Rugged moors, limestone dales, and sweeping valleys—the Peak District is a land shaped by time and nature, offering some of England’s most breathtaking scenery. Spanning Derbyshire and brushing against the borders of several northern counties, this vast national park is a haven for walkers, climbers, and those in search of bucolic countryside escapes.
The region is traditionally divided into two distinct landscapes: the White Peak, with its rolling hills, deep valleys, and striking limestone gorges, and the Dark Peak, a wilder expanse of dramatic moorland and gritstone edges. Scattered among these landscapes are villages seemingly untouched by time—stone-built hamlets and market towns steeped in history, where country inns, historic halls, and charming cottages offer some of the most idyllic places to stay.
Bakewell
With the River Wye flowing through the town, Bakewell is an ideal base for exploring the area's scenic walking trails. The Monsal Trail begins in the heart of Bakewell, stretching over eight miles along a former railway line to Topley Pike Junction in Wye Dale. Walkers can amble at their own pace, passing foaming white waters, historic viaducts, and old mills, and traversing six tunnels before ascending to Wye Dale.
Bakewell pudding is one of England’s most famous desserts. The beautiful amalgamation of pastry, jam, and almond was allegedly first made by accident by a pub landlady in the 1820s and has become the town's hallmark. Whilst visitors will no doubt relish trying the delicious pudding, Bakewell’s status as the sole town of the Peak District makes it one of the best places to stay in the area.
Castleton
A charming village found at the foot of the majestic Mam Tor, Castleton is a fantastic base for exploring the surrounding area. To the west of the village lies one of the Peak District's most popular hiking routes – Winnats Pass. This stunning limestone gorge is notoriously steep in parts and makes for a challenging day out for explorers scrambling along its peaks. At the end of a long day’s hike, a retreat to one of the village's stone cottages or inns will be very welcome indeed.
Castleton is also notable for its many show caves. The most popular of these is Speedwell Cavern, which is only accessible via a short boat ride 200m below ground. The famous ornamental mineral, Blue John, is widely visible in many of the caverns throughout the area and only increases the allure of these geological marvels.
Hathersage
Surrounded by rugged, windswept moors, Hathersage is a small village to the north of the Peak District with an intriguing local history. The moors are dotted with the remnants of various Mesolithic standing stones and microliths, broken up over time due to the requirements of local masons and quarry miners, but still easily visible to walkers. The legend of the English outlaw Robin Hood states that the rebel had strong ties to the area, with rumours persisting that he once lived nearby in the village of Loxley and that his right-hand man, Little John, is buried in Hathersage churchyard.
The area’s most prominent historical presence, however, features in the work of legendary English writer, Charlotte Brontë. Brontë wrote much of her acclaimed novel Jane Eyre whilst staying in Hathersage, with locations in the book matching the description of many places in the village, including the beautiful grade-two listed North Lees hall on the outskirts. Hathersage is easily accessible by train from Manchester and Sheffield, with visitors coming throughout the year for rock climbing the nearby Stanage Edge and enjoying the heated, open-air pool in the heart of the village.
Eyam
Known as “The Plague Village”, due to a self-imposed quarantine during an outbreak in 1665, Eyam is perhaps the most fascinating settlement in the Peak District for visitors. According to village sources, the plague claimed the lives of over 200 residents, allegedly more than 75% of its population. The Boundary Stone marked the perimeter of the village where merchants would come to make payments for goods, not daring to set foot any further for fear of infection. The Riley Graves, where eight of the nine members of one family are buried next to each other after succumbing to the outbreak in quick succession, is yet another macabre site referencing the plague.
Indeed, visitors will face no shortage of insight into this dark chapter in the history of the village, and can even visit some of the grade two listed cottages that are still left standing from the event. Putting its dark past aside, Eyam is a beautiful place to stay with charming limestone buildings and cottages, fantastic walking trails to Frogarts Edge and other wonderful landmarks of the Peak District.
Buxton
Although not actually within the Peak District, Buxton sits right on its northmost edge and is an ideal base of operations to explore the area. As a spa town, Buxton has a glowing reputation thanks to its thermal waters, which bathers have flocked to over the centuries for their rumoured healing properties and are ideal to soothe aching muscles after long walks through the surrounding peaks.
The town is filled with beautiful architecture built from the locally quarried sandstone, highlights including England’s highest opera house (as the town sits at 1000 ft above sea level), The Old Hall Hotel, The Royal Crescent, and the thermal baths themselves. Visitors can experience the area’s rich heritage on foot across the town and surrounding hills, with beautiful views from the hilltop of Solomon’s Temple, a folie of philanthropic origins just outside of town.
Hartington
Hartington has a unique claim to fame as one of the three possible origin sites of one of England’s most popular cheeses. Stilton was first produced in the village in the 1870s, at the local creamery and despite closing after more than 130 years, a second smaller site was established next to Hartington’s original cheese shop, where the cheese is still made and sold to this day.
The village is ideally placed to access the Tissington and High Peak Trails for those wanting to explore the White Peak area of the Peak District. Following the River Dove will lead walkers to the beautiful steep-sided valleys of Dove, Cressbrook, and Beresford Dale, but for shorter walks, the trail to Wolfscote Hill just outside of Hartington provides equally scenic views of the area.
