Activities

For the Active...   The Peak District offers a multitude of walking opportunities with footpaths and trails to suit individuals, families or groups –whether you want a challenging hike or a short stroll. There are also wheelchair accessible trails too. You can also take a guided walk with a park ranger, where you can learn about the area’s natural history, archaeology and folklore.  The national park has 58 miles of off-road cycling trails, making it ideal for family cycling at any time of year. You can pick up maps of the well defined cycle routes and plenty of places where you can hire bicycles. The area’s gritstone outcrops make for some of the most challenging and popular climbing in Europe.  The Peak District has some of the best Paragliding and Hang gliding sites in the UK, all in beautiful settings.  As well as training sessions, you can also book tandem flights too.  The Peak District is great for caving due to having so many fantastic underground rock formations. It is also home to Titan Cave the highest natural cavern in the UK.  Activity centres offer caving trips with expert guidance and equipment provided. 

Places...  
Buxton has a long history as a spa town due to its geothermal spring.  Fine Georgian architecture, the Victorian splendour of the beautiful Pavillion gardens and Buxton Opera house – one of Britain’s leading provincial theatres make the town great for exploring by day, and plenty to entertain at night.


Castleton’s main pull is its fascinating caves of which 4 can be explored including the Blue John mine, famous for its Blue John stone. The village is overlooked by medieval Peveril Castle. Mentioned in the Domesday survey, Peveril Castle is one of England’s earliest Norman fortresses. The keep was built by Henry II in 1176 and a climb to the castle at the top of the hill to enjoy the breathtaking views over the Hope Valley is a highlight of a family day out in Castleton. English Heritage

Chatsworth House, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, is one of Britain’s best loved historic houses and estates. Set in 25sq miles of beautiful gardens with spectacular fountains and newly commissioned sculptures, the house itself includes: displays of rare treasures, art collections and a restored Georgian oak staircase.


Bakewell, situated on the river Wye has attractive courtyards, independent shops and cafés. The famous Bakewell tart came about by mistake, when the cook at what is now the Rutland Arms Hotel was making a strawberry tart with a rich egg pastry. She assembled the ingredients incorrectly and poured the egg mixture on top of the strawberry jam, ending up with a barely set gelatinous pudding. Bakewell's three pudding shops all claim to possess the original (and supposedly secret) recipe!