Any Peak District ideas please?

[confusedofengland]

We are going to the Peak District for 5 nights soon & looking for things to do. We are staying near Alton Towers & going there for 2 days, but want to explore the area for the other days. We went last year & did the Dovedale stepping stones, which was beautiful but busy.

Any ideas please? We are a family of 5, DSes are 6, 9 & 11.

Have you been to peak wildlife park, it's a nice few hours out. Walking wise you can do the goyt valley, the roaches, three shires walk, shutlingsloe, monsall trail if you have bikes, caves in Castleton, luds church, taggs nose for a few hours, there's an rspb place near there - Coombes valley, they normally have kids activities on, tittesworth reservoir is a gorgeous walk, streams to paddle in, giant chairs and a cracking playground

Will your kids walk? I think it's more about the outdoors really. These are some of my favourites if you want to google them. Be advised though it is crazy busy in some places at the minute!!

Lud's Church
The Roaches
Tittesworth Reservoir
Carsington Reservoir
Three Shires Head (can dip here in the water but it has been super busy)
Monsal trail
Macclesfield Forest

Snap always!

Also Matlock Farm Park

Hathersage has a lovely outdoor pool but it is constantly fully booked. Bookings start at 6am each day for the following week.

Matlock has a lovely park for kids.

Eyam is very interesting but again busy right now.

Caves in Castleton or Buxton (you'll have to book in advance)

The whole of the Peak District is busy atm. Even our little village which is more commuter than tourist is really busy. I don't blame people for visiting. If I didn't live here I would too.

Also note not all bins are being emptied so be prepared to take your rubbish home and many toilets are still closed. Many of the play parks and usual touristy things are also / reduced hours too so do your research. The cafes in places are outside only because the buildings are too small to have people inside and remain 2m apart.

2 wards of Buxton are also seeing an increase in the COVID numbers if the latest numbers are correct. That is not to say Buxton Town centre is not safe to visit - just be aware that mask wearing is very much a thing around here. I have only seen one person not wearing one in the last week.

If I was visiting I would take bikes along the Monsal or High Peak Trail - Ashbourne to Parsley Hey is beautiful as is around Carrsington Water/ Peak Junction. Chatsworth adventure playground is great & they have some great gardens and sculptures. Check to see if the house is open. The slots for the NT sites are booking really quickly so make sure you book in early.

Sorry the aside - which wards in Buxton @Unescorted?

I will go get the proper names.... give me a mo I have to look them up.

Buxton North and Buxton South and East - went from 0 to 8 between week 29 and 30. Also Glossop has gone 0-3 in the same time frame.

Thank you. I've been concerned given the Stockport and Tameside rises.

Buxton you can book into Pooles Cavern? Guided cave tour, and then walk up through the woods behind to Solomons Temple. There is a cafe, parking and outdoor seating there. There is a Go Ape there too but not sure if open.
I also reccomend Tittersworth in between Alton Towers and Buxton, great walks and playground and near 2 great pubs... Three Horseshoes and The Lazy Trout. Also on that road is the Roaches and the 'Winking Man' jagged gritstone moorland food for walking and seeing climbers.

I suspect it is due to the commuting to Manchester that is in part to blame given it is Glossop & Buxton with the increases.

Something that I will be going to see soon is the Crescent in Buxton - the shuttering has finally been taken down. From the photos it looks beautiful

I think all the show caverns are open - just reduced numbers and booking is essential.

Thank you for the ideas. We try to be considerate tourists & not go anywhere we know will be too busy or leave litter. We will most likely go places first thing & then have the afternoon to chill at our lovely campsite (we are staying at the Alton Star, where we also stayed last year).

We love walking and are also on a budget so will look at some of those ideas