In the Footsteps of Jane Eyre

While Yorkshire is the English county most associated with the Brontës, there’s a bit of Brontë country further south in Derbyshire, where it's commonly believed that Charlotte Brontë used Hathersage and its environs as her setting for Jane Eyre. Little did I know, when I first read the novel over forty years ago, I’d be leading a literary walk around the area in my role as a volunteer ranger with the Peak District National Park. It usually takes place on the middle Sunday in June; you can book through the national park website. The walk goes ahead whatever the weather: Jane Eyre might start with the sentence There was no possibility of taking a walk that day, but, unlike Charlotte and her sisters, we have the luxury of lightweight waterproof clothing and won’t let a spot of rain put us off. 

​Visit the literary landscape

Take a virtual tour of North Lees Hall, the inspiration for Thornfield in Jane Eyre

The hall is sometimes open to the public, usually as part of the Heritage Open Days in September – well worth seeing if you're in the area and get the chance.