Accessible Cabins In Peak District National Park

Accessible Holidays in the Peak District: Guide to a Memorable Break

The Peak District covers 555 square miles across Derbyshire and into Cheshire, Staffordshire, Greater Manchester and Yorkshire, and much of it can be reached without leaving a level surface. Local organisations publish a lot of access information, so you can pick the experiences that suit you before you arrive.

Peak District Scenery and Sensory Highlights

Scenic drives are one of the easiest ways to see the landscape. Accessible Derbyshire lists routes including Monsal Head and Longstone Edge, Castleton, Edale and Hope, Bamford, Stanage and Hathersage, and the Derwent Dams. For sunrise and sunset without a walk, Surprise View, Curbar Gap, Monsal Head, Blore Pastures, Upper Burbage Bridge, Barber Booth and the Longshaw Estate all have viewpoints close to parking. Renishaw Hall is famous for its bluebells, and the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has a nature reserve at Peak Village.

Traffic-Free Trails and Accessible Walks

The former railway lines are the flattest walking in the Peak District. The Monsal Trail has level access from Bakewell Station car park, Hassop Station and Millers Dale, though the slope up to Thornbridge Hall is steep. The Tissington Trail runs from Parsley Hay to Ashbourne, and the cycle hire centre at Parsley Hay has adapted bikes, a Changing Places toilet and accessible parking. Carsington Water has a stile-free route round the reservoir, but there are steep gradients in places; shorter step-free routes start at the visitor centre, so you don't have to commit to the full eight-mile circuit. The Miles Without Stiles network covers Curbar Gap, the Derwent Dams, Longshaw and Tideswell Dale, and each route description says whether it suits a scooter or a manual wheelchair.

Top Accessible Peak District Attractions

Crich Tramway Village, the Peak District Mining Museum at Matlock Bath, the Great British Car Journey at Ambergate and Peak Wildlife Park are all wheelchair accessible. The Derwent Valley Mills UNESCO World Heritage Site runs 15 miles from Matlock Bath to Derby and takes in Cromford Mill, Masson Mill and Belper North Mill. At Heights of Abraham the cable car and many summit facilities are accessible, but the path to the ticket office is steep, the ground at the summit is hilly and the caves are not accessible. Chatsworth's farmyard and playground and Chesterfield's Crooked Spire are also accessible. Eyam Museum has seasonal opening times, so check before you travel.

Getting Around: Transport and Mobility Hire

The Peak Sightseer is a hop-on hop-off open-top bus, and it can take wheelchair users. Two routes cover Castleton, Chatsworth, Bakewell, Bamford, Hathersage and the Monsal Trail on a single day ticket. The Hope Valley Line between Sheffield and Manchester serves Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford and Edale, and the Derwent Valley Line reaches Matlock. Trampers can be hired at Parsley Hay and Ashbourne Cycle Hire, and at Fairholmes, Carsington Water, Hayfield, Tittesworth and Renishaw Hall. Chatsworth and National Trust properties including Hardwick Hall, Calke Abbey and Lyme Park also have mobility equipment to hire.

Essential Facilities: Changing Places Toilets

A hoisted Changing Places facility is what makes a full day out possible for some visitors. There are ones at Ilam Park, Parsley Hay bike hire centre, Carsington Water visitor centre, Torside car park on the Longdendale Trail, Derbion in Derby, the Ada Belfield Centre in Belper and Gulliver's Kingdom. Ring ahead: provision changes.