Day 5: Rotherham Central to Sheffield Cathedral OVERVIEW Friday 22 September Getting there & parking: Again best to use the train today 10:24 Sheffield = 10:36 Rotherham Central (allows a bit more time to walk this / see Meadowhall) Start point Rotherham Central Railway Station (= yesterday’s end point) St Peter’s Ellesmere: Church Secretary, Dorothy Gilbert, 0114 246 0057 St Thomas Philadelphia: Mike Rutter, 0114 241 9560 Sheffield Cathedral: Main switchboard, 0114 275 3434 Timing and distances 6.6 miles from Rotherham Central to St Peter’s Ellesmere via route A Via Kimberworth is slightly shorter but largely on roads (option B) 1.7 miles from St Peter’s Ellesmere to St Thomas Philadelphia 1.1 miles St Thomas Philadelphia to Sheffield Cathedral 10:36 Arrive Rotherham Central & begin walking (with John Hibberd) Walk via TPT, Meadowhall, the Hill Fort (picnic lunch) to Ellesmere for 14:15 14:30 St Peter’s Ellesmere, Eucharist 15:30 Depart St Peter Ellesmere to walk to St Thomas Philadelphia 16:30 St Thomas Philadelphia for a time of prayer 17:00 Depart St Thomas Philadelphia 17:30 Arrive at Sheffield Cathedral 17:45 Cathedral Evensong Day 5, stage 1: Rotherham Central to St Peter’s Ellesmere (Option A) Overview of this day of the route Along the river / canal Key Rotherham landmarks: RMBC (Council Offices), Police HQ and New York Stadium Pass along the Magna Valley, a key area of the metals industry You will pass Meadowhall, obviously a significant employer and major shopping area The route across the hill fort is a reminder of the green spaces that feature as a major part of Sheffield as a city, even in the midst of its most urbanised sections Fir Vale, Ellesmere & Pitsmoor are a Mission Partnership in the process of appointing 2 priests for 3 parishes but on a clearly partnership model. They are part of the Sheffield Northern Estates, an area of considerable deprivation but also with lots of vitality. Day 5, stage 1: Rotherham Central to St Peter’s Ellesmere (Option A) Detail part 1: Come out of the station and turn R down through the station car park = TPT Follow this along the river, crossing Main Street by Police HQ & Rotherham Borough Council offices; enter Don Street & follow the path behind the New York Stadium (Rotherham United’s ground) and under the dual carriageway At Brinsworth Street, turn L at a TPT sign alongside a railway line for a short distance & then turn R at the next TPT sign. You will re-emerge on the S side of the canal Pass under another railway line & behind industrial units before crossing to the N bank of the canal again & carrying on in the same direction o After a while the path turns 90 L to follow the canal, joined by the River Don, passing the delights of the Tinsley Sewage Works Continue along the TPT by the river, passing under bridges for a quarry road, the railway & a new Meadowhall access road not shown on the OS map Eventually pass under the M1 close to J34 (Meadowhall): go to next page now ... Day 5, stage 1: Rotherham Central to St Peter’s Ellesmere (Option A) Detail part 2: Very quickly after passing under the M1, turn R towards the Tram station (yellow circle on the map above) = Tinsley & South Meadowhall Continue to follow the River Don on TPT, using underpasses (where available) This may take you on the A road or via Meadowhall Interchange (not sure which) The TPT goes up Barrow Rd towards the car park for the Interchange; where the TPT then leaves the road near a Travelodge, stay on Barrow Rd round a LH corner to the top of the road Turn R here (still Barrow Rd) & then L into Newman Rd (just after Zebra Crossing) Ascend Newman Rd, passing St Thomas Wincobank; turn L into Robin Hood Close Take the FP at the top of Robin Hood Close, fairly quickly turning R on to another path Follow this fairly straight to the summit of Jenkin Rd Turn R and, almost immediately round a corner, turn L up a track, past a sign board Follow this to a bench at the top (near ‘Fort’ on the map) = PICNIC SPOT (if dry!) Continue on this path (good views over Meadowhall & parts of the city) Eventually it winds down L into Corby Rd: move to next map ... Day 5, stage 1: Rotherham Central to St Peter’s Ellesmere (Option A) This is where you are starting, having come down the FP (dotted black line) Detail part 3: Descend Wincobank Lane (pass a mosque on L & final pedestrian section), in the direction of the first blue arrow Turn R along A6102 & follow this to pedestrian crossing; cross here & take next L; this is Upwell Lane; follow it for a short distance & turn R into Grimethorpe Rd Follow Grimethorpe Rd for a long way (some good views) until you see St Peter Cornerstone (another church building in this parish: complicated history!); go to the R of this building (no vehicle access & continue ahead). This is still Grimethorpe Rd Turn slight L at the end into Ellesmere Rd & descend to the church Day 5, stage 1: Rotherham Central to St Peter’s Ellesmere (Option B) This route is 5.8 miles, so it saves you 0.8 miles. It involves a lot more road / less in the way of footpaths. After St Thomas Wincobank it covers the same ground. So I will just describe the first section. You can take even more direct busy road routes (shortest 5.2 miles) Route Option B description (as far as St Thomas Wincobank): Turn L out of the station on College Rd, pass LIDL & use subways to cross A630 Continue on College Rd & then first exit at a roundabout into Midland Rd Turn R onto Kimberworth Rd (opposite a park) & continue on this across traffic lights Ascend until the road becomes Church St, passing St Thomas Kimberworth (on R) L into Meadowhall Rd & follow this all the way to the motorway junction (good views) Follow the path on RHS of the road & it looks as though there is an underpass to get you round the motorway roundabout. You want Blackburn Rd, first R if you go round the roundabout in the opposite direction to the cars Follow this past the hand car wash & turn L under the railway bridge (Fife St) At traffic lights, turn L into Barrow Rd (slight ascent) & then R into Newman Rd, just before a pedestrian crossing. [NB the diagram above cuts the corner slightly by going straight on at the lights at the top of Fife St & then using Metro Lane to emerge higher up in Newman Rd but it doesn’t save much distance] From here, revert to detail part 2 for option A Day 5, stage 2: St Peter’s Ellesmere to St Thomas Philadelphia Campus Route description: Ascend Lyons Rd & turn L into Earldom Rd. Follow this to the corner & take a FP between the last house on your R (actually an Anglican missional community) & the school. [I was shown this short-cut on my prayer pilgrimage in June by a local] Emerge in Melrose Rd & follow this past the RC church to Burngreave Rd Turn R on to Burngreave Rd & then slight L into Minna Rd / B6070 B6070 becomes Rutland Rd & descends all the way to Penistone Rd After crossing the river, take the RH pavement to access the crossing over the A61 Cross the A61 & turn R, then L into Albert Terrace Rd & R into Cross Bedford St [the diagram above is slightly different; they go straight on having crossed the A61 but this doesn’t save any distance at all] You will pass the Conference Centre (on your L); the admin block is opposite the Chapel at the end of Cross Bedford St & there is a buzzer to attract attention Day 5, stage 3: St Thomas Philadelphia Campus to Sheffield Cathedral This is a necessarily urban route. My suggestion is 0.1 miles longer than the short route but does avoid a horrible walk down the A61 From Philadelphia, follow Infirmary Rd (tram route) Turn R into Montgomery Terrace Rd & then L into Malinda St (opposite Tesco) 3rd R into Henry St & L into Meadow St Pedestrian Crossing to cross Netherthorpe Rd (cars & trams) into Meadow St again Continue into Scotland St, which issues at a pedestrian crossing Cross and continue on into Queen St R on to Paradise St (not the most aptly named road in that it’s a fairly steep climb!) Brings you into Campo Lane; the path opposite, St James Row, will bring you to the main entrance of the Cathedral .