The best easy walks in the Peak District: everything you need to know

The Peak District is by far one of our favourite places to hike in England. There are so many scenic walks in the area, and you might be surprised to hear that there are actually a lot of easy walks in the Peak District too. You really don’t have to be an avid hiker to enjoy the Peak District, all you need is a sense of adventure, and a camera to snap away at all that pretty scenery.

In this guide, we go through some of our favourite easy walks in the Peak District, including information on how to get there, what to see in the area and much more.

About the Peak District

Before we get into detail about some of the best easy walks in the Peak District, here is a little bit of background information.

The Peak District is a hilly/ mountainous area located in the north of England. It actually extends into five counties, including Derbyshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire.

In 1951 the Peak District became the first national park in England and Wales. It covers 1438 km and is one of the most accessible national parks in England because it is so close to places like Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham and Derby.

Easy walks in the Peak District – tips

Here are some of our top tips for doing these easy Peak District walks.

• Some of the walks in this guide are easier than other, so always let someone know where you are going and when you will be back just in case.
• Check for weather conditions before you set out on your easy Peak District walk.
• Pack snacks and water for your walk.
• You will need a car to do these walks, as many parts of the Peak District don’t have great transport links.

We have done all of these walks, but do be careful and do them at your own risk. We all have different levels of fitness and experience and an easy hike for one person may not be the same for another. Research all of these routes thoroughly before you go!

Best time to do these easy Peak District walks

You might be wondering when the best time to do these easy Peak District walks is. We have done these walks all times of the year. That being said here are some tips for each season that you may want to factor in.

Easy Walks in the Peak District in Winter

Winter is cold, windy, and often pretty miserable in the Peak District. That isn’t to say you avoid these easy Peak District walks in the colder months. In fact it’s one of my favourite times because nothing beats getting cosy in a pub after a nice winter walk.

You just need to make sure that you dress appropriately. Proper footwear is a must, as is a waterproof jacket, and layered clothing.

Also be mindful that some roads may close or become impassable in the winter months. So stay safe and check the weather conditions in advance.

Easy Walks in the Peak District in Summer

Summer is of course the best time to enjoy these easy Peak District walks. There is more chance of dry, sunny weather, and daylight hours are longer.

The Peak District can get busy in the summer months, and if you are doing these walks make sure you start early to nab a parking spot. For many of these routes the car parks are small, and fill quickly.

Make sure you bring plenty of water with you in the summer months, and protect yourself from the sun (no matter how rare it might be!).

Easy Walks in the Peak District in Autumn

Autumn is one of our favourite times to do these easy Peak District walks. You will get to experience the stunning autumn foliage which is a real treat.

The weather tends to be mild in autumn, although there is a good chance of rain. Make sure you dress appropriately.

Easy Walks in the Peak District in Spring

Spring is a really lovely time in the Peak District. The daffodils, and flowers are in full bloom and you will probably see a lot of lambs frolicking in the fields.

The weather in spring is pretty mild, so make sure you wear layers, as it can get warm when you start hiking.

Easy Peak District walks

Obviously the term ‘easy Peak District walk’ means something different to everyone. So what I will say is that you don’t have to do a full circular walk if you find it difficult. You can always turn back to make things a little bit easier.

Considering it is the Peak District a lot of these walks will involve an incline to some degree, so you do need to be a little bit fit to do them. But the reason we consider them easy is because you won’t need a lot of hiking gear or equipment – just the basics like hiking shoes, and clothing.

Also we live closer to Manchester, so a lot of these walks, are within an hour or two’s drive of Manchester. The Peak District is huge, and we have so much more of it to explore, so will keep updating this article with walks as we try them.

So without further ado, here are some of the most scenic easy Peak District walks that you can do.

LUD’S CHURCH

Lud’s Church has to be one our favourite easy Peak District walks. It’s incredibly unique and is a proper hidden gem in the Peak District. Not only that but it’s just over an hour’s drive from Manchester, so is definitely an easy one to get to.

Despite the name, Lud’s Church isn’t actually a church at all. In fact it is an 18 metre deep chasm that was caused by a large landslip. The attraction itself is only 100 metres long, but the surrounding woodland makes this such a beautiful place to explore.

It has been the source of many myths and legends, with some saying that the chasm was created by the devil’s fingernail as he scraped parts of the earth.

The walk itself isn’t strenuous and one of those that you can do at your own pace. The worst bit of the walk in our opinion is when you get to Lud’s Church itself. Because it’s a chasm you don’t get a lot of sunlight here even on the best of days, so the ground is incredibly muddy. Trainers won’t cut it for this walk, you need waterproof shoes and preferably proper hiking boots.

When you are in the chasm there are also lots of narrow passages to explore. You don’t have to be an expert hiker, but just take care as it can be a little slippery.

There is a proper walk you can do that includes Lud’s Church and this takes you about 1.5 – 2.5 hours. This will of course depend on your fitness levels, and how often you stop for pictures and the like. Overall the walk is one of the easy Peak District walks. There are some bits that are uphill, but nothing too steep.

It’s worth noting that this walk gets very busy on the weekend and during school holidays. Parking is quite limited, and you will need to pay for this. Gradbach Parking is where most people who visit tend to park. This was full on our arrival, and we ended up parking on a random bit of land that looked like a farmhouse. We were charged around £5 for this, and there were toilet facilities that we were able to use.

DOVESTONE RESERVOIR

Dovestone Reservoir is one of the best easy Peak District walks, because it gives you a lot of options. If you do just want to do a flat walk you can walk around the reservoir at your own pace. It’s pretty level, and the walk itself is about 3.7 miles long.

There is paid parking that is close to the reservoir. It does fill up very quickly on weekends and nice summers days, and there is also parking on Holmfirth Road. Just keep in mind if you are parking on Holmfirth Road, that people live here, so don’t be a nuisance.

There is a toilet near the car park, and on nice days you may also see an ice cream van selling sweet treats, and tea and coffee. Apart from this facilities are limited so pack food and drinks for your hike.

DOVESTONE RESERVOIR – EXTENDED WALK

If you want to do something a little more challenging, that is still relatively easy, you can do an extended walk at the Dovestone Reservoir.

This does involve walking uphill though. Our recommendation is to climb the offshoot path that leads you to a steep ascent by Dovestones up to a second reservoir at the top. It is a tiring walk, but the uphill path to the second reservoir is easy to follow and you can take as many breaks as you want.

Now this path officially will lead you to the Trinnacles, and if you do this route it is worth having a proper map with you.

You can also walk the edge of the hillside looking down on Dovestone Reservoir for some pretty spectacular views. This is a circular walk that will bring you back down on the other side of the reservoir but this is a slightly harder walk. So our recommendation for an easy Peak District walk is to turn back around once you have enjoyed the views.

CHEE DALE

Chee Dale is one of our favourite easy walks in the Peak District. The walk includes the Chee Dale Stepping Stones, which are another of the awesome hidden gems in the area.

Chee Dale is close to both Bakewell and Buxton, so you can easily combine this with a larger Peak District itinerary. The area itself is an incredibly picturesque valley filled with viaducts, gorges, caves, and of course stepping stones.

The walk starts from Miller’s Dale car park and takes you on parts of the Monsal Trail, and the River Wye. The scenery is great, and the stepping stones are a lot of fun to walk over.

The route itself is circular with lots of signs pointing you in the right direction. The official walking route is just under 7km and can be done in about 1.5 – 2 hours.

This is one of the easy Peak District walks as the elevation of the walk is 273 metres. Considering it is the Peak District that is pretty low.

Most of the walk is flat, with one section of the walk that takes you up a steepish hill. Don’t worry if you aren’t great with steep walks, you can take it slowly and at your own pace.

In terms of amenities, there are toilets and a cafe by the Miller’s Dale car park. There are also a few outdoor spots to sit and eat your lunch. The car park isn’t huge but there is a decent amount of parking, you just need to get in early especially at weekends.

MONSAL TRAIL

The Monsal Trail which as mentioned above forms part of the Chee Dale Stepping Stone route, is another one of the best easy walks in the Peak District.

The trail runs along the disused railway line between Chee Dale and Bakewell. It’s an 8.5 mile walk but you don’t need to do the whole walk if you don’t want to. You can do part of it and make your way back to the car. You probably also need to bear in mind that this walk is not circular.

It’s a flat walk, that is perfect for walking or cycling, and takes you through a number of tunnels on the former railway line. The tunnels are well lit, but some may switch off the lights before dawn or after dusk. So if you are doing this walk in winter when it gets dark early, you will need to bring a torch!

We recommend parking at Miller’s Dale car park as mentioned above for the Chee Dale stepping stone walk.

LYME PARK

Lyme Park is nestled on the edge of the Peak District, and is a National Trust site. You will need to pay for parking, and for entry into some of the attractions in the park.

If it is just an easy Peak District walk you are after though you can skip the house and gardens, and head straight into nature. You will get some incredible views of Manchester whilst you are at it!

The walk will take you to the Lantern at Lyme and back in around 1.5 hours. It’s circular as well and will get you right back to the car park.

There is a full route map available on the National Trust website, which we recommend following. There are paths which you follow and this is a well signed walk, so you shouldn’t have much issue. There are a few hills and the like, but nothing too taxing. And one of the cool things is that you may see some of the deer Lyme Park is famous for.

In terms of amenities, there is a cafe and toilets located in the park. Although you should bring water and snacks with you on your walk.

CROWDEN AND BLACK HILL CIRCULAR

I know this is supposed to be a guide to easy walks in the Peak District, and admittedly this one is a little harder than the others. That being said there are elements to this walk that are easy, and instead of making it a circular walk, you can just head to the top and go back the same way you came.

I’ve done this walk a few times, and a lot of my hiking buddies consider this an easy walk, but if you aren’t used to hiking, or you are after a flat walk this is not for you!

You are probably best going clockwise on this route, and then heading to the peak of Black Hill. Then you should head back the same way. If you are following the full circular route there are some bits that may be impassable after heavy rain, and the path can be quite difficult.

The All Trails website lists this as a challenging walk, and it is but if you only do half of it it is a lot easier. Make sure you bring a map for this one, wear appropriate footwear, and don’t do it after lots of rain.

The full loop will take you 4 hours so make sure you bring food and drink with you. There is parking which is near a campsite, although spaces are limited. You also have toilets in the vicinity, but you definitely should go before you start your walk.

B29 OVEREXPOSED CRASH SITE

This is another hidden gem in the Peak District. It’s also one of the best easy walks in the Peak District as it doesn’t involve a ton of climbing.

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. Make sure you don’t park on any double yellow lines. When we visited parking inspectors were out in full force.

There are no facilities at the start of this walk so stock up on food and drink before you go.

Easy Peak District Walks Packing List

Here are some must haves if you are doing any of these easy Peak District walks.

• Small backpack with supplies
• Water
• Snacks
• Decent hiking boots
• Waterproof jacket
• Sun Protection
• A rug for a picnic if you want
• Portable charger to charge your phone with all the photos you will take
• First aid kit

Easy walks in the Peak District – final thoughts

Hopefully this list of easy walks in the Peak District has given you a bit of inspiration to get out there and try these for yourself.

Make sure you research all of the routes mentioned on this page thoroughly before you go, as my definition of an easy Peak District walk may not be the same as yours. Always let someone know where you are going, download a map, and if you feel uncomfortable or out of your element turn around.

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

If you found this guide useful make sure you pin it for later.

Happy Travels!