TeaThere is just one town, Bakewell, in the Peak District’s 555 square miles of moorland and valleys, yet – even more surprisingly – it is still well served by public transport.
Located between Sheffield and manchesterA single train or bus can take you everywhere from Bakewell’s pudding shops (tarts are also available) to its grandeur. Chatsworth House And David Mellor’s mid-century spectacular designs Named Visitor Center In Hathersage.
It celebrates the work of the man responsible for urban design classics, including the plexiglass ‘abacus’ bus shelter of my youth and the humble traffic light, unchanged since the 1965 Meller redesign.
Of course, such attractions always offer parking, but with their growing popularity also comes a number of major traffic problems. Visitors traveling by car over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend managed to cause a standoff at Winnats PassUsually one of the most ideal roads in the country, looking for parking spots amid rural lanes and dry stone walls – and so, too, are motorists. So much quantity of pollutant nitrogen dioxide was produced that many inner roads of the city were put to shame.,
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So as the sun begins to pierce the winter gloom, it’s the perfect time to abandon the one-litre runaround for a 15-litre bus engine (or its electric equivalent). You will rarely wait more than an hour for a bus or train.
Even before its current upgrade begins, Northern Rail will get you from Sheffield to Grindleford (for Padley Gorge and Longshaw Estate) on the Hope Valley Line in less than 15 minutes, costing £5.10 for a standard single ticket Will happen. The line reaches Manchester Piccadilly through some of the Peak District’s most famous landscapes.
In Hathersage, just three minutes further down the tracks, the David Mellor Visitor Center is linked to the burial place of Robin Hood’s Little John in St Michael’s Churchyard and the scenes that inspired Charlotte Brontë when she was writing. Jane Eyre, including Stanage Edge (a two-mile walk). A spectacular gritstone slope, popular with rock climbers and hikers despite the northern weather (which is frequent). Very), its natural beauty is only enhanced by the open panoramas crossing the Dark Peak moorland along Hope Valley. Get there early on a weekday, and you’ll likely share its magical atmosphere with a handful of other weatherproof souls along its four-mile length.
The valley and its rail line are named after Hope, a village worth staying in for its many cafés with freshly baked cakes on the premises, old-world respectability (not only are there public toilets there, but . They’re free) and a good crop of pubs rich with regional wines and charming beer gardens – even more attractive when you travel without a car.
Should energy levels be low, and the train station at Hope or Adele (the beginning) Pennine Way(The UK’s third longest walking route at 267 miles) Seems a step too far, Castleton is the western terminus of the 271/272 bus to Sheffield. When boarding the double-decker variety, be sure to go to the top to continue your view-filled journey.
The same applies to the 218, which connects Sheffield to Bakewell via Chatsworth House in under an hour, the route’s slightly chaotic approach on the importance of timetable should not destroy plans, in which case the 257 ‘plague village’ Works equally well through dimensions.
Meanwhile, the seasonal open-top Peak Sightseeing Tour has been reduced to two routes for the first time this year, linking Chatsworth with Bakewell and Ashford on the Water. Blue John Cavern (Entry £19), one of only two places in the world where the semi-precious mineral of the same name is mined, through Hope Valley.
Services from Manchester are less extensive, but you can get from Macclesfield to Buxton on the 58 in about 30 minutes, with occasional buses continuing to Chatsworth. A better option is the train from Manchester Piccadilly to Stockport, running around charming little New Mills and Whaley Bridge to Buxton. Surrounded by, but not in, the National Park, Buxton’s love of health and spa-based retreats is another reason to avoid getting the heart rate rising by avoiding the hassle of driving.
where to stay
As well as hotels in Sheffield and Manchester, there is ample accommodation available within the Peak District National Park, including a handful of classic en-suite rooms at The Scotsman Pack Country Inn, Hathersage (from £95, two people sharing); Hope’s dog-friendly bikes and boots (from £102) and individually styled boutique bedrooms at The Ashford Arms in Bakewell (from £100).
how to do it
The Sheffield-Manchester Hope Valley Line runs hourly, stopping at 13 intermediate stations including Grindleford, Hathersage, Hope and Edale. It is operated by Northern (tickets from £5.10) along the Manchester-Buxton line.
Bakewell is a hub for buses, including the 218 and 257 from Sheffield via Chatsworth House or Eyam; Single adult fares are £2 until 31 December 2024. Keep your English Heritage membership for Castleton Peveril CastleE (otherwise £8.10).
Stagecoach runs daily from 11 May to 6 October peak tourist destination Red (Chatsworth House to Bakewell) and Blue (Chatsworth to Blue John Cavern) bus routes every 30 minutes at peak hours (day ticket £9.50 with unlimited journeys).
Read more: How to make the Lake District car-free