Our church is in the centre of Hathersage village and is open to visitors every day approximately 9am to 5pm (except when there are services taking place). You can pick up a free Visitors’ Guide leaflet highlight points of interest inside and outside the church. ‘The Book Room’ is our second-hand bookshop based in the church vestibule with a range of fiction, non-fiction and children’s books. Books are only £1 so pop in and pick up a bargain! We welcome donations of books (drop them in the church vestibule when we are open). While visiting the church you can also browse a display about the history of the church, use the children’s area with toys and books, or add a few pieces to our communal jigsaw. Many visitors also take a moment for quiet reflection or prayer.
Peak Wesley Way
You can also stay overnight in the church while walking the Peak Wesley Way pilgrimage. The six-day walking route goes from Matlock to Edale, with overnight stays in Youlgreave, Great Longstone, Baslow, Hathersage and Castleton. Each pilgrimage group has exclusive use of the chapel overnight, with no-frills accommodation including camp beds and kitchens and showers on site. To find out more, including bookings, visit https://peakwesleyway.com/
The Peak Wesley Way was set up by a group of local Methodists, reflecting on the future of small chapels in a changing world. They wondered if there could be a new way of using chapel buildings, to give the opportunity for people to stay overnight in an unusual location. Pilgrimage is enjoying a bit of a renaissance as a way to leave behind the busyness of life or to rediscover self, purpose or healing. In Hathersage overnight pilgrims have use of the ‘church side’ of the building, with separate access. This means evening and morning hirers can continue to use the ‘hall side’ of the building, as currently.
