The White Peak Route 7-9
Discover five pleasingly pointy peaks with steep climbs and a surprise or two from Buxton,
Spend a weekend in Buxton and explore five stunning new peaks
The small spa town of Buxton is a beautiful place to base yourself for a foray into some of the UK’s loveliest hills. Of an evening you can wander around the iconic Georgian and Victorian buildings, and admire the famous Buxton Opera House. You can even fill up your water bottle from St Ann’s Well in front of the Grade I listed Crescent building which first put Buxton on the map as a spa town in the 18th century. And during the day you can climb the area’s steepest hills on good, clear paths, a couple of which host fascinating architecture, weird rock formations or interesting folk tales themselves. Sheep-dotted fields and rolling green/brown moorland stretches to the horizon in all directions, and you’ll follow fast-flowing rivers down into deep valleys, past pools begging to be dipped in – if only it were a summer’s day! TRANSPORT
Regular trains to Buxton station from all parts of the UK.
PUBS/GRUB
So many to choose from! The King’s Head welcomes hikers, the Buxton Brewery Tap House and Cellar has great ales, The Cheshire Cheese is lovely and cosy and The Railway has charming station-inspired decor.
ACCOMMODATION
The Palace Hotel has some startlingly reasonable room rates for such grandeur 0871 221 0253, www.britanniahotels.com or try the great value Queen’s Head Hotel behind a pub 01298 23841, www.bestwestern.co.uk/ hotels/Queens-Hotel
PRACTICALITIES Buxton is blessed with plenty of supermarkets to cater for all budgets, from Aldi and Morrisons to Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
LOCAL INFO
If it rains, take your walk below ground in Poole’s Cavern! Spend an hour on a guided tour through the illuminated chambers of this awesome natural cavern, marvelling at the stalactites, stalagmites and crystal formations and learning about who used to live in them.