Day 5: Curbar Edge, Pooles Cavern and Buxton
I was lucky to have a sunny start to my 5th day in the Peak District, so I decided to head to another beautiful viewpoint walk in the morning. The weather had changed by the afternoon and became wet and windy, so it was a good opportunity to spend the afternoon and evening in some more caves and in the town of Buxton.
Curbar Edge
Curbar Edge is another great place for iconic Peak District views. It’s only a short uphill walk from the car park, no more than 5-10 minutes. And the views from the top are just beautiful.
I just walked along the footpath at the top, on the edge of the rocks. As you walk further along, you get different views. I kept stopping to take photos, because each view was just magical.
The path extends all the way along the edge to Froggat Edge. But you can just walk for as long as you want, and then turn back. I spent a couple of hours here and loved the views. I can imagine it would be lovely in the summer as well for a picnic up here. But it was just as beautiful in the winter on a cold, sunny winter’s day.
Pooles Cavern
As the weather started to turn, I headed to the caves called Pooles Cavern on the edge of Buxton. You can explore these caves on a guided tour, which takes around 45 minutes.
Pooles Cavern is a lot more easily accessible than Blue John Cavern. There aren’t many steps, and a lot of the paths through the caves are in wide open spaces. So it felt really easy to walk and follow the guide.
My favourite thing about Pooles Cavern was the stalagmites and stalactites. They were huge and just so impressive.
I also really liked seeing the river than runs through the inside of the cave. It was quite loud in places, as the noise of the water echoed around the chambers in the cave. And there was even a small toad near the river here too.
Buxton
Buxton is one of the bigger towns in the Peak District, and definitely well worth a visit. It’s still a very small town, compared to many in the UK, but one of the bigger ones in the area. It’s beautifully decorated at Christmas.
The Crescent was one of my favourite spots in Buxton. I enjoyed the architecture of the perfect semi-circle of buildings. It looked like a lovely place to live, and reminded me a bit of Bath, one of my favourite UK cities.
Buxton also has plenty of restaurants and bars for an evening out. I enjoyed The Sacro Lounge, as a place to enjoy some cocktails in a relaxed environment.
Buxton Opera House is also a great place to spend an evening. Check out the website here to see what’s on during your visit. I was in Buxton on New Year’s Eve so went to see the Gala Concert at Buxton Opera House. It was an enjoyable evening, and the theatre inside is really impressive.
Day 6: Ashford in the Water and Dovedale
On the last of my 6 days in the Peak District UK in the winter, I visited the small village of Ashford in the Water before heading down to Dovedale.
Ashford in the Water
Ashford in the Water is another really pretty little village in the Peak District. There’s not a huge amount to see and do here, but I think it’s still worth visiting. My favourite part was the bridge over the river, where there were also lots of ducks. Ashford in the Water also has a nice pub, so you can get lunch at the pub here before heading onto Dovedale.
Dovedale
Dovedale is towards the south of the Peak District National Park, so it’s a great place to stop if your next destination is somewhere to the south. There’s a National Trust car park here, with toilets and sometimes a van that sells tea/coffee and snacks.
From the car park, follow the riverside path and walk upstream. The river views were lovely. And I was also really lucky to spot a dipper. These birds are often seen in Dovedale, hopping along the edge of the water or onto stones in the river.
The most famous part of Dovedale is the stepping stones. When I visited in early January, there had recently been quite a lot of rain. So the stepping stones were slightly flooded, as was the path next to the river leading up to the stepping stones. Some people were trying to walk up the muddy, grassy bank to avoid the water on the path. So I’d definitely recommend wearing your walking boots for this part of the trip, and if your boots are waterproof you can walk through the flooded path without needing to climb up the muddy grass.
I still enjoyed seeing the stepping stones, and thought they looked quite impressive with the water spilling over them. I didn’t try to cross over the stepping stones, and not many people were attempting that! But in slightly dryer weather, you could cross over and continue your walk on the other side of the river. However, I was content to just watch the river and the dippers, before heading back to the car. It was a lovely ending to a wonderful 6 days in the Peak District UK in the winter.
I have recently been to Bakewell and Monsal trail (on a not-so-pleasant, in fact very rainy, summer day) and can second that it is definitely doable if you are properly prepared. What I didn’t know however was that there was so much more to do nearby, so thank you so much for introducing me – I need to go back!
What a great itinerary! Some beautiful landscapes to see also!
I wouldn’t really think about visiting this area in the winter. Clearly, if you’re properly prepared, it is possible though!