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5 days in the Peak District

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mod

A modernist
Me and my better half are off to the Peak District for 5 nights next week. Can't wait. It's a first time to this region for both of us. We don't know anything about the place and was hopeful to get some tips from the good people of U75.

We are staying very close to Bakewell. Weather permitting we'd like to mainly do longish walks. 4 or 5 hours. Rather than exposed moors I'd prefer crystal clear streams, woodland and verdant scenery.

But we are also looking for interesting things to see (castles, beauty spots, history etc) and any other places of interest. We'll have a car so prepared to go a little further afield if needed.

Obviously we will be restricted by the covid-19 situation and I'm a social distancing fundamentalist. Normally I'd ask for nice restaurants and pubs but we've still not gone to any since this happened. Maybe a pub with a large beer garden might be a goer.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Chatsworth is nice, lovely grounds, but Hadden Hall is more interesting imo. Fewer fascists. Walk over Mam Tor is a must. Cresswell Crags for some well old art. Cromford and the beginnings of factories. Dambusters dam and obviously some BakewellPudding - not tart!

There are some rather nice pubs too.
 
Ohhh this sounds interesting and spookily pertinent to whats going on now....

Perhaps the most disturbing of the Peak District’s hidden gems is the “Plague Village” of Eyam, but it is certainly worth a visit.

During an epidemic of the bubonic plague, or “Black Death” back in the mid-1600s, the village of Eyam was severely hit. Selflessly, they vowed to segregate themselves from the surrounding villages to stop it spreading. Today, this charming little village is filled with loving memorials and a museum teaching visitors of the compelling local history.

Head to the village of Eyam for an experience like nothing else you will find.

Eyam-Grave.jpg
 
That’s def worth a day out. Not sure how open everything is, but summat will be.

All these walks are really good. The first will take you by the legendary grindleford cafe and the Roaches one will give you a possibility of spotting wild wallabies.

www.10adventures.com

Peak District Walks: Choose from 150+ Stunning Routes | 10Adventures

Discover more than 150 phenomenal walks in Peak District National Park, Derbyshire. Use our free guides to plan your next unforgettable Peak District adventure.
www.10adventures.com www.10adventures.com
 
belboid said:
That’s def worth a day out. Not sure how open everything is, but summat will be.

All these walks are really good. The first will take you by the legendary grindleford cafe and the Roaches one will give you a possibility of spotting wild wallabies.

www.10adventures.com

Peak District Walks: Choose from 150+ Stunning Routes | 10Adventures

Discover more than 150 phenomenal walks in Peak District National Park, Derbyshire. Use our free guides to plan your next unforgettable Peak District adventure.
www.10adventures.com www.10adventures.com
Click to expand...

Fantastic. Thank you so much!
 
Monsal trail if you're good with heights as you go over the viaduct and Monsal head pub has a large outside area but can get busy.

Eyam is Def worth a visit.

Lathkill dale has crystal clear water. The village of Over haddon at the bottom of the dale actually pumps their drinking water straight out of the river. There is a long circular walk starting at Over Haddon, along quite country lanes then fields above the dale. You can take a short detour to Monyash a picturesque village then back through the dale. Good pubs in Monyash and Over Haddon but not a lot of outside space.
 
I second Dovedale.

Castleton, unsurprisingly, has a castle, but also Speedwell and Peak caverns (you'd need to book tickets in advanced for these), and a lovely walk around the valley if you stick to the hilltop path.

And the Dambuster dam is at Ladybower reservoir which you can walk or ride bikes around (no idea if the bike hire is open at the moment). I used to love it there when I lived in that direction.
 
Spandex said:
I second Dovedale.

Castleton, unsurprisingly, has a castle, but also Speedwell and Peak caverns (you'd need to book tickets in advanced for these), and a lovely walk around the valley if you stick to the hilltop path.

And the Dambuster dam is at Ladybower reservoir which you can walk or ride bikes around (no idea if the bike hire is open at the moment). I used to love it there when I lived in that direction.
Click to expand...

All these tips are fantastic and exactly what I was after. I didn't know the Dambuster training dam was in this neck of the woods. Thats is right up my street.

Thank you everyone.

Long live Urban75!
 
Eat Bakewell Pudding. Swerve if you're diabetic. It's incredibly sweet.

Visit the Devil's Arse cave

Peak Cavern – The Devil's Arse!

peakcavern.co.uk peakcavern.co.uk

Try the Blue John cavern

Home - Blue John Cavern

www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk

As others have said, Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall. Chatsworth has a good farm shop I hear on the local grapevine. I don't drive so it's a bit tricky for me to get to.

If you do go to Tissington, try Edward's sweet shop.
www.edwardandvintage.co.uk

Vintage Sweet Shop | Edward and Vintage | Tissington

Edward and Vintage is a former Post Office lovingly restored to an old fashioned sweet shop, set in the Peak District national park in a small village called Tissington. The shop has become a staple destination for locals, walkers, and cyclists from all over the UK.
www.edwardandvintage.co.uk www.edwardandvintage.co.uk

Carsington Water is a bit further south but you can do watersports, the vanilla kind of course, on the reservoir.

Carsington Sport and Leisure - Carsington Sports and Leisure

www.carsingtonwater.com www.carsingtonwater.com

Matlock and Matlock Bath are a good shout too. A few hippie shops. A bit like Lewes in the Peaks I suppose. Can get a bit crowded on the weekends if it's sunny. The Fishpond is the better local pub. Bands play and all that but obviously with things as they are, bugger knows. The Heights of Abraham is in Matlock Bath and might be running. It's a cable car across the Peaks type thing.

Bloody enjoy the scenery cos it's amazing. Mind the roads if you end up near Snake Pass. At the moment of course check what is open before you try visiting. I've no idea what is running and what isn't. Oh and if you find yourself further south and end up in Derby or Belper or somewhere, I can provide recommendations but I'd say stay north :thumbs:
 
Mogden said:
Eat Bakewell Pudding. Swerve if you're diabetic. It's incredibly sweet.

Visit the Devil's Arse cave

Peak Cavern – The Devil's Arse!

peakcavern.co.uk peakcavern.co.uk

Try the Blue John cavern

Home - Blue John Cavern

www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk www.bluejohn-cavern.co.uk

As others have said, Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall. Chatsworth has a good farm shop I hear on the local grapevine. I don't drive so it's a bit tricky for me to get to.

If you do go to Tissington, try Edward's sweet shop.
www.edwardandvintage.co.uk

Vintage Sweet Shop | Edward and Vintage | Tissington

Edward and Vintage is a former Post Office lovingly restored to an old fashioned sweet shop, set in the Peak District national park in a small village called Tissington. The shop has become a staple destination for locals, walkers, and cyclists from all over the UK.
www.edwardandvintage.co.uk www.edwardandvintage.co.uk

Carsington Water is a bit further south but you can do watersports, the vanilla kind of course, on the reservoir.

Carsington Sport and Leisure - Carsington Sports and Leisure

www.carsingtonwater.com www.carsingtonwater.com

Matlock and Matlock Bath are a good shout too. A few hippie shops. A bit like Lewes in the Peaks I suppose. Can get a bit crowded on the weekends if it's sunny. The Fishpond is the better local pub. Bands play and all that but obviously with things as they are, bugger knows. The Heights of Abraham is in Matlock Bath and might be running. It's a cable car across the Peaks type thing.

Bloody enjoy the scenery cos it's amazing. Mind the roads if you end up near Snake Pass. At the moment of course check what is open before you try visiting. I've no idea what is running and what isn't. Oh and if you find yourself further south and end up in Derby or Belper or somewhere, I can provide recommendations but I'd say stay north :thumbs:
Click to expand...

Thanks . Heights of Abraham is something else i didnt know about and its open.
 
If you can a walk up to and along Stanage Edge will revive your soul. Also if you head for the rail station at Grindlford there is the best hikers/cyclist cafe for miles, just by the platform. It was known as the bite at the end of the tunnel, sorry. Fab food very reasonable.

The Grindlford Station Cafe.
F1B3E4FF-068F-4A35-B929-6FCD42224582.jpeg
 
Spandex said:
And the Dambuster dam is at Ladybower reservoir which you can walk or ride bikes around
Click to expand...
Dambusters dam is actually Derwent dam the middle of the 3 dams. When the water level is down you can see the remains of the village they flooded.

Iirc Ladybower wasn't built until 1957 so wasn't around in the war and may not have been built when the film was made.


Not in the peak district but Bolsover castle is not far away that you can go around and has a good display of armour if that's of interest.
 
All great suggestions, and I was just about the post the Grindleford cafe too! Used to be covered in the grumpiest notes to customers ever!

Monsal trail is really lovely, The Monsal Head pub does (used to anyway) great food. Walk along Stanage Edge, have a hunt for Robin Hood's cave. See Little John's grave in Hathersage. Swim at Slippery Stones, cycle there along the reservoir near Bamford that's been mentioned (you can hire bikes somewhere there), walk up Kinder from Edale up Grindsbrook Clough and try to get to Kinder downfall if you have time, Eyam definitely worth a look.

Walk from Fox House pub down Padley Gorge is a lovely wood and stream easy walk. Tea, cake, and some outdoor gear shopping in Hathersage too!

Oh, a drive up Winnat's Pass and walk about Mam Tor and the ridge there too!

It's a brilliant area!
 
Last edited:
If you are travelling by car, on the A6187 between Sheffield and Hathersage be ready as you take the sweeping right hand bend known as Surprise View. It will blow your socks off. The view from the top down The Hope Valley is wonderful. You may even look down on jet fighters practicing along the valley.
Utterly stunning.
 
Good suggestion to drive up Winnat’s Pass, if you cycle up it you will have more cars behind you than the Tour de France peloton.
Been there, done that.
Edit. Winnat’s Pass, not the Tour!
 
There's some climbs up the ridges in Winnat's I've wanted to do for years. Not hard, but exposed and with some loose rock. Best done by moonlight or headtorch I think! One is rather grandly called 'Matterhorn Ridge'!
 
If you go to Bolsover castle then there's the Revolution house at old Whittington. Chesterfield for it's crooked spire, medieval shambles, sarcastically named Broad pavement (18" wide), market place and the shopping centre which was built retaining the facades of the old shops that were demolished to make way for it.
 
There's a bunch of tasty-looking breweries in the peaks. Buxton is a favourite of mine.

map-of-the-peak-district-beer2.jpg
 
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