The UK’s most beautiful national park is also the nation’s oldest and there’s heaps to see and do, as one reporter discovered ‘all feels right with the world’ on a recent holiday
“There are two rules: don’t die – and don’t kill anyone.” Our guide Rhys’s wise words were bouncing around my head as I dangled by a rope from a waterfall. While trying to clamber up the billowing cascade, I’d slipped. But thankfully the belay rope Rhys had been steadying me with had worked a treat and I’d avoided a plunge into the chilly pool below.
I hadn’t died – and nobody else had either. Rhys’s mantra would live on. My slippery ascent was part of a gorge walking expedition that involved scrambling up a river and slithering under or clambering over any obstacles you met.
Along with my children Rosie, 17, Freddie, 14, and partner Tim, I was in Fair Brook Clough – a narrow ravine nestled under the imposing Kinder Scout plateau, the Peak District’s highest point. Thanks to Rhys’s expert guidance and knowledge of the river, scaling mini waterfalls turned out to be a doddle – if you slipped you simply toppled back into the water painlessly.
But climbing up the final waterfall – the only time we had to use belays – was the most terrifying bit. That said, it was also the most exhilarating. (lostearthadventures.co.uk, three-hour gorge walking experiences from £45pp).
Gorge walking proved to be a fabulous activity for everyone in the family because we could all tackle it at our own pace. The more agile ones could battle forth at top speed while the more sedate – OK, I’m talking about me here – could meander. And, I admit, drop down on all fours if the going got particularly tough. All in all, it was great fun and a fantastic hands-on way of sampling the Peak District’s outdoor delights.
There’s something gloriously uncomplicated about holidays in Britain’s oldest national park. As long as you’re in the fresh air, all feels right with the world. With that in mind, we hired bikes for a morning to explore the 8.5 mile Monsal Trail. Once a busy railway line, it is now a peaceful, traffic-free pathway linking Bakewell and Wyedale near Buxton.
Monsal Trail Cycle Hire is conveniently located alongside the old Hassop Station, 1.5 miles in from the Bakewell end, and the friendly staff there provided us with bikes and helmets and explained likely times and distances (hassopstation.co.uk/cyclehire, adult bikes from £18, children’s from £12). The trail takes a beautiful route over the Headstone Viaduct, through limestone dales and past mills and an old lime kiln. But it was the six tunnels that made it that extra bit special.
Away from the trail there was much more to discover. The Peak District is a mesmerising mix of rugged, heather-clad moorland, postcard-pretty villages and market towns, towering gritstone escarpments, underground caverns and river valleys. Not surprisingly, the urge for a decent hike beckoned. Boots on, we ambled from the village of Hathersage past North Lees Hall – said to be Charlotte Bronte’s inspiration for Mr Rochester’s home in Jane Eyre – before striding up on to the striking cliffs of Stanage Edge.
Stanage is arguably the area’s most impressive gritstone escarpment and stretches for 6km, giving fabulous views across to Kinder Plateau, Mam Tor – one of the Peak District’s most iconic hills – and Ladybower Reservoir. It also draws Pride And Prejudice fans keen to discover the real-life backdrop to a scene featuring Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Bennet.
All that fresh air sparked hunger pangs and The Maynard, five minutes away in Grindleford, was just the answer (the-maynard.com). Set amid lush countryside, it’s a grand restaurant and boutique hotel with inventive Japanese touches dotted across its menus, much of which is sourced locally. Taking advantage of the sunshine we flopped down on the vast paved terrace, a new addition thanks to a huge renovation earlier this year.
My super scrumptious cheddar souffle with Hartington stilton sauce – produced nearby – was gorgeously light while my Mexican salad with sake-seared tuna was another winner.
The rest of the family enjoyed a mix of tasty treats, including a Greek summer plate, a Japanese warm noodle salad, a beef brisket burger and a Japanese plate with miso ramen and seafood gyoza.
Our home for the four-night break was Darwin Forest, a stunning resort near Matlock that’s won a string of awards including a VisitEngland Gold. It was peaceful and pristinely kept with plenty of space. Our roomy wooden lodge had three bedrooms, including an ensuite, plus an open plan diner, lounge and well-equipped kitchen.
Just down the road lay the Heights of Abraham, a 60 acre hilltop park with plenty to do for a few hours’ fun.
Getting up there is part of the adventure as it’s accessed by cable car. Once up, there’s food and ice cream, trails, shows, a couple of caverns… and views to die for.
Our favourite bit was the tour of the Masson Cavern led by guide Jon, who flicked off the lights and plunged us into darkness to give us a taste of what lead miners went through before they lit their candles every day (heightsofabraham.com, cable car from £25 adult, from £17.50 child).
Before leaving the Peak District we dipped into another cavern, Treak Cliff near Castleton (bluejohnstone.com, adult £14.50, child £8). Armed with an app containing a self-guided audio tour we learned how it’s one of only two sites where ornamental Blue John stone is found, examples of which are treasured in places such as Buckingham Palace, the Vatican and the White House. The Peak District really is a gem.
Book the holiday
- Darwin Forest near Matlock, Derbyshire, offers three or four-night self-catering breaks for 2024, staying in a three bedroom lodge (sleeps six), from £449. darwinforest.co.uk
- More info at visitpeakdistrict.com
