Have a trip up there soon, staying near Tideswell. Will be a group of up to 10 people, all men around 40 and relatively fit.

Can anyone recommend any of their favourite walks in the area? Ideally something relatively challenging, should be a proper day walk – staying in accomodation. I’ve done a fair bit of walking there but it’s either been at the shorter, tamer end, or wild camping so I’ve been able to extend it. Have two days of walking planned

Was thinking of heading up to Kinder Scout from Edale and going up Grindsbrook Clough. That should give some fun, easy scrambling. Depending on the route back that might take 3-5 hours I guess

Anything else? I’ve done Win Hill and Mam Tor a few times. Would be good to avoid bigger crowds, which I know Kinder Scout doesn’t do. Will be a weekend post school holidays

I’m hoping to go up the day before so I can have a ride, would be good to avoid bridleways, otherwise I’d just wish I was on my bike!

Also somewhere with relatively decent parking. I can’t imagine everyone getting up early if we’ve been in the pub the night before… We’d probably be in two cars so if the start is from somewhere that needs an early start, that might not work as well…!

I have maps etc and can obviously google for route options, looking for recommendations/favourites. I’ve been up to Alport Castles before but can’t see a nice way of doing that as a loop

Bonus points for pubs half way around!

Seems a bit daft, if you don’t mind me saying, staying in the White Peak then travelling to the Dark Peak to do a walk; go from the door, there is tonnes of beautiful walking and scenery around there (and a lot more pubs), and enough ups and downs in the Dales to make it challenging.

How about Derwent Edge from Derwent Inn at Ladybower, all the way to Cut Gate, along towards Outer Edge, but then cut down to the Derwent river, up Lower Small Clough past the shooting cabin, down the other side in to the plantation on the West Bank of the reservoir then up Alport Castles. From there, roughly south east towards Hagg Farm, and then bridleway back down to Ladybower.

No pub on route (!) but pub at the end for half a point.

Edit. Fair point from @IHN though, loads to go at in the white Peak.

Second edit. That’s actually quite a big day out. Could shorten it by walking back along the east bank of the reservoirs after dropping down from cut gate to slippery stones.

Might not be gnarr enough but…

From Tideswell to Litton, then into Cressbrook Dale. South to Cressbrook. Cross the river and East along Monsal Trail through the tunnels. Pub at junction with Monk’s Dale. Then either up the Limestone Way and back into Tideswell (about 8 miles total), or carry on along Monsal Trail then pick up the PBW and head back to Tideswell that way (about 12 miles total).

Combine these two

https://peakdistrictwalks.net/tideswell-dale-cressbrook-dale-from-litton/

https://peakdistrictwalks.net/chee-dale-walk-from-miller-dale/

As above, miller’s dale on your doorstep. Very different to kinder so you’ll have the best of both worlds.

Thanks all for the suggestions so far. The original plan was to head up to the Lakes, I wanted to do some of the edges on Helvellyn and Blencathra but I couldn’t find any accommodation. Everything was booked.

So the reason for wanting something challenging was to replicate some of the buzz from what we might have done in the Lakes. That was the reason for the scrambling near Kinder Scout, I was hoping for a bit of leg burn and some sweat from getting up something.

Monsal Trail was lovely on the bikes with the kids but on foot it’s a bit easier and busier than I’d like

Thanks Tuboflard, I’ll check out that walk. Might be a bit big on distance but the views and effort is good.

Totally appreciate that the Lakes and the Peak are different places. Also that Dark Peak is a different area to White Peak, couldn’t find any reasonably priced accommodation in the Dark Peak anyway. Could do a bigger walk on the first day in the Dark Peak and then a shorter easier walk in the White Peak/Millers Dale on the following day. That would work as everyone is driving south to head back home from there. I like that plan

There’s a real mix of folks. I’ve done Alpine peaks with one of the guys but some of the others rarely do more than a country stroll. I’m hoping for something spicier than a lower level walk

Walking through Chee Dale is good fun, stepping stones, scrambly bits, it’s not just a riverside stroll

Thanks, that Chee Dale walk looks ideal for the Sunday. Although might need to look at parking options. It’s not a group known for it’s speed in the morning so might struggle to get there before the crowds!

I just bailed on Doctor’s Gate. Heavy rain and thunder, was off to see the bomber.

Probably going to be the wrong side of Kinder, but one of my fav walks starts at the Sportsman in Hayfield.
You head up past 20 Trees on The Snake Path to the Shooting Cabin, Drop Right towards Kinder Reservoir and head up William Clough. Turn Right at the top onto The Pennine Way, past The Kinder Downfall and round to Kinder Low. At the top of Jacobs Ladder go South and then South West over the Slabs to South Head. Straight over the top of Mount Famine and where the gate comes in on the left head straight on, along the ridge to pick up the top of the Campsite descent or down through the trees. Cross the River Sett back to the pub. Probably looking at 4-5 hours with a snack stop (10-11 miles).

You could park in Edale and head up The Pennine Way (Jacobs Ladder) and start the route from there turning Left to the top of Jacobs to pick up the slabs etc.. then lunch in The Sportsman, picking up the loop back as above but this would likely add another 8 miles

Also starting in Edale but no mid walk pub stop – Edale, Ringing Roger, Kinder Downfall and then back via Pennine Way, Jacobs Ladder, Upper Booth and into The Old Nags Head for a pint. Prob about another 10 miler

Was about to suggest a Hayfield start up William Clough but carlos beat me to it!

This route would also allow people who may be struggling to head back to Hayfield at Kinder Low and cut out South Head. Hayfield would offer easier parking and more places for a drink as well.

The Edale to Hayfield loop would be a good 8 hour walk so perhaps too much…

Driving, trying to get parked AND avoiding the crowds? In the Peak on a weekend? After you’ve all had a lie in?

I don’t know if any of this route is on private land but there’s the Tideswell fell race route which might help with route ideas. Similarly there’s the Cressbrook Crawl fell race route. Not sure about the pub situation with either!

Maybe look at Chrome Hill as an option?

Kinder by the edges is a brilliant day walk. The northern, less popular side has a really wild feel to it and good views down onto, erm, the A57. You can start it from either Hayfield or Edale and it’s pretty much what it sounds like: ie: just follow the edge of the Kinder plateau. If you don’t want to go right to the end, the point above Edale near Ringing Roger is pretty narrow so a good place to cut across.

Alpoort Castles is a slightly mad sort of place and worth a visit if you’re in the Ladybower end of things. The amble along the top of Stanage is atmospheric. Derwent Edge is nice. If you want something with scale, Dark Peak is arguably your best bet. Edale Skyline is nice. Bleaklow feels, erm, bleak and has aircraft wrecks.

But for wildness, the north edge of Kinder is good and much quieter than the popular side with the Downfall and its predatory sheep, if you don’t want a full ‘by the edges’ round, you can cut across the centre of the plateau which is an adventure in itself. Far less horrible than it used to be thanks to the Moors for the Future restoration work up there.

If you fancy necky scrambling, Winnatts Pass has some options.

Forgot to mention Cavedale where you could start in Castleton and head over to Peak Forest for a pub then loop back and head over towards Mam Tor then back to Castleton.

Some variation on the Peakers Stroll route.

If you are keen for something fairly challenging then the edale skyline trail run route is a great long walk. It should be fairly easy to find on Google.