Hi there!
I would love to hear recommendations for walks/hikes in the Peak District. Preferably routes that are transit-accessible from Sheffield, either circular routes or between bus/train stops. Ideally 4-6 hours, bonus points if there's somewhere to stop for lunch (either midway through or at the end).
Open to shorter routes that can be combined with sightseeing/attractions (Castleton comes to mind).
Thank you!
Hathersage has a train station and a number of walks including the walk to Stanage Edge. It also has good cafes, pubs and restaurants.
I think there is also a walk from there to Eyam - a pretty village with nice cafes and of course an interesting history. Was too far for me so we went by bus, but it sounds like you are interested in the longer walks.
Padley Gorge is a different sort of landscape and also accessible by rail.
Where to start is the question, so very many great walks in the Peak District.
But one of the great meccas of Peak District walking is and always has been Edale. It is on the hourly stopping train route from Sheffield to Manchester, with the odd long distance service stopping there.
https://peakdistrictwalks.net/best-walks-from-edale-peak-district/
There is very good reason why the Pennine Way long distance walk to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland starts there.
Apart from the above website walks you could also do Edale to Chinley (another of the stations on the stopping service).
https://visitedale.com/edale-hike-guides/chinley-edale-reverse-walk
Or train to New Mills Central, bus to Hayfield then the route of the famous Kinder Scout Mass Trespass - an iconic event in working class rambling in this country - https://visitedale.com/edale-hike-guides/mass-trespass-hayfield-walk
https://kindertrespass.org.uk/kinder-mass-trespass-history/
Have a good look through the visit Edale website.
I am well aware that Castleton seems to be the centre of the Peak District for this forum, not sure I really agree as a born and bred local but it is what it is.
Bus 272 from Sheffield does that journey every hour in an hour. The 62 runs up from Edale 6x a day.
Open to shorter routes that can be combined with sightseeing/attractions (Castleton comes to mind).
Well, you could always take the bus to Castleton, and then hike Winnats Pass, which is quite beautiful and right outside of town. I loved it there (I actually stayed in Castleton for 5 nights) and really enjoyed the hike although it is steep. If you want something longer, you can continue on to Mam Tor.
There are quite a few hikes in that area, and the Peak website lists some of them here: https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/places-to-visit/trails And here: https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/getactive-walking/peak-district-walking-guides
Another one from Castleton is the hike up to Peveril Castle, which gives you breathtaking views of the Peak District and the chance to explore the castle ruins. Or you could do the 5.5-mile Castleton Circular via Mam Tor, which includes views of Peveril Castle along with places like Cave Dale and the Great Ridge. https://www.alltrails.com/en-gb/trail/england/derbyshire/castleton-mam-tor-circular
I am well aware that Castleton seems to be the centre of the Peak District for this forum.
Castleton may not be in the center geographically, but it is where the hikers congregate. I mostly saw tourists (or locals) in the other towns in The Peak, but in Castleton, I mostly saw hikers; families and solo hikers and many more. There was a lot of camaraderie amongst them. And it's a really charming town, with good options for eating and sleeping. What's not to like? :-)
Thank you everyone!
Ethel, Hathersage and Padley Gorge are a great suggestions! It would be nice to see some woods at Padley Gorge between hiking all those hills.
isn31c, I really appreciate the transit advice! I will definitely check out Edale and Kinder Scout.
And Mardee, your Castleton suggestions sound right up my alley! I love seeing castle ruins, and combining them with Mam Tor sounds perfect.
Edale is a great base for walking . There is an hourly train service from Sheffield and it takes just over 30 minutes. The Ramblers Inn is just a few minutes walk from the station and an excellent place for a pint before catching the train back to Sheffield...
I've doneall the shorter walks in the website quoted by isn31c and can recommend them all. There are also suggestions here and here.
The area has lots of footpaths and if you have an OS 1:25,000 Peak District map you can easily plan your own routes.
We did a very nice walk in the Peak District on public transport from Sheffield last year. We got the train to Hathersage, which has been mentioned already (only 18 mins journey time), and did this walk around Stanage Edge: https://letsgopeakdistrict.co.uk/hathersage-and-stanage-edge-walk/
On the way back we had a very nice lunch at Scotman's Pack. A troupe of morris dancers showed up and gave an impromptu performance in the car park which was interesting to say the least. The walk brings you back to the station so it's easy to get back to Sheffield from there. We also visited Chatsworth House by bus from Sheffield which has amazing grounds to walk around (altho the bus on the way out never arrived so we wound up splitting a taxi with the other people who were waiting- but on the way back it was fine).
