Peak District by Motorhome

The Peak District was Britain's first national park for a reason. It packs an extraordinary amount of variety into a compact area - dark gritstone edges dropping into wooded valleys, white limestone dales with crystal-clear rivers, market towns with centuries of history, and some of the best walking in England. It is also the closest national park to our depot, under an hour south via the M1, making it the easiest possible motorhome break. A weekend covers the highlights. A week lets you explore properly.

The Dark Peak

The northern and eastern half of the park is built on millstone grit - dark, hard stone that forms the dramatic edges, peat moorland plateaux, and scattered boulders that define this landscape. Stanage Edge is the signature walk - a four-mile gritstone escarpment above Hathersage with views across the Hope Valley that featured in Pride and Prejudice. Climbers come from across the country for the rock. Kinder Scout, the highest point at 2,087 feet, was the site of the 1932 Mass Trespass that eventually led to the creation of national parks. Padley Gorge near Grindleford is a beautiful wooded valley walk that is particularly stunning in autumn.

Campsite: Hayfield Camping and Caravanning Club Site sits at the foot of Kinder Scout - a favourite with walkers. North Lees near Hathersage is small, quiet, and puts Stanage Edge on your doorstep.

The White Peak

The southern and western half is limestone country - gentler, greener, and built from pale stone. Dovedale with its stepping stones and limestone pinnacles is the most famous dale, but Lathkill Dale is quieter and equally beautiful, with crystal-clear water and rare wildflowers. The Monsal Trail, a converted railway line through tunnels and across viaducts between Bakewell and Blackwell Mill, is one of the finest traffic-free cycling and walking routes in the country.

Campsite: Beech Croft Farm between Buxton and Bakewell has 30 hardstanding pitches in the White Peak with the Monsal Trail and Pennine Bridleway on the doorstep. Losehill Club Site near Castleton has 81 pitches with panoramic views, open year-round.

The Market Towns

Bakewell hosts a popular Monday market and is home to the Bakewell Pudding (not tart - the locals are particular about this). The Original Bakewell Pudding Shop is worth visiting. Castleton sits beneath the ruined Peveril Castle and is the centre of the Blue John stone industry. Four show caves are accessible from the village - Speedwell Cavern, where you take a boat underground, is the most atmospheric. Buxton is an elegant spa town with an opera house, thermal baths, and the Pavilion Gardens. Hathersage has excellent pubs and is the gateway to Stanage Edge.

Chatsworth and the Big Attractions

Chatsworth House is one of the great stately homes of England. The house tour takes a couple of hours, the gardens are magnificent, and the farmyard and adventure playground keep children occupied all day. The estate campsite is within walking distance - one of the best-located campsites in the Peak District, though it books up fast in summer. Haddon Hall, a medieval manor house near Bakewell, is more intimate and equally rewarding. The Heights of Abraham at Matlock Bath offers cable cars across the gorge and underground cavern tours.

Roads and Driving

The A57 Snake Pass crossing the Dark Peak between Sheffield and Glossop is one of the most famous mountain roads in England - dramatic but well-surfaced and manageable in any motorhome. The Winnats Pass near Castleton is steep, narrow, and spectacular - fine in a 2 or 4 berth, tight in a 6 berth. The A6 through Bakewell and Buxton is a relaxed drive through the White Peak. The minor dale roads are narrow but suit motorhome travel well at a sensible pace.

Beyond Walking

Cycling on the Monsal Trail and Tissington Trail (both traffic-free). Caving at Castleton. Climbing on the gritstone edges. Wild swimming in the Derwent and the Wye. Dog-friendly walks across the moorland and through the dales. Farmers' markets at Bakewell and Buxton. Well dressing in the villages from May onwards - a tradition unique to the Peak District where wells are decorated with elaborate pictures made from flower petals pressed into clay. Each village has its own week, and stumbling on one by accident is one of the pleasures of motorhome travel in this area.

Seasonal Guide

Spring (April-May): Wildflowers, well dressings begin, lambing. Quiet campsites.

Summer (June-August): Longest days, busiest period. Chatsworth and Bakewell at their liveliest. Book campsites ahead.

Autumn (September-November): Peak colours - Padley Gorge in October is spectacular. Low winter sun on the gritstone edges. Photographers' favourite season.

Winter (December-March): Dramatic moorland. Snow on Kinder Scout. Some campsites close but Losehill stays open year-round. The pubs are at their cosiest.

The Peak District connects to the Yorkshire Dales to the north and the Cotswolds to the south. A weekend covers either the Dark Peak or the White Peak. A full week covers both. Browse our fleet and check our packing checklist. Bring walking boots and waterproofs - and your own bedding (we do not provide duvets or towels).