Activities

The Peak District has something for everyone from slow relaxing walks to extreme sports! Below are just some of the available Peak District activities.

Walking

Explore the rolling hills, sweeping moorlands, hilltops, deep valleys, dales, bridleways and green lanes of the Peak District all year round. There are many paths and trails taking in historic sites and picturesque views ranging from short walks to extreme distances many of which can be started virtually from our cottage door.

Popular walks include Lathkill and Dove Dales, the gritstone views of the Roaches and Froggat Edge and the picturesque scenery of Chatsworth Park Estate.

Cycling

The Peak District offers wonderful cycling from leisurely riding to mountain biking. There are numerous trails and tracks including former railways, bridlepaths and hill climbs. Cycle hire is available from many locations including Carsington Water, Tissington and from Parsley Hay a junction of the High Peak and Tissington Trails, only two miles from our cottages that offer over 30 miles of traffic free cycling through stunning limestone scenery.

Fishing

There is a wide variety of fishing opportunities in Derbyshire. The rivers of the Derbyshire Peak District, the Wye, the Dove, the Lathkill, the Derwent and others are world famous as the historic home of fly fishing, and have been fished by countless thousands since and before the days when Izzac Walton and Charles Cotton roamed these parts. More southerly the lower reaches of the river Derwent and the river Trent offer coarse fishing for varied specious. Aside from the rivers there are numerous gravel pits, ponds, lakes and resevoirs to try out.

Carsington Water boasts some of the best reservoir trout fishng in the coutry where anglers can fly fish for rainbow trout and large brown trout. Other notable venues include the Barlow Trout and Coarse Fishery and Ladybower Reservoir.

Chatsworth Estate hold a world famous annual Game and Angling Fair.

Caves and Caverns

The Peak District offers a staggering number of opportunities to delve underground and explore the hidden wonders of the world. Castleton, in the Hope Valley, has possibly more show caves than anywhere else in Britain offering visitors a chance to learn about the unique geology of the region. Of the Castleton caves Blue John Cavern, Peak Cavern and Treakcliffe Cavern are all worth a visit but Speedwell Cavern is unique in that visitors can travel through the caves by boat.

Other notable caves include Pooles Cavern in Buxton and the Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath which includes two caves accessible by an alpine style cable car system.

Climbing

The Peak District is internationally renowned for climbing due to the vast amount of accessible climbing available and breath taking scenery. Dark Peak climbing centres around gritstone escarpments, a fairly unique climbing medium for which the area is now world famous, due to the unusual friction properties of the rock. Areas such as Stanage Edge, Burbage Valley, Curbar and Froggatt Edge all have routes available for beginners and experienced climbers.

In the centre of the Peak District lies the white peak, characterised by its limestone geology. This area provides a different climbing experience, the rock being steeper and offering less friendly cracks but more challenging to experienced climbers.