Sheer, unspoilt beauty (Peak District)

Member Name: sjo1jcl

Product:	Peak District
Date:	28/05/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fresh air, gorgeous, quaint little villages and a host of great pubs and tearooms

Disadvantages: Weather can be changeable, so always take your waterproofs!

LLiving just down the M1 in Nottingham, I've taken many a trip to the Peak District National Park. It's a massive place, with too many beautiful walks to comment on - so I shall comment on the best I've come across so far - The Roaches. This fabulous ridge walk is rarely busied by families with pushchairs and suchlike, making it peaceful and nicely uncrowded, even in high season. There's a good, challenging climb up to the start of the classic walk (park just outside the Roaches Tearooms), after which you follow the ridge along , down and across some lower level ground to some woodland, where you'll eventually come across Ludd's Church (which isn't actually a building - it's a section of forest where some very dramatic rock creates cavern, where supposedly Wyclif Ludd preached anti-establishment views in secret to an avid group of followers). There's a great tearooms near the start of the walk, so if you're doing a circular walk, I can definitely recommend a re-fuel there at the end! The views from the conservatory at the back are to DIE for and the homemade cakes and hot, homecooked meals are fab! Just what you need after a hearty walk (see roachestearooms.co.uk for further info - I'd recommend parking near there too, so you can collapse in the car after your immense cream tea!). Just an observation about the Peak District in general though - leave early and always plan for the drive to take you 1/3 or more longer than you'd think from the map. There are a lot of winding roads, quite a bit of farm traffic slowing things down, and quite a few 30 zones through the pretty villages, so leave early, relax and enjoy the quaint pace of life without worrying about the time passing!

Summary: Something for everyone!