Peak District Hikes for Kids
Discussion
I am on Daddy Day Care duties for the first week of summer hols. I am taking my kids, 9 & 11, camping in the peak district (south) for a few days. I want to avoid them starring at a screen all summer want to take them on a bit of an adventure hike. I need to make it exciting for them or they will moan and not want to walk.
Was thinking of including Kinder Downfall as they will like that and maybe a detour to the mermaid pool, they are still young enough just to believe a mermaid lives in it.
We will need to park nearby. I can map read and have map and compass so would like to trapse across some fields rather than just walk up and down the Pennine Way. Other option was to climb Kinder Scout but I think that might be a bit too much for them.
I reckon a 6-8 mile route with a nice picnic lunch break will do them. Could do Edale -> Jacobs Ladder -> Kinder Low & Downfall and back? Or start near kinder reservoir follow the river, detour to the pool and then onwards?
Anyone got some good starting points or tips?
Was thinking of including Kinder Downfall as they will like that and maybe a detour to the mermaid pool, they are still young enough just to believe a mermaid lives in it.
We will need to park nearby. I can map read and have map and compass so would like to trapse across some fields rather than just walk up and down the Pennine Way. Other option was to climb Kinder Scout but I think that might be a bit too much for them.
I reckon a 6-8 mile route with a nice picnic lunch break will do them. Could do Edale -> Jacobs Ladder -> Kinder Low & Downfall and back? Or start near kinder reservoir follow the river, detour to the pool and then onwards?
Anyone got some good starting points or tips?
Probably answering my own question now. Bowden Bridge Car park looks like a good place to start? Does it get busy in the holidays?
Thinking from there round the reservoir, nav to the wooded area, handrail along and then straight to the mermaids pool. Then drop down to the river and follow that to the downfall
Thinking from there round the reservoir, nav to the wooded area, handrail along and then straight to the mermaids pool. Then drop down to the river and follow that to the downfall
Between Wirksworth and Cromford is Black Rock - a big stone outcrop used for rock climbing - obviously they won't be able to climb the main high route, but there are smaller bits they can clamber about on and you can walk up the slope at the side and get onto the top.
You can also walk from there up the old railway line and through a tunnel which they might find fun.
You can also walk from there up the old railway line and through a tunnel which they might find fun.
To add to the previous post you can hire bikes in Ashbourne and cycle the disused railways. The white peak is perhaps better suited for youngsters as it's a slightly gentler landscape when walking.
When I was a kid I loved the cable cars at Matlock and the steam rides along the old line.
When I was a kid I loved the cable cars at Matlock and the steam rides along the old line.
Thanks all. Planning on going on the steam train. Tuesday is kids go free day. I thought about the cable cars at heights of abraham but my youngest sometimes gets scared of heights so that might not work.
They seem excited by the waterfall, although my eldest wants to climb a big hill so might try something like Mam tor.
They seem excited by the waterfall, although my eldest wants to climb a big hill so might try something like Mam tor.
We did Thorpe Cloud in the end. It was only 10 mins from where we staying and seemed easy enough. We climbed the hills the walked along the river to the stepping stones. There was a massive queue for the stones so I was showing off with my Gucci goretex boots and wadded across. Of course they are only water proof until the water reaches the top. Still merino socks wrung out and was golden.
Glad they did it. We only did 5k but climbed a hill and that's 3 days they haven't been sat in front of a screen.
Glad they did it. We only did 5k but climbed a hill and that's 3 days they haven't been sat in front of a screen.
They're maybe of an age where they would enjoy a visit to the plague village of Eyam?
There's a little museum there which has a lot of history of the families who isolated themselves to prevent the bubonic plague spreading to those outside their village.
If you google "eyam plague village walks" you'll find it is on the route of a couple of manageable walks. (4 to 5 milers)
There's a little museum there which has a lot of history of the families who isolated themselves to prevent the bubonic plague spreading to those outside their village.
If you google "eyam plague village walks" you'll find it is on the route of a couple of manageable walks. (4 to 5 milers)
lufbramatt said:
I was going to suggest going to Castleton and doing the Mam Tor walk, then could do the caves after lunch.
Make sure you visit the collapsed road at Mam Tor, just down the hill from the Blue john Caverns. Fascinating. I used to drive down there pre collapse.The Tissington trail is nice, do as little or as much as you want to.
As a kid i used to love going to a place called Padley gorge (https://goo.gl/maps/wPLsnFsCVfxJZH1W8). It's a very nice stream you can go to and let the kids play in the water, make some damns and then when you want to do a walk just walk down by the river to grindleford cafe and get some lunch and the back up again.
Loved it there and the fox house is a decent enough pub.
Maybe ask on Yorkshire channel as some locals might give you some gems.
Loved it there and the fox house is a decent enough pub.
Maybe ask on Yorkshire channel as some locals might give you some gems.
Kinder downfall from Mermaid pool used to be fairly unpathed, rough terrain. The waterall probably won't be in flow anyway.
What about going to Alport Castles with the kids. You can either attack from the Labybower reservoir side or there is a real small parking spot on the A57 wher eyou can walk up the Alport valley.
Of course furtehr up the A57 at the top of the pass, head 2 miles over Bleaklow and see the remains of the "Over exposed" Superfortress WW!! bomber that crashed (or get the books on Peak Aircraft wrecks - 50+ documented ) and find some of the others!
What about going to Alport Castles with the kids. You can either attack from the Labybower reservoir side or there is a real small parking spot on the A57 wher eyou can walk up the Alport valley.
Of course furtehr up the A57 at the top of the pass, head 2 miles over Bleaklow and see the remains of the "Over exposed" Superfortress WW!! bomber that crashed (or get the books on Peak Aircraft wrecks - 50+ documented ) and find some of the others!
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