A Taste of the Peak District

Accommodation and attractions of the Peak District of Derbyshire in the UK

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If you want to experience Derbyshire’s Peak District fully, what better way than to walk. You will need some maps (e.g. White Peak or Dark Peak) to make up your own walks or buy a guide book to walking in the Peak - see the 'booksales' section of this site or try Pub walks, tea shop walks or classic walks (in association with Amazon). Click here for views from walks (large files so will be slow - you have been warned!). If you are looking for somewhere to stay, try our accommodation section for a selection of self catering and bed and breakfast holiday accommodation.

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• Fairholmes at the top of Ladybower reservoir can offer a starting point for a whole host of walks onto the moors directly or via Howden and Derwent reservoirs. One of my favourite Peak District winter walks, especially after a cold spell and snow, turns to the right out of the carpark, past Derwent dam (of Dambusters practice fame) and along the reservoir road on the eastern (Sheffield) side of the water. A short while after passing the site of Derwent village, which was drowned when the reservoir was constructed, follow a bridle path, paved with flagstone, which rises diagonally across a field on the left. Stay on it where it turns left, steeply up to a conglomeration of barns. The bridleway leaves the small yard through a gate on the right and you climb up through the last pastures, past a plantation and out onto the moors. Cross the moorland on an undulating footpath, and you reach a gate. Turn right and walk alongside the wall, ignore the paths leaving to the left. Where the wall turns sharp right, so does this bridleway, eventually it takes you left and uphill, leaving the wall and bringing you to Whinstone Lee Tor. Turn left uphill and follow Derwent Edge northwards, past the Wheelstones, the Salt Cellar and a variety of other weird wind sculpted rock formations to Back Tor. From there continue northwards then westwards past Lost Lad and steeply down to the reservoir and follow the track back to your starting point.

Disclaimer - please make sure that your party has the necessary skills, equipment and fitness before setting off into the hills. It is often necessary to be able to navigate through peat bogs and over open moorland using a map and compass in the Dark Peak. The weather can change very quickly in the hills so be prepared.