10 beautiful places to visit in the Peak District for the perfect Peak District day trip itinerary

If you are looking to visit the England of storybooks with green rolling hills and quaint villages then planning a Peak District itinerary is a must. There are so many things to do in the Peak District and it can be slightly overwhelming trying to decide what to see first, especially if you only have 1 day. So to help you plan we have put together this guide with some of our favourite scenic locations and attractions, as well as top tips on the best places to see in the Peak District.

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When to plan your 1 day in the Peak District

If you only have 1 day in the Peak District then summer is the optimum time to visit. The weather is obviously a lot warmer and the days are brighter longer, which is important because you will do a lot of walking. That being said we recommend avoiding visiting in the school holidays (August particularly) as it gets very busy. Weekends particularly in the summer months can be incredibly busy, which isn’t a huge problem because there is plenty of space around the Peak District but it just means parking spaces are limited.

Autumn or spring are also good times to visit, as it isn’t too hot. We actually visit a lot in winter which is nice although a bit cold and blustery. That being said there is nothing like a hike on a cold day and then a visit to the pub to complete your Peak District itinerary. If you visit in winter wrap up warm and make sure you have solid hiking boots as the paths can be quick mucky. It’s worth noting as well that some of the roads in the Peak District can be dangerous and impassable particularly during icy weather or after heavy rain.

Wondering when the best and worst time to visit England is as a whole? Here is a helpful guide.

What to bring on your day trip to the Peak District

Below is a checklist of things we think you should bring on your day trip to the Peak District. The weather can be quite temperamental in the Peaks so make sure you are wearing appropriate clothes, including waterproofs. Bring plenty of water and wear sunscreen. Also one thing that we wish we had of brought on our hike was lip balm, as windburn is not our friend!

✓ Waterproof jacket

✓ Comfortable shoes/ hiking boots

✓ Camera

✓ Plenty of water

✓ Hiking snacks

✓ Sunglasses

✓ Lip Balm

How long do you need for your Peak District driving itinerary

This guide has been put together as a Peak District driving itinerary and is intended to guide you to plan your own day trip to the Peak District. You won’t be able to visit all these sites in 1 day but depending on how you plan you can probably visit a few in the same day. If you are relying on public transport you will probably be only be able to visit 1 site maybe 2 at most. Ideally if time is no issue you probably want to spend at least 2 – 3 days exploring the Peak District. There are so many villages and scenic spots and you will find yourself wanting to stop in between locations.

If you are short on time though 1 day in the Peak District is possible and you will still be able to see a lot if you plan well. A lot of people think that things will be close together in the Peak District, but you can be looking at over an hours drive to get from one place to the other. Roads can also be narrow in places which is another thing to keep in mind when getting from A to B.

If you are wanting to visit more of the Peak District or some of the other incredible national parks in the UK, you will obviously need a lot longer.

If you are trying to decide between the Lake District or Peak District here is a handy guide.

Peak District day trip without driving

Whilst this itinerary specifically caters to those who are driving, you can also plan a Peak District day trip by doing an organised tour. One of the examples below leaves from Manchester, which is a great base.

A number of key spots in the Peak District also have links to public transport particularly the train network. Your best best is to get to Manchester and hop on a train from there.

Tips for planning your day trip to the Peak District

Here are some of our top tips for planning your day trip to the Peak District

• Plan what you want to see in advance as well as your driving route
• Be prepared to turn back as some roads particularly to more obscure places can be impassible in bad weather
• Bring a jacket as even in the summer it can get cooler in the evenings
• Wear comfortable shoes you will do a lot of walking
• If there is a particular place you want to eat try book this in advance otherwise you might miss out (particularly in summer)
• Be prepared for winding roads, and make sure you fill the car with petrol before you go as you might not always find a petrol station close by.

Peak District driving itinerary tips

Driving really is the best way to see the Peak District. Especially of you are doing a Peak District day trip it’s going to be the most economical way to get around. If you are renting a car we have a separate article to with everything you need to know about renting a car in the UK.

• A lot of the roads around the Peak District are narrow so take care when driving
• Don’t feel pressure to do the maximum speed limit. If someone is close behind you pull to the side and let them pass if it is safe to do so
• Listen to the SatNav but also trust your gut. The SatNav directed us down a dirt track which we immediately knew was wrong so we turned around very quickly
• Have a look at the weather conditions before you go, as this will have an impact on the drive.

Best places to visit in the Peak District

Here are some of the best places to visit in the Peak District. This guide includes parks, villages, and hiking spots to give you a real taste of what the area has to offer. So here are some of our favourite things to add to your Peak District itinerary.

Lyme Park

Ok so technically Lyme Park is nestled on the edge of the Peak District, but once you take a walk away from the house and garden you will experience the vast landscapes and beauty the Peaks have to offer. The Park is a National Trust site, so you do need to pay for parking and to visit the house. It is worth it though because you will feel like you have walked into an old British drama. Speaking of British drama the reason this is one of the best places to visit in the Peak District is because Pride and Prejudice (the Colin Firth edition) was actually filmed here. And yes that does include the pond scene!

If you venture past the house and gardens you can do one of the walks of the surrounding area, and get an incredible view of Manchester in the distance whilst you are at it.

You probably want to schedule in a good half day at Lyme Park at the very least, especially if you plan to venture out and do a bit of a hike. There is a cafe where you can purchase food and drink, and there are also toilet facilities – basically everything you need to start off on your Peak District itinerary.

Buxton

Located about a 30 minute drive from Lyme Park is Buxton, or more specifically Poole’s Cavern and Buxton Country Park which sits at the edge of Buxton. Poole’s Cavern is an almost 2 million year old natural limestone cave. For around £15.00 you can book yourself a guided tour of the caves, which is well worth it. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is really informative. It is recommended that you book tickets in advance to avoid missing out.

We also recommend making some time to do the wooded walk around the caves. About 20 minutes from the cavern you will Solomon’s Temple and some breathtaking views across the high peak.

Again there is paid parking here, and several facilities such as toilets and a cafe to purchase light refreshments. All in all your probably want to spend a couple of hours here, which makes it a great place to stop as part of your Peak District itinerary.

Chee Dale

If you decide to visit Buxton one of the best places in the Peak District near here is Chee Dale. It’s essentially a valley in the middle of the Peak District and there is a fantastic circular walking trail here. It’s an easy enough walk with no big hills and some really scenic spots. In fact this is one of our favourite easy Peak District walks.

You will pass through gorgeous greenery, a number of archways, and our favourite the Chee Dale stepping stones. The stepping stones are cool as they are large rocks in the water that have been placed here to help hikers get past.

The best place to park is Millers Dale Car Park and you can do a circular walk in about an hour or so. It isn’t a huge car park so our advice would be to get here early. There are toilet facilities by the car park as well as a cafe, so this one is perfect for a Peak District Day trip if you are also wanting to stop for lunch.

Bakewell

Famous for its Bakewell Tarts – which are incredibly tasty by the way, the market town of Bakewell is another great place to add to your Peak District itinerary. It’s a great place to go for lunch especially if you are visiting Chee Dale as there are a lot of lovely pubs and cafes here. There are also some really cool markets here with fresh produce as well as quirky shops to explore.

Lud’s Church

For something a little bit different we recommend visiting Lud’s Church. It’s an 18 metre deep chasm caused by a giant landslip. It’s only 100 metres long but it is a really fascinating bit of nature to explore which is what makes it one of the best places in the Peak District. It does get incredibly muddy so do make sure you have appropriate footwear. The walk through and around Lud’s Church isn’t too strenuous either so perfect for anyone that wants to add a chilled out walk to their Peak District itinerary.

Another cool thing about Lud’s Church is the history. It was once a secret place of worship, and is also the source of many myths and legends. Some say that the chasm was actually created by the devil’s fingernail as he scraped parts of the earth.

I should also add this is one of those places that the photos just don’t do it justice and you have to see it for yourself.

Castleton

Of all the things to do in the Peak District a visit to Castleton has to be our favourite. Castleton is a very picturesque village located in the heart of the Peak District National Park. Here are some of our top things to do in Castleton:

• Visit Peveril Castle
• Visit one of the 4 caverns
• Hike Mam Tor

If all that exploring has you looking for a good feed, you are in luck. There are a number of pubs and cafes selling everything from homemade cakes and hot chocolate to proper British pub food. If you go during peak times or at a weekend we recommend making a pub reservation in advance especially if there is somewhere you desperately want to eat at. There are also a number of quirky shops selling all sorts of trinkets so plan some time to pop inside.

In terms of practicalities there is pay and display parking near the Castleton Visitors Centre which is centrally located. This is probably a place where you want to spend a good few hours, and if you are planning to go on a hike especially up Mam Tor you will need to spend a full day here.

Dovestone Reservoir

The Dovestone Reservoir is another spectacular place to add to your 1 day Peak District itinerary. It’s located on the western edge of the Peak District and is great especially if you are driving from Manchester as it is quite close. You can do a nice walk around the reservoir, or you can climb one of the hills for some amazing views. It’s quite an easy walk as well compared to other hikes in the Peak District so we recommend this one for beginners.

There is paid parking close to the reservoir, which is handy especially if you are doing a quick stop off. Make sure you bring plenty of water and snacks as there are not a lot of places that sell these, particularly if you are visiting on a summer evening.

You can tell that this is one of the best places to visit in the Peak District because the car park gets incredibly full especially on a weekend.

Trinnacles

Another of the best places to visit in the Peak District, particularly if you are into hiking is the Trinnacles. There are a few different hiking paths that you can take to get here, and the walk itself is moderate in terms of intensity. The trinnacle is a group of very unique stones along Dovestone Edge. If you want to do a long hike you can walk here from Dovestones Resevoir, otherwise there are closer spots to park along the road towards Holmfirth.

Take a packed lunch and plenty of water with you on this walk because there are not many food and drink stops around. This is a great Peak District day trip for people who love nature and want to take in some incredible views.

Crowden and Black Hill Circular

This is one of the best places in the Peak District for hiking. This is especially good if you are wanting to do a Peak District day trip that involves a moderate hike and incredible views. It’s not a hugely popular route, which is nice because at times we felt like we had the place to ourselves completely. This is a bit of a strenuous hike so if you aren’t an experienced hiker, it might not be for you. After heavy rain there are some parts of this hike that are impassable so it’s best done in dry weather. The circuit takes about 4 hours or so. Make sure you pack a lunch and bring decent hiking gear as you may get muddy.

B29 Overexposed Crash Site

One of the lesser known places to visit in the Peak District has to be the B29 Overexposed Crash Site. I know it sounds incredibly morbid visiting a plane crash site, but this is a really fascinating thing to add to your Peak District Day trip. Located in the hills above Glossop this is where you will find the wreckage of a U.S. Air Force bomber that crashed here in 1948. A lot of the wreckage is still scattered here to this day, so it’s a very unique walk.

The best way to get here is via Snake Pass. Parking spaces are few and far between so do get here early. The best way to find the parking spot is to pop the postcode into your SatNav which is SK13 7PQ.

Putting your Peak District Itinerary together

These are just some of the places we have visited but honestly there are so many more incredible places to see and things to do in the Peak District. In all honesty you won’t be able to do everything in 1 day, but that is what return trips are for. If you are lucky enough to live close by like in Manchester then it’s easy to plan a Peak District day trip.

When putting your Peak District itinerary together we recommend maybe sticking to two sites at the most for a day trip. You don’t want to rush things and especially if you are planning on hiking you might spend quite a bit of time in each spot.

Peak District Itinerary Map

Below is a map with all the key places mentioned in this article so you you can see the distance between each one.

Sample Peak District Day trip itinerary

Here are some example Peak District day trip itineraries to help you plan your own trip.

Peak District Itinerary for a family trip

If you want a very relaxed Peak District day trip then we recommend starting by visiting Lyme Park. This National Trust site offers you the chance to walk around and enjoy the beautiful green gardens.

After spending a few hours here you should then drive to either Castleton or Buxton to visit the caverns. Both locations are great for this and they both have some great pubs for a hearty meal after a day filled with exploring.

Peak District Itinerary for a chilled outdoors day

If you are wanting to do a Peak District day trip and spend some time outdoors without a strenuous hike this is our recommended itinerary.

Start in Chee Dale and do the circular walk via the stepping stones. Head to Bakewell for some lunch before making your way to Lud’s Church for a later afternoon walk.

Peak District Itinerary for hikers

For those wanting to do a proper hike in the Peak District you probably really only want to choose one location and stick to it.

Dovestones is great for hikes especially if you incorporate The Trinnicle into this. You can do a decent hike out here that will take a good part of a day to complete.

Another great hiking trail is the Crowden and Black Hill Circular. It’s only a few hours but it’s a lovely hike so you will probably stop along the way. You may also want to bring a packed lunch and sit and enjoy it along with the views.

Peak District itinerary for a hike and a pub dinner

If you are wanting to plan a Peak District day trip that involves some walking, but also an opportunity to explore a village and enjoy a pub dinner then this is our recommendation. Start by visiting the B29 crash site. You will want to get here early enough as parking is limited. It’s not a super long walk which will give you time for some low key exploring afterwards. We then recommend heading to Glossop which is a lovely place to walk around and enjoy some pub grub.

So should I do a Peak District day trip?

Wondering if you should do a Peak District day trip? Hopefully after reading this post your answer is absolutely! The Peak District is one of our favourite day trip destinations, especially because we live so close in Manchester. It’s such a beautiful place to visit and gives you a chance to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. The rolling hills, incredible lakes, and countryside setting make it the perfect place to get lost, unwind, and just have a great time.

You can be creative with your Peak District itinerary, and it definitely is one of those places you will want to come back to time and time again.

If this guide to the best places in the Peak District has been useful make sure you pin it for later.

More UK day trips

If you are looking for some more UK day trip ideas you can check out these articles:

1 day in York

Chester day trip itinerary

Robin Hood’s Bay day trip

1 day in the Lake District

Visiting Portmeirion