A Taste of the
Peak District
Peak District Walks, Best Derbyshire walking, footpaths, B&B, self catering holiday cottage accommodation, hotels, tourist attractions, walking, climbing, mountain biking history, towns, villages, geology, mining, local information, Derbyshire businesses and much more …
There is a huge amount of great walking and trail running in the Peak District National Park. Simply buy yourself some maps (White Peak or Dark Peak via Aqua3 maps, 10% discount for visitors from this site, waterproof and standard paper OS maps) and make up your own walks/runs or buy one of the many good guides to walking in the Peak - see the 'booksales' section of this site or try 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. Here is some advice to newcomers to walking to help when you are buying a pair of walking boots and an article about warm up exercises for walkers. See below for other walking related articles.
Some areas to head for (all could be walking or running circuits) click to view the walk description if it is not included below:
- Guided walks in the Peak District of Derbyshire
- Froggatt and Curbar Edges, Padley Gorge and Longshaw Estate
- Derwent edge, Derwent Reservoir and dam, Ladybower reservoir
- Derwent Edge from Fairholmes car park at the top of Ladybower reservoir
- The edges above Baslow (Birchen, Gardoms, Baslow)
- Gardom’s and Baslow Edge
- Kinder Scout is a favourite target for walkers heading to the Peak District
- Kinder Scout from the Snake Pass, A57. Via Fairbrook and Kinder gates from the Snake Inn.
- Burbage Brook, Burbage Valley, Sheffield
- Stanage Edge - Park at Higgar Tor and instead of going onto the Tor, head in the opposite direction across the moors to Stanage. Simply walk along the easy path along the top of the edge and enjoy the views or even stop and watch the hang gliders and climbers for a few minutes. There are options to make a circuit of this route either in the direction of Sheffield or Hathersage.
- Dovedale and the surrounding Dales - There is plenty of parking at the lower end of Dovedale that can be used as a Launching point to explore the dale itself and beyond. A circuit incorporating Alstonefield is always enjoyable.
- Lathkill Dale - if you are short of time a stroll up Lathkill Dale from Over Haddon or Alport is worthwhile or try a longer circuit from Monyash. Follow the Limestone Way past One Ash Grange and Calling Low past Youlgrave (Youlgreave as the OS call it) via Bradford Dale to Alport. Follow Lathkill Dale back to Monyash.
- Monsal Dale - There is a pay and display car park behind the Monsal Head Hotel. From there you can descend into Monsal Dale itself, a deeply incised Limestone valley. There are many options - head towards Great Shacklow Wood from there you can get to Taddington or Sheldon, or perhaps follow the Monsal Trail up the valley towards Cressbrook and Litton Mill, where the former mill buildings have now been converted into luxury apartments. Litton Mill itself is well known for the abuse of orphans during the 19th century. There is a small parking place on the left, down in the bottom of the valley as you head along towards Cressbrook, that is more convenient if you are aiming to visit the nature reserve of Cressbrook Dale.
- Chatsworth Estate and surrounding areas - Park at Calton Lees, visit the Garden centre and meander through the fine parkland of the Chatsworth Estate. Alternatively park by the church in Edensor, walk the length of the Park to Calton Lees and continue to Rowsley. Take the track round Bouns Corner Wood and down to the River Wye. Pick up the Monsal Trail for a short way then cross the golf course, through the woodland and onto Calton Pastures. From here, pass through a short woodland section and drop back down to Edensor.
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.
Guided walks in the Peak District of Derbyshire
Walking and Hiking articles:
Buying a pair of walking boots
Warm up exercises for walkers
Hiking shoes vs hiking boots
Pros and cons of walker’s gadgets
Buying a good quality waterproof
Reuse and recycle - ideas for the old foam sleeping mat that you do not use any more!
External links relating to walking ...
The Four Inns ( web site) is a tough competitive walk in Derbyshire’s Peak District. It is approximately 72 km (45 miles) long, over some of the roughest moorland in Britain. Why not take the challenge?
UK Dating and friendship for fit, active and sporty singles -
definitely no couch potatoes!
International dating and friendship for fit, active and sporty singles -
USA, Australia, Europe, South Africa and more.
Guided walks in the Peak District of Derbyshire
Multi-day walking tours of the Peak District
Paris Walking Tours -
Guided walking tours, orientation, history, culture,
and maps helping you make the most of your Paris
stay. A wealth of current, practical information
and insights from a long time resident.
Country
walks around the Malvern Hills and Cotswolds -
Information and walks in the Malverns and the Cotswolds,
including annotated photographs to make sure you
don't get lost!
Dales and Vales -
an excellent site with superb photos and ideas for
walks throughout the UK.
Snap The Peaks -
great site, fabulous photographs, easy to use and
has detailed descriptions of walks, including maps.
Station to stop -
not having (or not using) a car to access the Peak
District should not prevent you from enjoying some
great walks. An inspiring must visit site
For clearly written details of walks in the Peak
District National Park (and further afield) a ‘must visit’site
is Countrywalker.
For each walk, there are photos of the key places.
Click here to
see some of the sights on offer from walking the
Peak District and click here to
visit the Peak Walking site (clear route descriptions,
sensible timings and best of all, information about
pubs en-route!).
To visit the Peak district walks web site click here.
Trail Running in the Peak District -
a guide to trail running in the UK Peak District
national park which includes parts of Cheshire, Derbyshire,
Staffordshire and Yorkshire.
Walking in the White Peak this
map (click here)
is excellent; it shows buildings and field boundaries
making navigation easier. For the Dark Peak OS
map, click here.
Transpeak walks -
in their own words ... “We are a not for profit voluntary group who are offering "free
to the
public" guided walks in The Peak Park. We specialise in linear Station to Station walks, concentrating on The Hope Valley, Buxton & Glossop
railway lines”
South
Yorkshire & North East Derbyshire Area Ramblers -
new to the area or just looking for good companions
to walk with, you will find them here.