108 Steps

On the western moors of the Peak District, Macclesfield has a pretty cobblestone town center on a sharp hillside. Leading up from the train station to St. Michael’s Church and the Market Place is a winding, scenic stairway that has become a local landmark. Local legend holds that if you run up all 108 steps without taking a breath, you’ll have a wish come true.

The 108 Steps have followed this route since the 17th century at the latest, and the cobblestones were relaid in 2014 after a campaign by residents. The stairway is lined with bricky walls and takes you past some fine old houses. Once you’ve negotiated the steps, you’ll be rewarded with the sight of a Georgian Neoclassical town hall and a medieval church.