station.
Sunday Route – Hope to Dore
We’ll meet/park at Hope Station and walk to Dore and Totley Station on the outskirts of Sheffield. Then catch the train (20 mins) back to Hope Station. This is an easier day where we pass stations that connect back to Hope if anyone wishes to shorten their route.
The Route: From Hope, we walk along the Derwent Heritage Trail – a lovely riverside track with stepping stones, history and stories – all the way to Grindleford Station. There’s a great café here for a cuppa and loo stop (where there’s another direct train option back to Hope if needed). We then take a quieter path up through woods onto the fine gritstone escarpment of White Edge Moor – our last ascent of the weekend!
A quiet moorland traverse across to Flask Edge and Brown Edge offers high views over Sheffield, before we join a woodland trail through Dore Valley to Dore and Totley Station. We can have a break here to celebrate (loos and a pub!) before catching a train back to Hope (20 mins).
Want to ask a question about the Trail of Two Cities Peak District Challenge? Please Contact Us >
| The Walk | This summer weekend adventure celebrates the Peak District, with a hike that crosses this beautiful national park, between the edges of Sheffield and Manchester. It’s a two-day 50km challenge, which takes in moorland cloughs, gritstone escarpments, summits, rivers and woodland valleys. It includes the famous Kinder Scout plateau and includes contrasting landscapes, geology and wildlife as we traverse from West to East. We’ll walk each day from Hope Village Train Station in the Hope Valley – here there is plentiful accommodation for our weekend base, and train connections to link us with the start and finish of our adventure. |
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| Walk Date | Saturday & Sunday 7 – 8 August 2027. £105, Saturday August 7 2027 only. £55., Sunday August 8 2027 only. £55 |
Included:
Not Included:
Here’s an Essential Kit Kist for all our walks >
Overview
Both days will start and finish at Hope Railway Station.
Saturday – New Mills to Hope Walk
Meeting, Parking and Trains:
Sunday – Hope to Dore Walk
Meeting, Parking and Trains:
On Sunday for people who do not wish to cover the whole route, we can pass stations that connect back to Hope if anyone wishes to shorten their route.
Coming by Bus or Train?
We’re keen to support public transport use and reduce emissions. Providing we have space in our car, if you’re staying or arriving reasonably nearby we’ll give you a free lift. Just Contact Us > to check before you book.
Overview
Both days will start and finish at Hope Railway Station.
Hope: Hope is 3 minutes by car/ 15 minutes’ walk from Hope Railway Station. This small village has toilets, limited shops, cafes, pubs, hotel and B & B’s. More About: Hope >
Castleton: Hathersage is 5 minutes by car from Hope Railway Station. It is a picturesque village below Mam Tor summit and The Great Ridge, with toilets and a Visitor Centre, cafes, restaurants, pubs, hotels, shops B and B’s and a Youth Hostel. There are also the famous Blue John Mines and caverns, and a castle. More About Castleton >
Hathersage: Hathersage is 10 minutes by car from Hope Railway Station and has toilets, a garage, shops, restaurants, cafes, hotels, pubs, B and B’s and a Youth Hostel. More about: Hathersage >
See a map of the local area here >.
Overall for the two days this is a Tough Walk at a Moderate Pace. Here is our walk difficulty guide >
Please be aware that these are long days with relatively short breaks. You will need to tackle paths on terrain that will be steep, hilly, rocky and potentially boggy and slippery in places (if wet). There are steep drops near to pathways which can and must be avoided during the hike.
On both days, to maximise your enjoyment and safety, we may have to alter or shorten routes according to weather conditions, party ability or any altered train timings. Or, in the event that trains are not running. Alternative routes will be in the same area.
Want to reduce the difficulty? You can just join Sunday’s walk with is a Moderate Difficulty walk. On Sunday, for people who do not wish to cover the whole route, we can pass stations that connect back to Hope if anyone wishes to shorten their route.
We have created a separate page of the most frequently asked questions here >
Overview
Both days will start and finish at Hope Railway Station – here’s some recommendations for nearby accommodation.
Our Recommendation
4 minutes’ drive from Hope Railway Station
Hope
4 minutes’ drive from Hope Railway Station.
Click here > to see a Google map of Hope Village accommodation near this walk’s start.
Castleton
5 minutes’ drive from Hope Railway Station.
Click here >to see a Google map of Castleton Village accommodation near this walk’s start.
Hathersage
10 minutes’ drive from Hope Railway Station.
Click here > to see a Google map of Hathersage Village accommodation near this walk’s start.
Camping or Hostel?
Hardhurst Farm Camp Site, Hope > – 3 minutes’ drive/10 minutes’ walk from Hope Railway Station.
Castleton YHA Hostel > – 6 minutes’ drive from Hope Railway Station.
Hathersage YHA Hostel > – 10 minutes’ drive from Hope Railway Station.
Our Accommodation Page
See a list of accommodation locally, and across the Peak District, on our Accommodation Page >
We all want to respect, protect and enjoy the fragile upland environments where we walk, so that they can be enjoyed by generations to come. Following The Countryside Code really helps…