Peak District

Britain's first national park, where dry-stone-walled fields meet moorland valleys, with Chatsworth House (a Pride and Prejudice filming location), countless limestone caves and hiking trails.

The Peak District National Park lies at the southern end of the Pennines in central England, spanning Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and South Yorkshire, and in 1951 became Britain's first national park. Sandwiched between Manchester and Sheffield, it is easy to reach and one of the most visited national parks in the UK. The landscape falls into two parts: the Dark Peak to the north and along the eastern and western flanks is gritstone and peat moorland, with Kinder Scout plateau and steep edges such as Stanage Edge; the White Peak in the centre and south is a limestone plateau cut by dales such as Dovedale and Monsal Dale, criss-crossed by dry-stone walls and riddled with caves.

Most visitors base themselves in the market town of Bakewell, close to Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall and the plague village of Eyam; in the north, Castleton has four show caves, Peveril Castle, Mam Tor and Winnats Pass; to the northeast are Ladybower Reservoir and Derwent Dam; in the west, the spa town of Buxton and Lyme Park are reachable directly from Manchester; in the south are the Dovedale stepping stones, Ilam and Thor's Cave; and in the southeast, around Matlock Bath, are the Heights of Abraham cable car and the World Heritage-listed Cromford Mills. Chatsworth, Lyme Park and Stanage Edge were all filming locations for Pride and Prejudice.

The best season is May–Sep, when long days suit hiking, and in August the uplands turn purple with heather; autumn brings changing woodland colour, while winter may bring snow and some stately homes close. The weather is changeable, so bring a waterproof jacket even in summer. From London, trains take about 2 hours to Sheffield, Derby or Manchester, where you change to local trains (the Hope Valley line serves Edale and Hope) or buses into the park; driving is the most flexible, but popular car parks fill early at weekends and country lanes are narrow. Allow 3–4 days.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries