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Pennine Way - Discover England’s Great Walking Trails

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Pennine Way - England’s Great Walking Trails

Itinerary Information:

Days: 3-4
Distance: Walks from 9km to 14km 
Difficulty: Easy / Moderate
Landscape: High Hills & Moorland / Rolling Countryside / Villages & Towns
Theme: Food & Drink / History

This Summer, many of us are opting to stay more local for our vacations and choosing instead to discover the fantastic destinations that England has to offer.  

One of my favourite ways to explore rural England is on a walking holiday, and this year National Trails has released a series of scenic walking trails that cater to everyone’s needs. 

These trails cover incredible landscapes and scenic views and have the option of rural countryside or even coastal. These walking trails are complimented with comfortable accommodation, delicious restaurants, and, of course, traditional English pubs. There’s even the option of creating your own custom itinerary on the National Trails website, allowing you to pick the length of your walk and to choose the sites you want to visit the most. 

As one of the UK’s first National Parks, I’ve always wanted to visit the Peak District. It’s also where the country’s first long-distance walking route, the Pennine Way, begins its journey North, finishing at Kirk Yetholm 431km away in the Scottish Borders. 

Of course, I wasn’t going to tackle the whole route, but instead wanted to explore Derbyshire’s warm hospitality and sample the fantastic local produce at some of their award-winning restaurants. I decided on a long weekend break and curated a route which included pretty villages and market towns, a selection of activities and also a heap of amazing restaurants and stays at gorgeous hotels too. 

Here are all the highlights from my trip:

Walks: 

All of the below walks are of easy-moderate difficulty and suitable for all abilities, meaning that no specialist walking equipment is necessary and you can easily combine any, or all of them as part of your foodie, or cultural weekend away. 

This is the first section of the Pennine Way Trail and probably the most demanding out of the below three. It starts at Edale and continues up Jacob’s Ladder towards Kinder Scout. This moorland plateau is the highest point in Peak District National Park and, as a result, is best enjoyed when visibility is good. There are various circuits available of varying difficulties. 

This route from Curbar Gap car park is actually one of my favourites, as the route is fairly flat for most of the way and the surrounding views are simply amazing. The route runs the full length of the gritstone edges with gorgeous scenery throughout, whilst shorter walks are also possible to keep this more of a leisurely afternoon walk.

This gentle linear trail along the windswept Great Ridge commands an astounding 360-degree view of the Edale Valley to Kinder Scout and the Derwent Moors when the weather is clear! Choose a clear day with high visibility as when we went the very low cloud cover and heavy drizzle meant there wasn’t much of a view, so this is definitely a route I’ll walk again in the future. 

Food & Drink

These are some of the places I stopped to eat, though there is a variety of choice depending on the route you take. Also many of the hotels offer dining options, which is great if you don’t want to head out again for dinner. 

A cosy 18th-century inn on the edge of the Chatsworth Estate which offers dishes using seasonal ingredients, most of which are sourced from the estate. The head chef Lewis Thornhill,  is full of passion for his dishes and as a result, this pub restaurant has a well deserved AA Rosette Award rating.

Bursting with charm, this restaurant is known for its imaginative dishes made using the finest, carefully-sourced seasonal ingredients. Dine from the well-priced Prix Fixe menu for lunch which will allow you to enjoy the best of The George at a quick sitting if needed. 

Bakewell is a beautiful village, with a cluster of honey-stone cottages, courtyards and coffee shops on the banks of the river Wye.  The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop is where the original bakewell pudding was created, making it totally worth the visit. There is an option of fresh produce to take away plus characterful first-floor restaurant serving platters and delightful afternoon teas.

Offering tasty pub food in the shadow of Peveril Castle, ideal for a comforting lunch after a morning of sight-seeing. 

Ideal for stocking up before taking a walk along Curbar’s Gap. They offer hot drinks and homemade refreshments to take away, all served from a vintage Citroen H van.

Hotels:

The Peak District and surrounding countryside have a vast variety of options, from hotels to family-run B&Bs. 

Cosy 18th-century inn on the edge of the Chatsworth Estate which offers a variety of rooms to choose from. 

Situated just walking distance away from the magnificent Chatsworth House, our room actually looked out onto it. With an elegant and classic decor, this is the ideal place for a luxurious night in. 

The Cow is an award-winning, luxury boutique hotel which offers 12 beautifully decorated modern rooms that are all equipped to a high spec with an ultra-comfy bed to guarantee a comfortable and relaxing stay. 

Glamping haven with four luxurious tented safari lodges and a Victorian shooting lodge on a private upland farm near Kinder Scout.

This is a luxurious four-star retreat in the heart of the Hope Valley offering dramatic countryside views.

Activities

To punctuate the day full of eating and walking, there are also a host of activities you can undertake along Pennine Way. 

Take a tour of the magnificent Treak Cliff Cavern renowned the world over for its unique and large deposits of Blue John stone and then have a go at polishing your very own stone to keep. 

One of England’s finest stately homes with more than 25 rooms, from the regal State Rooms to the Sculpture Gallery, and artworks spanning 4,000 years. You can even explore the magnificent gardens; 105 acres of woodland, ponds, manicured lawns, glasshouses and water features. 

This brewery offers tours and fantastic tastings. On-site there is a distillery, shop, tasting room and bar. 

Fun-filled classes focused on making the historic Bakewell pudding.

Guided foraging experiences, seeking edible plants and flowers in the Peaks. 

This is a good place to gather useful location information and find out more about moorland research.

Create your own itinerary using my recommendations above and more on The National Trails website. 

What part of Pennine Way would you love to try? Let me know in the comments below.

COVID NOTICE

Please make sure to check and abide by government travel guidelines. Please also respect the rules and regulations of the area to keep yourself and others safe.

Check the Government’s Countryside Code for latest advice when in the countryside.

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