St Alkelda's Way

N Yorkshire

A self-guided pilgrimage walk of 33 miles across the Yorkshire Dales National Park, between the two churches which have the Yorkshire Dales, Anglo Saxon saint Alkelda as their patron saint - St Alkelda's, Giggleswick, Ribblesdale, and St Mary and St Alkelda's, Middleham , Wensleydale. The route leaves Settle along Stockdale Lane eventually reaching Malham Cove and the village of Malham before turning north to reach Street Gate. Mastiles Lane is then used to Kilnsey before crossing the River Wharfe to Coniston and then following the Wharfe Valley north to Kettlewell. Leaving Kettlewell via Park Rash and Tor Dyke over the watershed the route enters Coverdale passing the remains of Coverham Abbey and the Gallops just outside of Middleham. The walk ends at St Alkelda's Church found by passing through the market square and turning towards Leyburn where the church is found on the left.

There is a off-road version of this route avoiding the narrow country roads - just click on the path variants to the left of the map.

Alkelda was reputed to have been martyred by pagan Danish women after the Danish invasion of North Yorkshire, then Northumbria, in 866-7. Her tomb is in Middleham church, where the Pilgrimage walk ends. When a mysterious beautiful stained-glass panel of St Alkelda's martyrdom turned up in a dusty pile of discarded items in Giggleswick Parish room, the idea to organise a pilgrimage walk was born. The Middleham clergy and people gave their enthusiastic support.

Pilgrimage walks are now very popular both nationally and internationally. St Alkelda's Way route was chosen because it is the only way St Alkelda could have taken in the 9th century. It is listed and illustrated on the British Pilgrimage Trust's web site https://www.britishpilgrimage.org.uk/great-routes. BPT advice has been followed and the St Alkelda's Way has been organised to attract walkers of all faiths and none. Please read the Modern Pilgrimage section of the web site http://www.stalkeldasway.info . The route is indeed for everyone.

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Details:

Path Type:	Other Paths
Attributes:	Challenging Pilgrimage Religious
Start:	SD811640 - Giggleswick, N Yorkshire
Finish:	SE126878 - Middleham, N Yorkshire
Web Sites:	St Alkelda's Way

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