70 Best Days Out in the Peak District
The Peak District National Park was founded on 17 April 1951, the first national park ever to be created in the UK. It covers 555 square miles of the most beautiful parts of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Yorkshire and even parts of Greater Manchester.
To celebrate the 70th birthday of our very favourite place, we’ve collected together what we consider to be the 70 Best Days Out in the Peak District to inspire you to visit more of this wonderful area. Have a browse through our collection below to get suggestions for entirely new spots to discover, or to remind yourself to revisit old favourites.
You’ll find all the region’s best attractions in here, as well as the most popular beauty spots and a few hidden gems as well, not to mention some wonderful little villages and many of the vibrant towns on the borders.
Join us in celebrating the very best that the Peak District has to offer, not just in this special birthday year but in every year to come!
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: Hardwick Hall
Just on the edge of the Peak District National Park you'll find the magnificent Hardwick Hall. Built by the formidable Bess of Hardwick in the 1590s, it's a wonderful example of an Elizabethan country house, set on a hilltop position overlooking the Derbyshire countryside. Outside there are also extensive formal gardens, parkland with family woodland trails, a lovely restaurant and a National Trust gift shop.
Read More
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: Stanage Edge
Stanage Edge is a stunning gritstone escarpment north of the pretty Peak District village of Hathersage. It runs for almost four miles roughly north to south, rising to 458 metres (1,503 feet) at its highest point. Stanage Edge is the absolute epitome of the Dark Peak. Its gritstone plateau is a wild, unforgiving place offering unsurpassed views of the Hope Valley, and in warmer months its slopes are softened by blooming purple heathers and bright bracken. Here and there are abandoned millstones, harking back to the industrial past of this area. Despite its height and imposing presence, Stanage Edge is quite accessible for most, and a visit to this incredible...
Read More
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: A Walk From Tissington to Parwich
The perfect little village of Tissington, on the southern edge of the Peak District National Park, is a must-see for any visitor to the area. A pretty collection of stone cottages lie clustered around a gracious stately home, in a village complete with a duck pond, six ancient wells, a church, a fabulous tea room and some wonderful independent shops. Our easy 4 mile circular walk from the village takes you along country lanes and over field paths offering fabulous views, all the way to the equally charming village of Parwich. From there the route heads back over field paths and along the peaceful Tissington Trail all the way back...
Read More
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: A Riverside Walk
The Peak District is blessed with hundreds of beautiful rivers and streams that wind through stunning countryside and shady woodlands. From the peaceful banks of the Rivers Wye and Derwent, to the spectacular courses over rocky drops of Wyming Brook and Burbage Brook, you’ll find no shortage of watery inspiration here. There are few things as restorative as walking alongside running water, not just for the diversity of wildlife and the beauty of the landscape, but for the sheer feelgood factor of being immersed in nature.
Read More
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: Buxton Opera House
Buxton Opera House is located in the heart of the elegant spa town of Buxton, on the edge of the Peak District National Park. A famous landmark in the area, it's a stunningly beautiful Edwardian theatre and one of the country's finest examples of theatre design by the great architect Frank Matcham. Buxton Opera House is one of Britain's leading receiving theatres and presents around 450 performances each year including dance, comedy, children's shows, drama, musical concerts, pantomime and opera, as well as a great programme of Fringe Theatre and Community events.
Read More
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: Dragon’s Back Walk
This wonderful walk is a great way of seeing this stunning part of the Peak District National Park. It starts and ends in the pretty little hamlet of Hollinsclough. To begin, it takes you along field paths and country lanes with magnificent views over the wild Staffordshire hills, dotted with farms and criss-crossed with stone walls. The route then brings you along the crest of one half of the famous ‘Dragon’s Back’, over the top of Chrome Hill (425m) with panoramic views over the wide valley, including a spectacular view of Parkhouse Hill ahead. You then descend on field paths and follow country lanes to return to Hollinsclough.
Read More
70 Best Days Out in the Peak District: Ilam
Ilam is just about as perfect a Peak District village as you could hope to get! With a collection of pretty cottages set in the most idyllic location, and only a short walk from the popular beauty spot of Dovedale, it’s a great place to spend a day.
Read More