Peak District

The Peak District holds a special place in the history of British outdoor recreation. It was the first national park to be designated in the country, in 1951, and for millions of people living in the cities of Northern England and the Midlands it remains the most accessible area of wild landscape in Britain. From our Pontefract depot, the northern edges of the park are barely an hour's drive away, making the Peak District a superb option for a long weekend or a week-long motorhome touring holiday.

The route from Pontefract to the Peak District is straightforward. Take the M1 southward to junction 36 near Barnsley, then follow the A61 through Penistone and Stocksbridge into the northern reaches of the park. Alternatively, continue on the M1 to junction 29 near Chesterfield and approach from the east, where the Derwent Valley and the limestone country of the White Peak open up before you. Either way, the transition from the urban fringe to genuine countryside happens quickly, and within minutes of leaving the motorway you are among gritstone edges, wooded valleys, and dry stone walls.

The Peak District divides neatly into two halves: the Dark Peak and the White Peak. The Dark Peak, which occupies the northern and eastern portions of the park, is defined by millstone grit — the hard, dark stone that forms the dramatic edges, the peat moorland plateaux, and the boulders that scatter the hillsides. Stanage Edge, Kinder Scout, Bleaklow, and the Derwent Edges are the signature landscapes here, and they attract walkers, climbers, and fell runners from across the country. Kinder Scout, the highest point in the park at 2,087 feet, was the site of the famous Mass Trespass of 1932, a defining moment in the campaign for public access to open land that eventually led to the creation of the national parks.

The White Peak, to the south and west, is a gentler landscape of limestone dales, green pastures, and villages built from pale stone. The dales — Dovedale, Lathkill Dale, Monsal Dale, Miller's Dale — are carved by rivers that have cut deep, narrow valleys through the limestone, creating cliff faces, natural arches, and cave systems. Dovedale, with its stepping stones and limestone pinnacles, is the most famous and can be busy on summer weekends, but Lathkill Dale is quieter and equally beautiful, with crystal-clear water flowing through a nature reserve that supports rare wildflowers and native crayfish.

The market towns of the Peak District are a major part of its appeal. Bakewell, home to the Bakewell Pudding — not tart, the locals will firmly remind you — is the only town within the national park boundary and hosts a popular Monday market. Buxton, just outside the western edge, is an elegant spa town with an opera house, thermal baths, and the beautiful Pavilion Gardens. Castleton, beneath the ruined Peveril Castle, is the centre of the Blue John stone industry and the starting point for walks over Mam Tor and along the Great Ridge. Matlock and Matlock Bath, in the Derwent Valley, combine Victorian spa heritage with dramatic riverside scenery.

Chatsworth House, the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, is one of the great stately homes of England. Its magnificent state rooms, its art collection — which includes works by Rembrandt, Veronese, and Lucian Freud — its gardens designed by Capability Brown and Joseph Paxton, and its thousand-acre park make it a full day's visit. The farmyard and adventure playground cater to families, and the estate shop is one of the finest in the country. Haddon Hall, a few miles south, is a medieval manor house that has barely changed since the seventeenth century and is widely regarded as the most perfect example of a medieval and Tudor home in England.

For motorhome campsites, the Peak District offers excellent options. Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club Site sits at the foot of Kinder Scout and is a favourite with walkers. Losehill Caravan Club Site near Castleton has views directly up to the ridge of Lose Hill and Win Hill. Beech Croft Farm near Buxton is a family-run site in the heart of the White Peak. Many of the national park's car parks also welcome motorhome overnight stays — check local signage and the national park authority website for current guidance.

The roads through the Peak District are varied. The A57 Snake Pass, crossing the Dark Peak between Sheffield and Glossop, is one of the most famous mountain roads in England — atmospheric in good weather and genuinely dramatic in bad. The A6 through Bakewell and Buxton is a more relaxed drive through the White Peak. The minor roads through the dales, particularly the lane through Monsal Dale and over Monsal Head, are ideally suited to motorhome travel — narrow enough to demand attention but wide enough to navigate comfortably.

The Peak District proves that you do not need to travel far from Pontefract to find truly outstanding landscape. Under an hour from our depot, and you are among gritstone edges, limestone gorges, and some of the finest walking country in England. For a short break or a longer touring holiday, it is hard to beat.