Adrenaline Activities in the Peak District

Home to rugged peaks, wild moorland, forest trails, rivers and lots of caves, the Peak District National Park is a great choice if adrenaline activities are an essential part of your holiday. Our guide to adventure sports in the Peak District takes in activities on the ground, below the ground and above the ground, with tips on everything from the best rock climbing spots to popular mountain bike trails, where to go white-water rafting and how to take to the air on a tandem paragliding trip. We've also got advice on safety, finding local guides and the best places to stay. 

Top adrenaline activities in the Peak District

Rock climbing and abseiling 

With thousands of routes on cliffs, crags and boulder fields, suitable for everyone from beginners to expert climbers, the Peak District is one of the best places for rock climbing in the UK. 

The park’s most popular trad climbing sites include the legendary four-mile long Stanage Edge, Millstone Edge (in the Hope Valley), Froggatt Edge and The Roaches. Close to Buxton, Harpur Hill Quarry is a good sport climbing site for beginners, and Horseshoe Quarry is the place to head for more challenging intermediate routes. If you prefer bouldering, Stanage Plantation (underneath Stanage Edge) and the southern part of Burbage Valley are good bets. Most of these also offer thrilling abseiling descents too.

UK Climbing’s forum has some useful suggestions for where to start if you’re a beginner. The Visit Buxton website has a good list of rock climbing, bouldering and abseiling sites within the park, and VisitPeak District’s climbing and abseiling page lists several local adventure companies who can provide tuition and guided trips, including Lost Earth Adventures, whose abseiling sites include the spectacular 100-foot drop from the Millers Dale Viaduct, the highest in Derbyshire. 

For more details on all the climbing sites mentioned here, check out Pitchup’s guide to climbing in the Peak District.

Caving and potholing

Due to its limestone topography, the Peak District has a huge network of caves and underground passages to discover, from ‘show caves’ in former mines that are accessible to anyone to potholing or ‘wild caving’ sites for experienced cavers. 

The area around Castleton and the Hope Valley is a great place to start if you want to venture into this fascinating subterranean world, with popular show caves like Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern all offering guided or self-guided tours to members of the public. Potholing is a more serious undertaking that can involve tackling steep drops, darkness, water hazards and narrow passages, but If you already have some experience there are plenty of great places to explore, including Giants Hole, Oxlow Caverns and Eldon Hole. Even these sites are accessible to beginners if you book a guided caving trip with a local company like Acclimbatize.

Pitchup’s guide to caving in the Peak District has details of all the best show caves in the park, potholing sites for more experienced explorers, and a couple of hidden gems in spectacular locations above the ground.

Mountain biking

The Peak District’s wild and rocky terrain is made for mountain bikers, and there are a wealth of well-documented local trails that will challenge your skills and fitness. Jacob’s Ladder, at Edale, is the park’s most popular trail, and there are several others around Ladybower Reservoir, including the 20-kilometre Cut Gate Path and the 35-kilometre Ladybower Loop. If you prefer a trail centre, Lady Canning’s Plantation has blue and red trails to take on, as well as gentler woodland rides for beginners, and Wharncliffe Woods, on the edge of the park near Sheffield, is a popular site that’s well served with unofficial trails documented by local experts.

Pitchup’s guide to mountain biking in the Peak District covers all of these sites in more detail, and has links to local companies who can arrange guided mountain biking trips.

Paragliding and hang gliding

The Peak District is home to some of the best launch sites for airsports anywhere in the UK. Experienced pilots will know that access for take-offs has to be agreed with local landowners, but there are many places within the park where this is possible, including Rushup Edge, Bradwell Edge and Mam Tor, just outside Castleton, which is also a great spot to visit if you just want to watch.

If you’re a beginner looking to experience the thrill of free flight, the following local schools offer taster days or tandem flights, with subsequent opportunities to gain a pilot’s certificate if you’re bitten by the bug. If you’re a pilot with your own equipment, the best way to meet other pilots and get access to popular launch sites is to join a local club, which often offer associate or temporary memberships. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

• Peak Airsports – a professional paragliding and hang-gliding school based in Chesterfield that offers day-long taster courses, tandem flights and training for both the Elementary Pilot Certificate (EPC, usually four days) and the Club Pilot (Novice) Certificate (CPC, usually five days)

• Parapente – a long-established school in Newmills with access to several launch sites, offering taster days, plus training for the EPC and CPC qualifications

• Derbyshire Flying Centre – taster days for both paragliding and hang-gliding, and training for elementary and club pilot qualifications

• Derbyshire Soaring Club – a (very reasonably priced) members-only club with access to many launch sites, and coaches who can help qualified pilots improve their skills 

Another great way to view the park from the air is to book an introductory flight in a glider. If you’d prefer just to sit back and take it all in, contact the Derbyshire & Lancashire Gliding Club at Camphill.

White-water rafting, kayaking and canoeing

If you fancy plunging downstream through the rapids and you’re not afraid to get wet, there are a number of local adventure companies that offer rafting, canoeing and kayaking trips in the Peak District.

Rapid Horizons runs two-and-a-half hour kayaking, canoeing and rafting trips from Matlock covering four miles of the River Derwent, with the chance to take on not-too-daunting Grade One and Two rapids in the company of an experienced guide. The best time to go is between October and March, when water (and excitement) levels are higher, but it’s also possible in summer. No previous experience is necessary and all equipment is provided.

Blue Mountain Activities offers trips on the same river in open canoes (no experience necessary) or single-seat kayaks (some previous experience required), and HardDaysKnight also runs rafting trips, with an emphasis on groups.

Trail running and fell running

The Peak District is home to some of the UK's best territory for off-road running, and negotiating the park’s steep climbs and descents, gritstone edges, wild moorland and woodland trails will offer keen runners a whole new challenge. Fell running is also a superb way to visit some of the park’s most iconic sites, including Dovedale, Kinder Scout, Stanage Edge, Mam Tor and the Derwent Valley, All you need is a good pair of running shoes and a GPX file or map and you’re all set. There’s no doubt that these runs are physically testing, but the sheer exhilaration of taking them on is guaranteed to outweigh the effort. 

The Fell Running Guide has a handy list of routes that are accessible from local rail stations on the Sheffield to Manchester line, including Grindleford, Hathersage, Hope and Edale, with downloadable GPX files to help you find your way, and Tracks and Trails has more great suggestions. AllTrails has a list of some of the park’s most beautiful running routes (with GPX files if you join up), and if you’re feeling competitive, the Fell Runners Association publishes a calendar of races that lists events throughout the year.

Ziplining and high ropes

High ropes courses and ziplines are a safe and easily accessible way for children and families to get an adrenaline fix. If the idea of negotiating bridges, climbing nets, tightropes and Tarzan swings high up in the forest canopy sounds like your idea of fun, check out Go Ape Buxton (age 10+), which is set in Grin Low Woods with great views of the town and the surrounding Peak District countryside. Their popular treetop course has eight ziplines, all your favourite obstacles and platforms up to 11 metres above the ground, making it one of the company’s highest courses in the UK. 

Best locations for adrenaline activities

Hope Valley and Castleton

The area around Hope Valley and Castleton is one of the main hubs for adventure activities in the Peak District, with easy access to rock climbing at Stanage Edge, paragliding at Mam Tor and the popular MTB routes around Ladybower Reservoir. At Castleton you’ll also find several of the park’s renowned show caves, including the Peak, Speedwell, Blue John and Treak Cliff caverns.

Derwent Valley 

North of Hope Valley and with easy access from Sheffield, the Derwent Valley is popular with kayakers, with stretches of white water through the Matlock Gorge on the Derwent River. Mountain bikers can access a number of challenging trails around the Ladybower reservoir, while Derwent Edge is home to many popular rock climbing and bouldering spots, including Dovestone Tor. The rugged hills and moorlands here also offer some excellent opportunities for fell running.

Buxton and surrounding areas

Buxton’s location at the heart of the Peak District makes it a good base for climbers, with easy access to a wide variety of climbing and bouldering spots, including Harpur Hill Quarry, and Stanage Edge, Froggatt Edge, Bamford Edge and The Roaches all within half an hour’s drive. It’s also home to Go Ape Buxton, one of the highest treetop adventure courses in the UK. If you need any special equipment, there are also several outdoor equipment suppliers here, which are listed on the Visit Buxton website.

Tips for enjoying adrenaline activities safely

Safety considerations 

• Make sure you always have the right equipment, protective gear and clothing for your chosen activity. Depending on the sport, this might include weatherproof and breathable layers, helmets, harnesses, buoyancy aids, wetsuits and sturdy footwear. If you’re missing something, visit a local retailer or hire locally.

• Know your limits. Be honest about your fitness level, experience and abilities. If you’re a beginner, consider booking a guided tour or hiring a professional instructor.

• Always pay close attention to safety briefings and advice. 

• Follow local guidelines and check weather conditions and forecasts when planning an activity. Be aware of potential water hazards, currents, storms and high winds.

• Make sure you have enough food and water to keep your energy levels up for the duration of your trip.

• Carry a first aid kit, GPX files and route maps, and a fully charged mobile phone.

• Always participate with a friend or as part of a group.

• Inform someone of your plans, your route, and when you are due to return.

• Respect the local environment, leave no trace and dispose of your rubbish responsibly.

Accommodation and facilities for adventure seekers

If you’re planning on spending a few nights under canvas as part of your Peak District holiday, check out Pitchup’s best campsites in the Peak District National Park.

If you prefer self catering, a hotel or a B&B, the Visit Peak District website has an extensive list of local holiday accommodation within the park.

Britain’s oldest national park is one of the best places in the UK for adventure sports. Whether you want to explore underground, take to the air, swing through the trees or abseil down a sheer cliff face, the Peak District has the perfect activity for you. All you have to do is choose.