Easter in the Peak District brings new life. With lambs grazing in the fields and flowers and trees bursting into life it really is a joyous time to be out walking. And, with the long bank holiday weekend and Easter holidays many people have a little more time than usual to explore.
We all know there’s more to the Peak District than walking. If you’re looking for ways to fill your days with friends and family we’ve got you covered. In this article we’re bringing you some of our favourite Spring walks, along with other Easter-time activities to keep you busy.
Let me know if you’ve got any other Peask District Easter activities you think should be on the list!
Walks and More in the Peak District this Easter
We’ve handpicked some great walks for you to enjoy and paired it with an activity you can do in the nearby area. Check all our picks below and let us know in the comments at the bottom which ones you chose!
Click through to the walk pages to get the full description, map and GPX.
Walk 1. Sir William Hill Trig Walk From Eyam (+ River Derwent) | 10-Mile Route
Eyam Village is also known as the Plague Village. Your walk starts from here and takes in a scenic river, woodlands and great views from Sir William Hill trig point. It’s perfect for taking in the best of all the different scenery the area has to offer. Plus, you can learn all about the history of Eyam when you finish.
Full Walk DescriptionPair your walk with…a visit to the Eyam Museum
When you get back to the village Eyam Museum is just opposite the car park. The museum tells the stories Eyam, including its experience of plague in 1665-1666, and its wider social history and industrial heritage. The museum has its own shop and takes around an hour to go round. Leaving you time to viist some of the other shops, cafes and pubs in Eyam after!
Eyam Museum WebsiteWalk 2. Padley Gorge, Higger Tor + Stanage Edge Walk From Hathersage | 12-Mile Route
Padley Gorge is at its absolute prime in spring. Lush greenery will surround you on all sides as you hike through before emerging to open moorlands and Surprise View. You’ll continue on up to Stanage Edge, where you can get all encompassing views of the area. On this walk you’ll also take in the delightful riverside of the River Derwent – if you’re lucky you’ll get to see the ducklings making first outings on the river!
Full Walk DescriptionPair your walk with…a swim in the outdoor pool at Hathersage
Hathersage Outdoor Pool celebrates is 90th year in 2026! That’s a lot of swimming history. And,now you can book a spot in their new poolside sauna to really glow-up your swim! The pool runs a mixture of pre-book and pay-on-entry sessions. Find the full timetables here.
Hathersage Outdoor PoolWalk 3. Black Rocks and StarDisc from Wirksworth | 4-mile route
This is only a short walk but it takes you uphill and through woodland before you reach the viewpoint at Black Rocks. From here you’ll be able to take in views for miles of rolling green hills before heading back along the route of the old High Peak Railway. You can continue the railway theme with an Easter trip on the Ecclesbourne Railway after your walk.
Full Walk DescriptionPair your walk with…a ride on the Ecclesbourne Railway
The Ecclesbourne Railway follows a 9-mile route through the Ecclesbourne Valley, passing through woodlands, farmland and gently undulating hills. All the trains have been lovingly restored by volunteers. They are running an Easter Steam Train service from the 3rd-6th April, as well as their usual services at other times.
Ecclesbourne RailwayWalk 4. Blore Pastures, Ilam Hall + Park Walk From Blore Pastures | 4-Mile Route
If you’re looking for a family day out we’ve got a lovely pairing of walk and activity for you here. This short walk from Blore Pastures, on the edge of the White Peak area, takes in gorgeous views of Thorpe Cloud and Bunster Hill.
Along the way you can see the River Manifold bubble up from under the ground, and spot the Gothic Revival cross at the centre of Ilam village. You can choose to start and finish your walk from Ilam Hall if you prefer. That way you can head straight in for coffee and cake after, along with a fun Easter activity.
Full Walk DescriptionPair your walk with…an Easter trail at Ilam Park
Once you’ve finished your walk and had some refreshments you can explore the beautiful parkland of Ilam Park while taking part in their Easter trail. Prices are £3.50 per trail which includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and dairy or vegan and Free From* chocolate egg.
At 10 fun filled activity stations around the park you’ll travel back in time to learn about the people of Ilam Park. The activity stations are designed to be fun for the whole family from tiny tots to nearly grown ups! They’ve designed activities for everyone to get involved, along their brand new accessible path.
Ilam HallWalk 5. Chatsworth House and Edensor from Bakewell | 7-Mile route
This walk from the lovely town of Bakewell in the Peak District takes you to the grounds of Chatsworth House and through the unique village of Edensor, with woodland and open views along the way.
It’s a lovely route, steeped in the history of the area and when you finish you can take time to explore Bakewell.
Full Route DescriptionPair your walk with…the Bakewell Bunny Trail
The town is famous for its Bakewell Tart and if you head to The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop you can take part in their Bakewell Bunny Trail! The fun-filled scavenger hunt will lead you around Bakewell in search of the Easter Bunny! He’s hidden letters inside Easter egg posters across town – spot them in the windows of participating shops, write them down, and solve the riddle on your map. Once you’ve cracked the code, hop back to the shop to claim your free bunny-shaped gingerbread biscuit!
Bakewell Bunny TrailWalk 6. Chatsworth Hunting Tower Walk From Baslow | 4-Mile Route
We’re giving you a short walk to do from Baslow as you’ll need lots of time after for all the activities on offer at Chatsworth House and Gardens!
From Baslow car park, you walk into Chatsworth Park and up into Stand Woods. The route takes you via Chatsworth Hunting Tower then on to the aqueduct, it’s a lovely route for all weathers, as in warm weather there’s shade from the trees, and on rainy days you’ll have some shelter.
Once you’ve explored the Hunting Tower and aqueduct you descend back down past Chatsworth House, before walking back via the Derwent Valley Heritage Trail to Baslow.
Full Route DescriptionPair your walk with…an abundance of Easter fun at Chatsworth House
When you purchase a garden and farmyard ticket for Chatsworth House this Easter you’ll find a whole host of fun waiting for you. Take part in various craft making activities, go on a tractor trailer ride, make a leaf boat and take part in the Easter Egg Hunt.
Easter at ChatsworthWalk 7. Stanton Woodhouse from Rowsley | 4-mile route
This delightful short walk on the very edge of the Peak District takes in lovely views of Matlock and Haddon Hall as you head up to your halfway point, which is also the highest point of the walk. Stroll past the pretty buildings and Manor House at Stanton Woodhouse, before descending on country lanes, stopping to enjoy views framed by overhanging trees.
You start and finish in Rowsley, which is also the location of the Peak Rail steam train station.
Full Walk DescriptionPair your walk with…searching for Easter eggs on a steam train
Head to the Peak Rail after your walk and grab a ticket to ride! Can you follow the clues and find all the Easter Pictures that are hidden along the line and at the stations?
The Easter Treasure Hunt is £1 to enter and includes a free pencil. You can pay to take part at the ticket office. If you find all the clues, one lucky winner will get free tickets to one of our Santa Special trains in December. Make sure you check the Peak Rail website before you go for days the trains are operating.
Peak Rail
Do you have any more questions about Easter activities in the Peak District? Ask me in the comments below.
Ordnance Survey Walk Maps
For these walks, there are two maps that cover them OL1 – Peak District (Dark Peak Area) and OL24 – Peak District (White Peak Area)
Shop online at Ordnance Survey
And don’t forget your compass, I recommend the Silva Expedition or the Silva Classic compass.
For online maps, I recommend the OS Online App (I have been using it for many years and it is worth getting if you want to start walking more). Check prices here for the one-month or annual option with the OS Online App. All the walks on the website are created using OS Online + you can download them to the App.
Check prices here for the one month or yearly option with OS Online App.
More walks in the Peak District
Love the walks in the Peak District? You might like this Peak District walk collection.
Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here
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