The Best Walks in the Peak District

The 555 square miles (1438 km2) of the Peak District hold lots of gorgeous scenery, with green hills, heather moorland, limestone dales and gritstone rock formations among its varied landscapes. Rivers, reservoirs, caverns, traditional villages and scheduled ancient monuments (around 450 of them) dot the landscape too, and there’s well over 5,000 miles of classic dry stone wall to provide interesting foreground for your scenic photographs. 

All of this adds up to some excellent walking territory – but with around 1,600 miles of public rights of way to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. To help you, we’ve selected 10 of the best Peak District walks, ranging from easy to moderate and with little to no experience required. Grab your boots and read on to find out all about walking in the Peak District…

The best walk in the Peak District

There was a certain amount of debate over what should be chosen as Pitchup’s best Peak District walk, but one name kept cropping up as a favourite: Mam Tor. The ‘mother hill’ is much loved by visitors and locals alike, and with good car parking and an easy-to-follow trail as well as stunning views it’s easy to see why. Be warned, however: the area can get very busy at weekends, so it’s best to go early or later in the day.

Mam Tor and the Great Ridge

Start/end: Castleton

Distance: 6.5 miles (10.5 km)

Starting from the village of Castleton, this scenic circular walk takes you up to the summit of Mam Tor and then along the ridge to Back Tor and Lose Hill – a route said to be one of the best ridge walks in the country. On your way out of Castleton, you’ll pass a couple of the showcaves the village is so well known for, so you may like to plan time for detours to see at least one of them. Towards the end of the loop you’ll have a choice of heading straight back to Castleton or taking a longer route via the village of Hope for a riverside stroll to the finish.

There’s a good bit of climbing and several stiles along this route, so it’s rated moderate rather than easy, but it all follows well-made paths so it should be suitable for anyone with a decent level of fitness.

Local tip: If you don’t want to do this full trail, you can just park at Mam Nick car park and follow the stone path up to the summit and back (about half a mile), or follow the National Trust’s three-mile circular walk, which follow the ridge for a short distance and then drops down to Blue John Cavern.

5 of the best circular walks in the Peak District

For ease of travel, starting and ending your walk in the same place is a very useful thing. Covering everything from short strolls with the family to longer loops taking in more of this spectacular scenery, we’ve outlined five of our favourite easy Peak District circular walks here to try out.

Stanage Edge loop

Start/end: Hollin Bank car park

Distance: 4 miles (7 km)

The gritstone escarpment of Stanage Edge makes a fabulous location for a walk, with spectacular views not only of the characteristic rock formation itself but also across the hills and heather patches of the surrounding Dark Peak area. There are several routes around the cliffs, but this four-mile loop is a good one for easy-to-follow paths and great scenery without too much difficulty. Stanage Edge is also a popular spot for climbing, so keen climbers might like to combine the two activities in one area.

Don't be put off by the uphill section at the start of this trail – it’s over pretty quickly, and the climb rewards you with some great views.

Local tip: One of the most scenic spots on Stanage Edge has become known as ‘Keira Knightley Rock’ after it featured in the opening scenes of the 2005 Pride & Prejudice film. Unsurprisingly, it’s become a favourite spot for photos now.

Eyam and Stoney Middleton circular

Start/end: Eyam

Distance: 3 miles (5 km)

The Black Death might not sound like a particularly enticing theme for a nice leisurely walk, but this is actually a fascinating and thought-provoking trail with lots of historic interest. You’ll start and end in the village of Eyam, famous for the fact that its residents managed to contain an outbreak of the plague through a self-imposed quarantine. In doing so, they lost around half of the village’s population but saved the surrounding areas from the outbreak.

The ‘plague village’ itself makes an interesting place to wander around (find out more in our guide to historic and cultural visits in the Peak District), and you can explore further by following the three-mile trail over to Stoney Middleton via Riley’s Graves for some superb views.

Local tip: There’s a good network of trails running from Eyam into the surroundings so you can make this into a shorter or longer walk to suit your requirements.

Padley Gorge and Burbage Brook

Start/end: Longshaw Estate car park

Distance: 2 miles (3.5 km)

The two-mile Padley Gorge and Burbage Brook circular trail is one of the best easy Peak District walks, taking around an hour and suitable for families with kids and dogs. It’s a great introduction to the area’s wildlife, taking you through woodland, moorland and meadow landscapes and past a large pond for plenty of variety.

This trail is mostly flat so it’s not too challenging even for children, but there are a few steps and gates along the way, so it’s not suitable for pushchairs. It’s all well marked – just follow the pink arrows and you can’t go wrong.

Local tip: This is just one of the trails at this National Trust estate – you can also choose a three-mile route through the woods or a longer six-miler taking you further out onto the moors. Longshaw also has a nice café and often runs childrens’ activities through the school holidays (have a look at our family-friendly Peak District article for more ideas of things to do with the kids).

Ladybower Reservoir

Start/end: Upper Derwent Visitor Centre

Distance: 5 miles (8 km)

The Y-shaped Ladybower Reservoir was created in the 1940s, and although it’s not a natural lake it’s become part of the scenery over time. With a well-made and fairly flat path running around its perimeter, it makes a good place to see the scenery and wildlife without too much effort. 

This five-mile trail takes in the impressive towers of the Derwent Dam, which was famously used as a practice area by the RAF’s 617 squadron (also known as the Dambusters) in World War II. Ashopton Aqueduct and views towards Win Hill are other highlights of the trail.

Local tip: This is an easy-access route that’s suitable for all-terrain pushchairs and wheelchairs; the visitor centre also has good access to all facilities including the toilets and café. Take a look at our accessible Peak District article for more suggestions of easy-access locations around the national park.

Curbar and Baslow Edge

Start/end: Curbar Gap car park

Distance: 3 miles (4.5 km)

It may be less well known than Stanage Edge, but Baslow Edge has some equally fabulous scenery – and it's likely to provide a more peaceful experience too, without the crowds that flock to its more famous cousin. 

This easygoing and well-marked three-mile circular walk is at its best in the late summer, when the heather is at its most colourful, but the rock formations and sweeping views are gorgeous at any time of year. Along the route you’ll also pass the tall stone cross of Wellington's Monument, surrounded by large flat stones that make a nice place to take a break on your walk.

Local tip: Look out for the small herd of hairy Highland cattle that often graze on the open spaces around Baslow Edge.

Other easy walks in the Peak District

Despite its hilly terrain, there really is no shortage of easy walks in the Peak District, so we’re continuing our list with four more suggestions, all of which are family friendly and should be suitable for novice walkers.

Dovedale

Start: Dovedale car park

Distance: 0.75-7 miles (1.2-11 km)

Crossing the stepping stones in the River Dove is one of those Peak District must-do activities, and that alone qualifies Dovedale for a place on this list of Peak District family walks.There are several options for walks at Dovedale, from a very short stroll on a well-made path (suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs) to more adventurous routes that take in other highlights such as Lovers Leap, Dove Holes and Ilam Rock. Whichever one you pick, you’re bound to be wowed by the scenery in this gorgeous three-mile river valley.

The car park at Dovedale has toilets and a refreshments kiosk, and it’s worth noting that you’ll need cash for the parking fee because there’s not much internet reception.

Local tip: Dovedale is extremely popular and the car park fills up very quickly at weekends and in school holidays, so if possible it’s worth considering parking at nearby Ilam and walking from there – AllTrails has a good easy four-mile route from the village to the stepping stones.

Tissington Trail

Start: Parsley Hay

End: Ashbourne

Distance: 13 miles (20 km)

It can be tricky to find flat walks in the Peak District given the undulating terrain, but the area does have two excellent options in the Tissington Trail and Monsal Trail (see below). Both run along the routes of former railway lines, so are inherently flat in nature and therefore suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs and bikes as well as walkers of all ages and abilities.

Following the route of the old Buxton to Ashbourne line (which was closed in the 1960s), the Tissington Trail is a real favourite of locals and visitors alike – it’s well-made and easy to follow and has plenty of lovely scenery and interesting sights along the way. Look out for the restored signal box near Hartington, the elegant Tissington Hall and the restored 600-metre tunnel that marks the final stretch running into Ashbourne.

Local tip: 13 miles might be a bit daunting for many walkers, but you don’t have to do the whole lot – the trail passes through several villages along the way (including Thorpe, Alsop and Hartington as well as Tissington itself), with car parks and bus services to help you tailor the trail to your own needs.

Monsal Trail

Start: Bakewell

End: Blackwell Mill

Distance: 9 miles (14.5 km)

Another great option for a flat walk in the Peak District is the Monsal Trail, running along the trackbed of the former Manchester to London Midland Railway line. There’s no doubting you’re on an old railway line here – you’ll pass through four sections of restored tunnel (lit during daylight hours) and pass by several items of infrastructure – including a couple of old stations turned into cafés – as you make your way along the nine miles of traffic-free trail.

The Monsal Trail can be divided into shorter sections that are suitable for family walks, with access from several car parks along the way. Several of these have easy-access ramps designed with wheelchairs and pushchairs in mind – check out the Monsal Trail map for full details.

Local tip: If the kids want a break from walking, take a detour to the Goods Shed, opened in 2022 in the former Millers Dale station and with lots of interactive exhibits including a soundtrack of old trains and a dressing-up area.

Bakewell to Chatsworth

Start/end: Bakewell

Distance: 6 miles (9.5 km)

This six-mile loop from Bakewell makes a great day out for those who don’t mind a slightly longer walk. It’s a lovely way to link two of the Peak District’s top places to visit – the national park’s biggest town, Bakewell, and its most popular attraction, the expansive Chatsworth estate – via footpaths and country tracks. This is not a difficult trail, and there’s plenty of scenery and wildlife to see, but you’ll need to keep your wits about you to make sure you stick to the right paths.

The main highlight of the walk is of course Chatsworth, and you’ll want to allow plenty of time to explore this fabulous estate thoroughly, touring the elegant main house and gardens and visiting the farmyard and farm shop.

Local tip: Make sure you get back to Bakewell in time to refuel on the market town’s famous Bakewell pudding – you’ll certainly have earned it after that walk!

Planning your Peak District walks

We’ve outlined what we think are some of the best walks in the Peak District here, but there’s still plenty more to explore, whether you’re planning a day trip to the national park, organising your whole break around walking or just including a walk as one of your holiday activities. Find more inspiration for easy Peak District walks on apps like AllTrails or locally curated apps like Staffordshire walks or Derbyshire walks – as a bonus, using an app like these means you can track your real-time location using GPS to make sure you stay on track.

If you’re planning to stay in the Peak District for a night or few, staying at a campsite or glampsite is a great way to keep the budget down while also giving you the chance to see more of the scenery and stay close to some lovely places to walk. Check out Pitchup’s full range of Peak District camping and glamping options to find one that suits you.