Overview
A seven day, self-guided walking holiday in Peak District National Park, with a focus on Dark Peak. This is an area of high and rugged moorland in the north of the national park, enveloped by the Pennines. Starting in Hathersage, one of many typical Peak District villages, and ending in Chinley. There are five days of hiking on this tour, with natural highlights including a collection of ramblers’ favourite ridge walks, typical tors, which is the word for high, rocky peaks and Ladybower Reservoir. Last but not least, Kinder Scout, a moorland plateau and the highest point of the Peak District at 636m. This holiday is not only accessible by train but is also a dog-friendly break.
- Kinder Scout
- Mam Tor
- Ladybower Reservoir
- Eyam
- Hathersage
- Castleton
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Hathersage
Hathersage is a typical Peak District village in Hope Valley, with stone cottages and even a heated swimming pool. If time allows, take a look at Little John’s grave or some of the buildings that inspired Charlotte Bronte when writing Jane Eyre.
- Accommodation: The Scotsman’s Pack or similar in Hathersage
Day 2: Hathersage – Ladybower via Eyam | 20.5km
Follow the River Derwent away from Hathersage to first call at Grindleford before heading across Peak District National Park to Eyam. Take the time to explore Eyam, the famous plague village where, in 1665, villagers isolated themselves to protect the region from the disease. Continue on across Eyam Moor and open farmland to Thornhill to end the day beside Ladybower Reservoir. Famous for the drowned villages of Derwent and Ashopton that lie beneath its waters, this Y-shaped reservoir was opened in 1945 to meet the demand for water from local industries.
- Walking for the day: 20.5km, ↑616m ↓558m
- Accommodation: Yorkshire Bridge Inn or similar at Ladybower Reservoir
Day 3: Stanage and Bamford Edges | 17.3km
Walk towards the reservoir and ascend on woodland trails through bracken moors to Stanage Edge. Stroll along this gritstone escarpment, taking in the dramatic rock formations popular with rock climbers. Descend to follow the lower cliff path and cross Bamford Moor to Bamford Edge. From here views open out over Ladybower Reservoir and its plugholes, a fantastic photo opportunity. Descend along forested paths back to the hotel for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 17.3km, ↑455m ↓455m
- Accommodation: Yorkshire Bridge Inn or similar at Ladybower Reservoir
Day 4: Ladybower – Castleton | 21.6km
With the reservoir on the left, cross over the bridge and ascend through Ladybower Wood on forested paths and heather moorland to Winstone Lee Tor. Continue over the highland to White Tor and then Back Tor, passing imposing gritstone rock formations such as Coach and Horses and The Salt Cellar. Descend and take in views of Howden and Derwent Dams, once training grounds for the RAF and the famous Dambusters of 1943. At Derwent Dam walk alongside the dam walls and take the chance to rest at the cafe. Ascend through woodland to Haggater Bridge and follow the route to Castleton for the evening. If time allows, visit Peveril Castle ruins (payable locally).
- Walking for the day: 21.6km, ↑620m ↓636m
- Accommodation: Ramblers Rest or similar in Castleton
Day 5: Mam Tor ridge walk | 10.2km
Leave Castleton to the west and ascend past Treak Cliff Cavern to Blue John Cavern, home to Britain’s rarest semi-precious mineral, Blue John. Here there is the opportunity to enter the caves (payable locally) before continuing on Winnats Pass to begin the ascent of Mam Tor. Follow the flagstone path up to the trig point and soak up the views from this Iron Age hill fort out over the White and Dark Peaks. Continue along the ridge to Lose Hill before descending over heath and farmland to return to Castleton for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 10.2km, ↑450m ↓452m
- Accommodation: Ramblers Rest or similar in Castleton
Day 6: Castleton – Chinley via Kinder Scout | 22.8km
Head out past Peveril Castle to Winnats Head, following the high path that hugs the pass with views over High Peak. Continue on to Lord’s Seat before descending slightly to Upper Booth. Ascend to Jacob’s Ladder, the famous stone-stepped path and packhorse bridge leading to Kinder Scout plateau. After soaking in the views from the plateau, descend on paths and through forested trails to Chinley. Nestled in the Blackbrook Valley, Chinley is a typical Derbyshire village with a rich railway history.
- Walking for the day: 22.8km, ↑763m ↓758m
- Accommodation: Old Hall Inn or similar in Chinley
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of mostly small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default hotels
- The Scotsman’s Pack (Hathersage)
- Yorkshire Bridge Inn (Ladybower Reservoir)
- Ramblers Rest (Castleton)
- Old Hall Inn (Chinley)
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel or guesthouse being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available en route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either at the accommodation or from pubs and restaurants in the local area.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated moderate and is suitable for regular walkers with most days offering 4-7h of walking and distancing ranging from 10-23km. The routes cover a variety of terrain including some rocky or boggy sections as well as riverside and woodland paths. A few days will involve some steep ascents and descents (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed digital route notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from April until October. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
The weather in the Peak District is generally mild throughout the year with temperatures ranging from 05-17C during the spring and summer months. For more information, see our blog, Best time to visit England.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens).
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airports for this tour are Manchester Airport (MAN), East Midlands Airport (EMA) and Birmingham Airport (BHX).
By train or bus
- Manchester Airport: there are regular trains to/from both Hathersage and Chinley. For more details, see the booking platform Trainline or use the Omio planner above.
- East Midlands Airport: there are regular buses to Derby and then on to Sheffield to catch the bus to Hathersage. At the end of the tour you can take a bus over to Sheffield to connect to the airport bus in Derby. For more information please see the local provider Stagecoach, Trent Barton and booking platform Trainline or use the Omio planner above.
- Birmingham Airport: there are regular trains into the city centre where you can catch a train or bus to Derby and then on to Sheffield to catch the bus to Hathersage. At the end of your tour you can take the train to Sheffield to catch the train back to Birmingham and on to the airport. For more information please see the local provider Stagecoach and booking platform Trainline or use the Omio planner above.
- If you are able to travel to the UK without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a station in Hathersage and Chinley. For more details, see the booking platform Trainline or use the Omio planner above.
UK Visa and entry requirements:
IMPORTANT: From 2025, the UK is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world. Up until 08 January, the ETA requirement only applied to nationals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
On 08 January 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to include visitors from eligible non-European countries, including nationals from Australia, Canada and the US.
From 02 April 2025, the ETA requirement extends to eligible European countries, referring to most of Europe. Travellers from these countries can apply for their ETA from 05 March 2025.
Please note: If you are a national from one of these countries, and arriving in the UK before 02 April 2025, and departing after 02 April 2025, an ETA is not required. It will only be required for those arriving in the UK after and including 02 April 2025.
You can view the full list of countries that this applies to here and apply for your ETA here, or on the UK ETA app. The ETA usually takes up to three working days to be processed, although we advise applying as early as possible, in advance of your travel dates. People travelling with an Irish passport don’t need an ETA.
You can read more about the UK entry requirements on our blog.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Access to your digital pre-departure information (accommodation list, GPS map of the route, baggage transfer information, itineraries, route information of cafes, restaurants, local bus timetables, etc.)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable locally)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Extra nights along the route are available upon request
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