10 great walking locations in the Peak District

Covering over 550 square miles, there's plenty to discover in the Peak District National Park. We select ten of our favourites areas that would be ideal for a short walking break.

Paine's ornate bridge over the Derwent (Image: sally mosley)

Bakewell

Bakewell and Chatsworth House attract thousands of visitors to the Peak District every year. You can enhance your trip by taking a walk in the beautiful countryside that surrounds these two iconic locations.

Click here for walks near Bakewell

Solomon's Temple by Kevin Davies (Image: Archant)

Buxton

While it is not technically in the National Park, this market town is a crossroads for many routes through the Peak District.

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Castleton with a view of Mam Tor (Image: as submitted)

Castleton

It's no surprise that Castleton is one of the most popular bases for walking. It's on at the western end of the Hope Valley, between the Dark Peak to the north and the White Peak to the south and in the shadow of the iconic Mam Tor.

Click here for walks near Castleton

The area surrounding Eyam by Joy Hales (Image: as submitted)

Eyam

Most people who head to Eyam for a walk end up at the famous landmarks at Padley Gorge and Curbar Edge, but this small seletion of walks from our archives show that there are plenty of alternatives.

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Glossop

The market town of Glossop is both the perfect gateway to explore the Peak District or the underrated walking routes that lie east of Manchester.

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Hathersage

For may people, Hathersage is the gateway to the Peak District. This selection of walks are all within a five mile radius of the popular village which is just ten miles south of Sheffield.

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Matlock by Ashley Franklin (Image: Ashley Franklin Photography)

Matlock

There are many reasons to visit Matlock, its close proximity to the south eastern edge of the Peak District makes it an ideal base for visiting the National Park.

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Cheshire Peak

The western side of the Peak District is home to Lyme Park, the Gritstone Trail, numerous canals and a number of challenging ascents.

Click here for walks in the Cheshire Peak

Staffordshire Peak

The south-western section of the Peak District may not be the tourist traps of the other areas, but that means you can find some hidden gems.

Click here for walks in the Staffordshire Peak

Yorkshire Peak

While Yorkshire has two National Parks all to itself in the north of the county in the form of the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors, there are sections of the Peak District in the south of the county.

Click here for walks in the Yorkshire Peak

All the routes were correct at the time of publication, over time access to certain parts of the walk may be subject to change.

Click the icons on the map below to find links to our walks