Collaborative Post¦ The Peak District is a beautiful part of the country and one I’m eager to explore more. It is the perfect place for an adventure over a long weekend. Stunning landscapes, picturesque villages, historic buildings and delicious food are just some of what it has to offer. In fact, you may be hard pressed to choose what to do in only three days…but I’m going to give it a go in this blog post!
Day 1
This day is actually based on the one and only day I’ve spent in the Peak District! However, it has really stuck in my memory and I’d love to do it again. We visited for several hours following camping near Sheffield before heading back home to Kent. Next time, however, I’d like to visit for longer and set up a comfortable base in one of the many Luxury Holiday Homes in the Peak District.
The morning – Derwent Dams
I’d looked up trails suitable for toddlers as my son was 2 at the time and found a 1.6km circular walk. The woodland scenery was beautiful. I also managed to enjoy a moment of peace with my husband looking over the reservoir while the children played on a wooden train.
They also loved the many wooden scuptures of woodland animals! As someone into history, I was also interested in visiting the dams as they were the practice grounds for The Dambusters’ iconic WWII mission. Unfortunately, it was July and the weather had been very dry so there was no water flowing over the dam when we visited. Typically it was raining for us, though!
Lunchtime – Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese
For lunch, we visited Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese, a 17th century coaching inn. This pub is nestled in the beautiful village of Castleton (well worth worth a visit in it’s own right!)
After a morning of walking and with more walking planned for the afternoon, it was good to have a rest and fuel up. It was so cosy inside and one of the best roast dinners I’ve ever had!
Afternoon – Exploring Mam Tor
Mam Tor (known as the Mother Hill) is a famous Peak District National Park landmark. We found the walk up it suitable for even our 2 year old (just about!)
It has bronze age settlements and the views as you get higher and higher are absolutely stunning! Given the option in future I’d pick a less windy day. It was barely possible for me to stand at the top without feeling like the wind was going to knock me over and I couldn’t keep my camera still!
Day 2
Morning – Drive through Winnats Pass to Bakewell
If I was still in the Castleton area, I would love to go for a drive through Winnats Pass. Caution is definitely needed, but the views of this limestone gorge look breathtaking!
Arriving in Bakewell, the first thing I would do is seek out a Bakewell pudding or Bakewell tart! I adore the latter, but I’ve never had an authentic one. Bakewell itself is apparently a foodie paradise with a market some weekdays and lots of independent retailers. I can definitely see my husband and I excitedly browsing and selecting a few things to take back to our accommodation to eat! From it’s foodie reputation, I bet we’d easily find somewhere to grab a tasty lunch.
Afternoon – Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House has surely got to be one of the most famous manor houses in the UK! Famous for appearing in Pride and Prejudice and Peaky Blinders, it has stunning gardens and an exquisite art collection. I would love to lose myself in my imagination there for a few hours.
Day 3
Morning – Eyam Plague Village
Ever since I learnt about the Black Death in childhood, I’ve had a morbid fascination with it. Eyam is known as the “Plague Village” due its residents bravely quarantining themselves to prevent the bubonic plague from passing on to other communities. Over the course of 14 months, over a quarter of the village’s population died with some entire families being wiped out by it. There are lots of interesting sites to visit and remember the sacrifice the villagers made, which helped change how disease prevention was viewed.
Afternoon – Bretton and Eyam Circular Walk
I’d round off the weekend with some more amazing Peak district scenery on this circular walk. What could be better than breathing in lots of fresh air and seeing the dramatic scenery of drystone walls, moors, hills, rivers and farmland? Plus, there’s a pub nearby perfect for kicking back to reflect on an amazing few days with a drink.
Cover photo by Tom Wheatley on Unsplash