Overview
A six day adventure walking in the Peak District National Park, with overnights in three of the region’s most famous towns and villages, Matlock, Bakewell and Baslow. The Peak District is England’s first national park, and this section includes trails and valleys cut into the limestone of the White Peak, with natural highlights including the vertiginous Giddy Edge, Monsal Dale and the views from the woodland trails to River Wye trails. As well as one of the most famous Peak District Walks to Chatsworth Estate. This holiday is not only accessible by train but is also a dog-friendly break.
- Matlock and Matlock Bath
- Peak District National Park
- Giddy Edge
- Bakewell
- Edensor
- Chatsworth House
- Baslow
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Matlock
Arrive in Matlock, an historic market and spa town with elegant Victorian architecture. Located in the Derbyshire Dales, it’s also gateway to the Peak District National Park. Depending on your arrival time we recommend a stroll to the nearby hamlet of Matlock Bath, and taking a look at the former Smedley’s Hydro spa building, now impressive council offices, as well as Riber Castle.
- Accommodation: Cedar House or similar in Matlock
Day 2: Giddy Edge circuit | 9.8/10.7km
Begin the day by crossing the River Derwent and climbing up to High Tor, taking in views of the valley as you walk along the cliff to Giddy Edge. This is a narrow, exposed footpath carved into the side of a limestone cliff above Matlock Bath. From here pick up Lovers’ Walk to cross the river and climb Masson Hill on the opposite side of the valley. Here there are two options, either continue to the summit of Masson Hill or opt to visit Great Masson Cavern (payable locally). The day comes to a close back in Matlock for a second night.
- Walking for the day: 9.8km, ↑374m ↓374m or 10.7km, ↑416m ↓423m
- Accommodation: Cedar House or similar in Matlock
Day 3: Matlock – Bakewell | 18.4km
Walking away from Matlock, you get great views over the valley on the way to Darley Bridge before following woodland trails to Birchover. Continue on Stanton Moor to the famous Nine Ladies, an early Bronze Age stone circle. After a lunch break in Stanton-in-Peak, a hillside village of traditional stone cottages, continue on to Bakewell, a historic and handsome market town with local stone buildings and cobbled courtyards, as well as a Grade I listed stone arch bridge that spans the River Wye. Not to be missed of course, is the famous local Bakewell Tart or Pudding.
- Walking for the day: 18.4km, ↑558m ↓532m
- Accommodation: The Peacock or similar in Bakewell
Day 4: Monsal Dale circuit | 17km
Follow footpaths over farmland and along woodland trails to Monsal Dale one of the area’s most celebrated peak district walks. Continue along the River Wye to the Monsalhead Viaduct. We recommend stopping for refreshments at the cafe to take in the views. Pick up the Monsal Trail, a disused railway line, and walk through the tunnel before returning to Bakewell. If you didn’t have a chance yesterday, we recommend a visit to the local Thornbridge Brewery to end the day.
- Walking for the day: 17km, ↑318m ↓318m
- Accommodation: The Peacock or similar in Bakewell
Day 5: Bakewell – Baslow | 13.1km
Follow public footpaths and wooded tracks to cross the Peak District National Park to Edensor, a unique village where each house has a different architectural design. Continue on to Chatsworth House and, if time allows, we recommend a visit to the house (payable locally), as featured in the film adaptation of Jane Austen. Finally, walk through the grounds to Baslow on a trail where local deer and sheep roam freely. End the day in Baslow, known for its 17th-century bridge, and as a gateway to the Dark Peaks, it’s the more rugged side of the Peak District National Park.
- Walking for the day: 13.1km, ↑324m ↓325m
- Accommodation: Wheatsheaf or similar in Baslow
Day 6: 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
- Cedar House (Matlock)
- The Peacock (Bakewell)
- Wheatsheaf (Baslow)
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 4-6h of walking and distancing ranging from 9-18km. The routes cover a variety of terrain including some rocky or boggy sections as well as riverside and woodland paths. Please note that Giddy Edge is a narrow path along the cliff edge with a high drop to one side. There is a handrail for additional support, but those with a fear of heights may wish to skip this section. 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 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 March 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 East Midlands Airport (EMA) Birmingham Airport (BHX) and Manchester Airport (MAN).
By train or bus
- East Midlands Airport: there are regular buses to Derby train station where you can take the train to Matlock. At the end of the tour you can take a bus over to Chesterfield 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 Matlock. At the end of your tour you can take the bus to Chesterfield 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.
- Manchester Airport: there are regular buses to Matlock with a connection in Buxton. At the end of your tour you can get a bus to the airport with a connection in Chapel-en-le-Frith. For more information please see the local providers Stagecoach and High Peak, 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 Matlock. The nearest station to Baslow, at the end of your tour, is Chesterfield (30mins by bus). 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
- 5 nights accommodation
- 5 breakfasts
- Luggage transfers on days three and five (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
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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