
Places to visit in the Peak District
Looking for the best things to do in the Peak District? Our introduction to England’s oldest National Park is just a short train journey from Sheffield and Manchester, making it one of the most accessible national parks in the country. There are countless places and activities to discover, whether you’re into Michelin dining, clambering through caverns, retracing the steps of literary legends or a bracing hike. Read on to find your new favourite places in the Peak District.
Day 1
Literary legends and iconic rocks
Romantics rejoice at Chatsworth
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 2 hours

Fall in love with Chatsworth House, one of England’s finest stately homes. Dating back to the 11th century, you may recognise Chatsworth from its on-screen appearance as the home of Mr Darcy in Price and Prejudice film. Beyond its cinematic credits, it’s easy to fall in love with Chatsworth’s intricately painted ceilings, ornate galleries and grand Elizabethan gardens. Budding botanists can join one of their nature walking tours which happen throughout the seasons.
Explore Hathersage
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 1 hour

Discover the village that's a haven for climbers, period drama fans and anyone who loves a breathtaking view. Hathersage inspired Charlotte Bronte when writing 'Jane Eyre'. Visit the grade II listed North Lees Hall, dubbed the main inspiration for the fictional Thornfield Hall in the 1845 novel. It's a short drive from the hall to Stanage Edge, an iconic gritstone loved by climbers, and the location is where Keira Knightley stands in Pride and Prejudice.
Cycle the Ladybower Reservoir
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 2 hours

Enjoy the waterside views of Ladybower Reservoir and its mighty pine forest. The reservoir's flat cycling route is ideal if you prefer a two-wheeled adventure. The 5.5-mile loop follows one-half of the Y-shaped body of water, sticking close to the shores with very few hills, making it accessible for cyclists of all ages and abilities.
Glamp at Edale Gathering
- Accommodation
- Suggested time: Overnight
After a day of adventure, recuperate with a glamping stay at Edale Gathering in the nearby Hope Valley. Pick between either one of their four luxurious tented safari lodges, the Victorian shooting lodge or the renovated cottage and get settled in for an evening of fire-side star gazing in the heart of the Peak District.
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Day 2
Subterranean adventures
Stare at stalagmites
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 1 hour

Head underground and discover the natural beauty of Treak Cliff Cavern, one of the UK's most beautiful caves, shimming with Blue John stone. On a self-guided tour, you'll learn about the Peak District's millions of years of geological history, evident in the flowstone deposits, stalagmites, and stalactites of these massive caves. Keep your eyes out for the resident bats, too!
Hike Mam Tor
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 2 hours

The rocky peak of Mam Tor is the national park’s highest peaks and one of the best viewpoints in the Peak District. Head out to see if it is for yourself on a three-mile circular walk and enjoy views of Edale Valley, Kinder Scout, and the Derwent Moors once you reach the top. Afterwards, head back down to the nearby town of Castleton for a pub lunch and shop for Blue John Stone.
Stay at Rushop Hall
- Accommodation
- Suggested time: Overnight
Relax for the evening at a Georgian grade II-listed farmhouse. Cosy up in one of the holiday cottages or guest rooms, and then in the early morning, see the sunrise on one of many walking trails, which start right outside Rushop Hall's front door.
Top tip - See a film in a cave
- Show
- Suggested time: 2 hours
In the summer months, Peak Cavern hosts The Village Screen Pop Up. Each event also hosts a range of local street food and drink vendors, plus live music performances before the film starts.
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Day 3
Bikes, heights and a Michelin star
Cycle the Monsal Trail
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 3 hours

Peddle through the heart of the Peak District National Park on the 8.5-mile Monsal Trail, a traffic-free, accessible route. Using a disused railway line, the Monsal Trail has been transformed into a flat path connecting Blackwell Mill in Chee Dale to Coombs Road in Bakewell. Choose from a standard or electric bike from Blackwell Cycle Hire and head out to enjoy the trail. You'll pedal past the River Wye, under brick tunnels and between limestone gorges. Refuel with lunch at The Refreshment Room, the railway's old station turned cafe.
Head to the Heights
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 2 hours
Float above the Derwent Valley in a cable car journey to the Heights of Abraham, a 60-acre hilltop park inspired by the Plains of Abraham in Quebec, Canada. Once you ascend over the River Derwent, head out to explore the various attractions such as the dramatic caverns, history exhibitions and the wild woodland trails. Climb the Victoria Prospect Tower for 360-degree panoramic views of Matlock Bath town and beyond.
Enjoy an inland seaside town
- Sightseeing
- Suggested time: 1 hour
Matlock Bath is famous for being Derbyshire's answer to a traditional seaside town. There's everything but the sea here, including plenty of fish and chips shops, penny arcades, sweet shops selling old school sweets from your childhood and even a Instagrammable Victorian aquarium.
Top Tip – Michelin-star dining
- Eatery
Foodies will love Restaurant Lovage, the one-star Michelin restaurant owned by Great British Menu winner Lee Smith. Championing the best of the region's produce, Smith serves up British Modern dishes inspired by his childhood in the Peak District.
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