Rambling around England
Lake and Peak districts offer rugged and pastoral scenes

By Kari J. Bodnarchuk
Special to The Denver Post

HEFFIELD, England—A decade ago, I planned a 10-month trip to England for work and study, and ended up staying two and a half years. I was captivated by the dramatic and pastoral landscape, the friendly northern attitudes and, yes, the hand-drawn pints of bitter beers. Each weekend, I put away my textbooks and work shoes, pulled out my guidebook and hiking boots, and took to the hills.

Just a 15-minute bus ride west of my Sheffield apartment in Central England lay the Peak District, a 555-square-mile national park at the southern end of the Pennines that boasts some of the country’s oldest history, best scenery and most accessible walks.

Here, I’d stroll along peaceful country lanes, across wild moorland and through meadows blooming with poppies and snapdragons. Or I’d explore villages with thatched bungalows, thermal spas and pubs offering more ambiance than my living room. At night, I’d stop off at a cozy B&B, where I’d crawl under a floral duvet and sleep soundly until morning, when “Mum” served up soft-boiled eggs, fried tomatoes, baked beans and Earl Grey tea—all for $15.

Other weekends, I’d drive three hours north of Sheffield to the Lake District, a pristine wilderness region with 16 sparkling lakes, wind-swept mountains and more sheep than people. Here, I’d visit museums nestled in valleys carved out by glaciers, or walk through the hills that inspired William Wordsworth and other Romantic poets.

Hikers on the summit of Hellvelyn, England's second tallest mountain.

England’s Lake and Peak districts offer a little bit of everything— historic sights, traditional village life, inexpensive lodges, and stunning views. Visitors can easily access these regions (from London or Manchester) by car or public transportation and then explore them in depth on foot.

The English countryside contains a vast network of footpaths, bridleways and old drove roads (once used by farmers to drive cattle to market) open to the public under a “right to roam” law. Paths are typically sign-posted along main routes and at junctions, but it’s always essential to bring a good map.

Peak District

The Peak District, 10 miles west of Sheffield and 15 miles east of Manchester, was designated Britain’s first national park in 1951 (it’s now one of 11). The park contains two distinct landscapes. To the north lies the more rugged and less populated Dark Peak region, with its looming crags and gritstone moors. The pastoral White Peak area makes up the southern section, with its lush green, rolling hills crisscrossed by miles of stonewalls and dotted with millions of sheep.

The southern area—notably around Buxton and Bakewell—offers easier walks, draws more visitors and, as a result, provides excellent bus and train services. But towns such as Castleton and Edale in the upper Peak District are also worth exploring for their more dramatic scenery and extra elbowroom.

You can get a good sampling of the Peak District in as little as two days. Start with a drive—or bus ride—around the region to get a good overview. Then stop off for a night in a small village B&B, which you can use as a base for further exploration—anything from short rambles through nearby hills to longer hikes that link villages, valleys and crags together.

The small village of Edale, nestled in a dale at the foot of peat-covered, gritstone moors is one of the highlights of the northern Peaks region and a must for walkers. Kinder Scout plateau (2,088 feet) is the tallest point in the Peak District and best climbed from Edale (via Edale Vale). Alternatively, you can make the ascent on horseback—a two-and-a-half-hour ride—with the Lady Booth Riding & Trekking Centre in town (Ladybooth Farm, telephone 01433-670205).

A variety of easy to strenuous hikes originates in Edale. The 256-mile Pennine Way (England’s first public footpath) begins here, snaking north through the Yorkshire Dales and eventually crossing into Scotland. Visitors less inclined to walk 18 miles a day—at least—for a fortnight can pick up “Eight Walks around Edale,” a brochure available for about $1.25 at any National Park Information Centre. This handy booklet outlines eight 1- to 8-mile loops that wind along gentle valley paths or across wild moors blanketed in peat and, in fall, purple heather.

Five miles southeast of Edale is Castleton, a teashop and boutique town that’s best known for its network of underground caves. Guided tours are given—by foot and, in one case, by boat—through the four main limestone caverns. The caves draw heavy foot traffic in summer months, which may explain why tacky souvenir stands greet visitors at cave entrances (arrive early to beat the crowds).

Nevertheless, Treak Cliff Cavern, 1 mile west of Castleton center, is definitely worth a look. This working mine is the only place on Earth where the semi-precious Blue John stone is found. Forty-minute tours take visitors through a series of caverns where hundreds of stalactites project from the ceiling like icicles, and stalagmites reach up from the floor like fields of wildflowers. You’ll also find a magnificent, 6-foot-wide pillar of Blue John stone and walls harboring fossilized shells—dating back thousands of years to when this region was under the ocean.

“Walks around Castleton,” available from the information center, highlights seven easy to moderate hikes, ranging from two to six hours (calculated to give plenty of time for photos, snacks and rest stops). If your energy level is up, follow the trail near the entrance to Treak Cliff Cavern, which leads to the top of Mam Tor. It’s a short but steep climb to the summit of this limestone crag, but you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful, sweeping view of Hope Valley. Mam Tor, or “Shivering Mountain,” occasionally drops rocks and debris onto the road below, so take care if you’re ambling or driving along the A6187 motorway.

The village of Bakewell, about 15 miles southeast of Castleton, is quintessential England—narrow, twisty roads lined with 17^th-century stone homes and cozy taverns, a 13^th-century church on a hill overlooking town, and two medieval bridges that hop over the River Wye. Bakewell is one of the best bases for exploring the limestone dales of the White Peaks.

A top hike is the relatively easy (mixed with several steep descents) 10-mile route from Bakewell to Ashford. The walk cuts through Little Longstone (a village with a beautiful, centuries-old stone church), Monsale Dale (a valley with a viaduct, accessible only on foot) and Monsale Head (home to a lovely little pub with uneven stone floors, a wood-burning stove, and a friendly caretaker who makes great Yorkshire pudding). Copies of “Six Walks around Bakewell” are available from tourist offices. Before leaving town, make sure you sample Bakewell Pudding, a mouthwatering, tart-like pastry topped with jam and an egg mixture.

Art and garden lovers should visit the Chatsworth House, 3 miles northeast of Bakewell. This 175-room palatial mansion has 100 acres of landscaped English gardens, a deer park and (on view from March through October) paintings by Rembrandt, Van Dyck and English masters.

The Lake District

While the Peak District offers more gentle, undulating landscape, Cumbria’s Lake District National Park features taller, more rugged terrain. More than 1,800 miles of trails thread their way through the lakes region—over towering hills and through low-lying valleys—containing something for hikers of all interests and fitness levels. For those with more car petrol than foot power, the area also offers its fair share of history, folklore and fiction.

Cumbria receives the highest percentage of rainfall in England, plus plenty of snow in winter, keeping the park’s hundreds of fells, lakes and reservoirs filled. As a result, not only is this trail-laced region a walker’s paradise, it’s an ideal spot for water-lovers, too—sailing, boating, swimming and fishing are the highlights.

The main villages in the Lake District—Ambleside, Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston and Keswick (pronounced KEZ-ick)—are anchored by Grasmere (population 1,000), the geographical heart of the region. With a stunning series of crags on one side and Grasmere Lake on the other, this small village draws millions of visitors annually. 

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A lone hiker on a hill in England's Lake District.

Many come to hike the country’s highest peaks—Scafell Pike and Helvellyn—or see its biggest and most beautiful lakes—Derwentwater, Windermere, Ullswater and Coniston Water. Others come to explore the landscapes that inspired Beatrix Potter’s “Tales of Peter Rabbit” and Wordsworth’s volumes of Romantic poetry.

Dove Cottage in Grasmere was Wordworth’s home between 1799 and 1808. Short, guided tours are available for Dove Cottage and the neighboring Wordsworth Museum. Literature buffs can also visit Wordworth’s grave in the Grasmere churchyard and tour Rydal Mount and Gardens—the poet laureate’s home from 1813 until his death in 1850—in nearby Ambleside (it’s still owned by Wordsworth’s descendents and open year-round to visitors).

The Lake District measures 25 by 30 miles, so you can stay outside—yet still within easy reach of—main villages. The small hamlet of Elterwater, just a few miles southwest of Grasmere, is an ideal base for exploring the nearby Langdale valleys and fells, and offers easy access to the lakes and Cumbrian coastline to the west.

An easy (7-mile, mostly level) walk that offers spectacular views runs from Elterwater to the village of Coniston. From the Elterwater Youth Hostel, the route heads southwest through a forested valley, across stone bridges, rolling hills and open moors, and past farmhouses where cattle graze in fields backed by snow-capped mountains. Upon reaching Coniston, situated under the stunning Yewdale Crags, make sure you stop into the Black Bull Pub for a pint of Old Peculiar—a dark ale with a distinctive, tasty bite.

Just north of Elterwater and Grasmere stands Helvellyn (pronounced hell-VELL-in), one of the most accessible and dramatic of the region’s tall peaks. The hike up this 3,100-foot, blustery hill (best accessed via Glenridding to the east) takes about three hours at a steady clip. The climb offers a hair-raising finale just before reaching the summit—a scramble across Striding Edge, a narrow, exposed ledge that drops hundreds of feet on either side and is best navigated on all fours if it’s windy. Even more amazing, however, is the number of sheep you’re likely to encounter as you huff your way up these slopes. Shops in Ambleside, Glenridding and Keswick have hiker’s maps, information and weather reports.

If you do decide to tackle a more energetic hike, pick up some Kendal Mint Cake before you go. These peppermint-flavored sugar bars are the ultimate hiker’s jet fuel—made of sugar, glucose syrup, peppermint oil and propylene glycol. They’re locally made—in the village of Kendal, near Ambleside—and have grown so popular, they’re now sold worldwide. REI shops in the United States carry these trekking treats.

But I return to the English hills almost every year to stock up on mint cake, Old Peculiar and inspiring views. I’ve been back to visit eight times since I lived there and I still have so much more to see.

This story appeared in The Denver Post, March 26, 2000.