Two Saints Way

Cheshire, Staffordshire, Stoke on Trent

A pilgrimage route of approximately 92 miles has been created between the cathedral cities of Chester and Lichfield, named the Two Saints Way after the Saxon saints who brought Christianity from Northumbria to the ancient kingdom of Mercia in the seventh century. St Chad's shrine at Lichfield and St Werburgh's shrine at Chester were popular destinations for pilgrims in medieval times and are linked by this route. The last twenty years or so has seen a marked rise in the idea and practice of pilgrimage. Old pilgrimage routes, such as the paths along the North Wales coast to Bardsey are being walked again and new pilgrimage routes, such as St Cuthbert's Way from Melrose to the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, have been established. The Two Saints Way Project ties in with this new mood of enthusiasm for the active spirituality of pilgrimage in a way that is relevant to the contemporary context. The route has four sections:

Section 1 - Chester to Nantwich: from Chester Cathedral mostly along canals and including the dramatic Beeston Castle before ending at the fine market town of Nantwich.
Section 2 - Nantwich to Stoke-on-Trent: there are notable churches such as the intriguing Primitive Methodist Chapel at Englesea Brook and significant industrial heritage sites in Stoke-on-Trent.
Section 3 - Stoke-on-Trent to Stafford: the route follows the Trent Valley passing the impressive Trentham Estate and the canal town of Stone before reaching the county town of Stafford.
Section 4 - Stafford to Lichfield: after meandering along the River Sow the route joins and crosses Cannock Chase, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, before the last few miles to Lichfield and the pilgrim sites at the Cathedral and St Chad's Well.

The route is referred to as The Way of St Chad in the Chester to Lichfield direction and is waymarked with the cross of St Chad; the route from Lichfield to Chester is referred to as The Way of St Werburgh and is waymarked with a goose, a symbol associated with St Werburgh.

An updated 2019 guidebook is listed below. Check the website for temporary diversions to the route.

MARCH 2023:
A short part of the route of the Two Saints Way near Hough and Chorlton in Cheshire is closed for gas pipeline diversion work until October 2023. (The closed Right of Way is one of three which are affected, but the only one which is on a named LDP.) Diversions via minor roads and footpaths may make use of Chorlton Lane and Chorlton.

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Details:

Path Type:	Other Paths
Waymark:	Cross and path name / Goose and path name
Attributes:	Other Paths Average Gradients Urban Pilgrimage
Start:	SJ406664 - Chester Cathedral, Chester, Cheshire
Finish:	SK122102 - St Chad's Well, Lichfield, Staffordshire
Web Sites:	Two Saints Way BBC news : Lichfield Cathedral members walk Two Saints Way

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Publications, Badges and Certificates:

Guidebook

Two Saints Way  (Northern Eye Books  - 2019 )

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