Author: Noah Thompson
England’s green and pleasant land is filled with great places to visit.
Over the past two years, many have discovered this, with travel abroad restricted by the pandemic. People were forced out into their locale and discovered what it offered. Indeed, the BBC even reported that some were breaking the essential travel rules in the Peak District just to get out in the fresh air.
Whilst that certainly wasn’t in the spirit of the rules, the Peak District is a fine place to discover. When the nice weather kicks in, people head to the seaside to sit on the beach, and locations inland are overlooked. Despite not having a coastline, Gala Bingo reports that the Peak District attracts more than 10 million visitors per year. That’s 60% fewer than the Lake District but still enough to keep a vibrant and thriving economy alive. Perhaps you spent your pandemic time looking for post lockdown places to visit and realized the Peak District offers a lot? If so, you might be wondering which villages and towns are best for your visit. There are more than enough places to keep you busy in the Peak District, and we’ve got four of them here for you to enjoy.
Edale
Edale is a photographer’s dream, with wonderful views and panoramas to be had. They’re some of the finest in the Peak District, and with a population of fewer than 400 people, there is plenty of peace and quiet to enjoy.
Edale is a great base for walkers, so you’ll be in the right place if the fresh air is what you crave. Mam Tor, Hollins Cross and Kinder Low are all accessible by foot, and The Rambler Inn will welcome you in the evening for food and a relaxing beverage too.
Bakewell
Bakewell has the stunning Chatsworth House close by, one of the Peak District’s most visited locations, but there’s much more to this wonderful village. Haddon Hall, for fans of stately homes, is not far from Bakewell centre, and as you may have guessed from the name, the coffee shop there likely serves Bakewell tart, the town’s famous cake.
The village offers plenty of places to stay and makes for a good base for spreading out into the wider Peak District. Food lovers will be right at home on the streets, as they are filled with great places to eat. Piedaniels on Bath Street is highly recommended, whilst The Woodyard serves a wonderful steak, perfect for fuelling up after a long ramble.
Hathersage
Hathersage sits at one end of the Hope Valley and is another nice place to base yourself for a walking weekend. There’s plenty in the village to keep you occupied; the open-air swimming pool attracts visitors in the summer, whilst Stanage Edge is close by for climbers. Fans of Robin Hood can even find the supposed grave of Little John in the churchyard. It’s believed that Robin Hood, or Robin of Loxley, came from a village of the same name just across the Moors from Hathersage.
Ashford-in-the-Water
Ashford-in-the-Water is a town rather than a village, and as such, it offers more amenities for the tourist looking to remain in a town. It sits on the River Wye, from where it gets the water of its title, and is well-known for The Sheepwash Bridge, which dates from the 17th century. There are some good pubs and nice places to eat here, including The Bulls Head, which like the bridge, also dates back to the 17th century. Bakewell is also just a short journey up the road, a nice two-mile walk for those so inclined.
*Collaborative Post
