For many, Manchester is the capital of the north and while Manchester is incredibly well-known, not many people realise how easy it is to do a day trip from Manchester to the Peak District on the train.
The Peak District National Park is one of 15 national parks in the UK and while it’s located in Derbyshire, it’s very quick and easy to reach the Peak District in as little as 40 minutes on the train from Manchester Piccadilly station.
I live in the High Peak area on the edge of the Peaks and it really is the perfect location for me to hop into Manchester or into the Peak District with just a short train ride and it honestly is the best of both worlds having so much stunning nature and also such a vibrant city both on my doorstep.
And while I am tempted to keep this beautiful and well-connected area to myself, being able to move between the city and a national park is such a privilege if you’re based in the Manchester area. So I want to share the best day trips to the Peak District from Manchester by train - to show you how easy it really is to visit the Peak District in a day.
Buxton
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8 Day trips to the Peak District from Manchester by train
Buxton
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton
Buxton Opera House
Scrivener’s Books
Buxton is an easy day out from Manchester by taking the train to the end of the line from Manchester Piccadilly.
I love Buxton because there’s so much you can do in the town itself but there’s also countless walks and trails in the surrounding area depending on how much time you have and the level of difficulty you’re looking for.
Buxton is a spa town in the centre of the Peak District and it’s also England’s highest market town.
If you’re arriving from the train station, I’d suggest walking down the hill to the centre of town and checking out Buxton Crescent, the Pavilion and Pavilion Gardens. Followed by the many shops, cafes and restaurants around George Street, Terrace Road and Hardwick Street.
If the weather isn’t great, you could book a spa day or afternoon tea at the Champneys Buxton Crescent, or learn about the history of the spa town for free in the original pump house across the road which is now the Buxton Visitor Centre. Or head into the Buxton Baths which is now a shopping arcade with lots of cute pop-up shops however the original bathhouse features such as tiles, pools, decor and even pool lifts are still visible.
I love a wander around Pavilion Gardens because there’s something for all ages!
In the summer there are pedalos on the water and a miniature railway for kids, plus plenty of nice walking routes to enjoy.
In the Pavilion itself there is a free botanical garden to walk through as well as a store with local arts and crafts to buy.
There’s also a Buxton Brewery taproom in the Pavilion (obviously one for adults) which is one of my favourite breweries which produces my all-time-favourite sour beer - called Trolltunga.
You can easily spend a leisurely afternoon in Pavilion Gardens with family or friends.
On George Street there’s another Buxton Brewery location but this also does amazing food, for drinks, also check out Red Willow.
Or head up Terrace Road for the Buxton Markets and to see the iconic Scrivener’s Books and Bookbinding shop.
Things to do in Buxton:
Pavilion Gardens
Buxton Pavilion and Botanical Conservatory
Buxton Baths and local stores inside
Buxton Crescent
Buxton Market
Buxton Opera House for a show
Scrivener’s Books
Poole’s Cavern
GoApe Buxton
Buxton Pavillion
Buxton Crescent
Food and drink:
Cafe at Green Pavilion for breakfast
Santiago tapa restaurant
Ithaca Greek restaurant
Red Willow taproom
Buxton Brewery Taproom and Pub
Buxton Brewery
Walks to do in or near Buxton:
Pavilion Gardens (easy)
Buxton and Poole’s Cavern Country Park (easy)
Solomon’s Temple (easy)
Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill (moderate)
Three Shires Head (moderate)
Lud’s Church (moderate)
Chee Dale (easy)
Buxton Pavillion Gardens
New Mills
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton (brings you to New Mills Newtown station) OR Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield (brings you to New Mills Central station)
New Mills Millennium Walkway
I live in the High Peak area close to New Mills and I truly think that New Mills is a hidden gem in the Peak District!
While most people flock to the centre of the Peaks, especially in the summer, New Mills is home to countless easy walks, beautiful views, local pubs and breweries as well as great food spots.
The big bonus of New Mills is that there’s two train stations so you have double the number of train options for reaching New Mills compared to anywhere else on this list.
The best place to visit in the New Mills itself is the Millennium Walkway. New Mills is so unique in that it has a rocky gorge called The Torrs somehow tucked away in the centre of the town!
Here there is an old mill converted into a brewery, cafe and event space called the Torr Vale Tap and a suspended walkway attached to the wall of the gorge and above the Goyt River where you can walk through the Torrs with beautiful views.
I’d recommend taking the train to New Mills, doing the Millennium Walkway and continuing on along the Sett Valley Trail which is a nice, easy out-and-back walk. On your return you can stop for coffee, food or a beer at the Torr Vale Tap before heading back to the nearby New Mills Central train station.
Best food and drink spots in New Mills:
Torr Vale Tap, a cafe and taproom with loads of events throughout the week
Cafe on the Bridge for the best brunch and lunch
The Beer Shed which is a locally run taproom
New Mills Market Hall is a newly opened food hall and bar
A Tavola Sicilian restaurant is an amazing family-run Sicilian restaurant and they’re so welcoming and friendly!
A Tavola Sicilian restaurant in New Mills
Food from New Mills Market Hall
The Beer Shed taproom
Best walks starting from New Mills:
Millennium Walkway (easy)
Sett Valley Trail (easy)
Peak Forest Canal walk either towards Whaley Bridge or towards Marple (both easy)
Peak Forest Canal
Whaley Bridge
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton
Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge has its own train station which is two stops further down the line than New Mills Newtown.
So my favourite thing to do is to walk along the Peak Forest Canal route from New Mills to Whaley Bridge which is a nice, flat and easy walk with great views.
You can read my full guide here on how to do this walk as a day out between New Mills and Whaley and the best things to do in both towns before you take the train back to Manchester.
I spend a lot of time in Whaley Bridge as there’s various amenities I use there. But there’s also lots of great local businesses and easy walks in and around the town itself.
Things to do in Whaley Bridge:
Get one of the famous grilled sandwiches from The Bridge Bakehouse
Check out events happening at the Trainshipment Warehouse, there’s often markets or fairs
Bridge 42 for breakfast, lunch or an evening meal and drinks
The Whaley Nook Tap Rooms for a locally run taproom
Walks in or near Whaley Bridge:
Peak Forest Canal (easy)
Whaley Bridge Memorial Park (easy)
Toddbrook Reservoir (easy)
Eccles Pike/Browne Hill (moderate)
Chinley
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield
I have such a soft spot for Chinley and I really want to live there!
Chinley is a charming village in the Peaks which is well connected to both Manchester and Sheffield on the Northern Train line between the two cities.
If you want a nice long but easy walk, I love to walk from Disley or New Mills along the Peak Forest Canal to Chinley and reward myself with a meal at the famous Old Hall Inn (traditional pub food) or Paper Mill Inn (woodfired pizza). This is a flat walk that takes around 2 hours one-way . Then you can take the train back to Manchester from Chinley or do more walking in the village.
There are multiple walks starting in Chinley that include the Chinley Churn..
Chinley Churn is a high rocky hill between Chinley and Hayfield and I highly recommend checking out the different route options in AllTrails depending on the length and difficulty you’re looking for.
Then the Paper Mill Inn or Old Hall Inn can be your reward in Chinley before you head home!
Pizzas at the Paper Mill in Chinley
Edale
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield
Edale has some of the best hiking views and most famous trails in the Peak District, but many of them are also the most challenging!
Edale is one of the start points for hikes including Kinder Scout, Crowden Clough, Grindsbrook Clough, The Pennine Way and Edale Skyline. Many of these routes require a lot of hiking experience and suitable preparation for the terrain and conditions.
But before I scare you off…!
There are also dozens of beautiful and less strenuous walks you can do on a day trip from Manchester to Edale!
The Edale Circular Walk is one of my favourites. There’s also Edale Ridges and the Edale to Mam Tor Circular.
Again, I would recommend using AllTrails to familiarise yourself with these routes and download an offline version of the trail maps.
Then you have The Rambler Inn pub right by the train station in Edale to get food and refreshment after your hike. Their outdoor area on a sunny day in the Peaks is just *chefs kiss*
Hope
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield
Hope is a small, historic village in the heart of the Peak District.
If you’re taking a day trip from Manchester to Hope, this is all about the amazing walks there are to do in the area. Maybe followed by a stop at a local pub before heading home!
There are several walks that start directly from Hope train station so I would recommend familiarising yourself with these routes and downloading them on AllTrails as some of them are quite challenging.
For moderate walks starting in Hope:
Hope to Hathersage is under 10km, beware of sections on the country roads. You can finish in Hathersage with a pub or restaurant before taking the train home from Hathersage
Hope to Edale is a similar one-way route covering about 10km and you can do the same, stop for a pub meal before taking the train home from Edale station.
You can also do Hope to Edale but go via Castleton which is a great option if you want to do a stop in Castleton and have lunch, maybe visit one of the caverns or see Winnats Pass
Win Hill and onto Ladybower Reservoir - Win Hill has incredible views and woodland trails. The section on the reservoir is fairly easy and flat with well-marked paths. Be aware of long sections on country roads
Win Hill and Bamford Edge. I’ve not done this one yet but it is longer and harder due to steep sections where conditions might be poor especially after wet weather so please take caution
Bamford
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield
Bamford is the next stop along the train line from Hope so the walking options are similar although the village itself is much smaller.
Also the train station is about 15 minutes walk outside the actual village which adds extra time to any walk.
From here you can also walk to Hathersag and Hope.
You also have the walking options of Bamford Edge and Bamford Moor Circular which are both moderate and manageable walks.
Bamford Edge in particular can be done in around 3.5km starting from the Bamford Edge Hiking trail head which is just outside the village.
Hikes starting from Bamford train station:
Shatton and Shatton Moor (moderate)
Ladybower Reservoir (moderate)
Banford Edge (moderate)
Glossop and Hadfield
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Hadfield
Glossop is the northernmost day trip from Manchester on this list and there really are countless walking routes you can do that start from Glossop or Hadfield which are the final two stops on the train line.
Glossop is a large town with so many cafes, restaurants and shops that you could come out here for multiple day trips.
The newest opening is the Glossop Market Hall which has been completely renovated and filled with shops and eateries with a large, central foodhall in the middle - it’s giving Mackie Mayor vibes but right here in Glossop!
But before I get carried away with the epic food situation in Glossop, there are a ton of different walks and outdoor activities for various abilities and ages.
Best hikes from Glossop:
Manor Park (easy)
Moorfield Circular (easy-moderate)
B-29 Crashsite (moderate)
Higher Shelf Stones (hard)
Doctor’s Gate (hard)
Shire Hill (easy-moderate)
Some of these hikes (B-29, Shire Hill, Bleaklow and Higher Shelf) start/end close to Distant Hills Brewing, a local brewery in Glossop that serves beer and food. They cater to hikers and people coming in off the hills so you’ll always get a warm welcome and great food or drink.
Best hikes from Hadfield:
Bottoms Reservoir (easy-moderate)
Hadfield and Crowden Circular (moderate)
Mouselow Quarry (easy)
Seven Falls (moderate)
Arnfield Reservoir (easy)
Things to do in Glossop:
Glossop Market Hall
Manor Park
See the Vivienne Westwood mural (Glossop is where she’s from!)
Explore the cute local stores and businesses on the High Street, don’’t miss Glossop Craft Centre, George Street Community Books
Visit Old Glossop
Glossop Outdoor Market Thurs-Sat
Weekend markets and artisan markets on a Saturday
Places to eat and drink in Glossop:
Glossop Market Hall
Twig Coffee
Canella Cafe
Anason (Turkish Breakfast)
Distant Hills Brewing
Harvey Leonard's Wine & Ale
The Globe (vegan food)
Tallow (steak and Sunday Roast)
Hathersage
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield
I reckon Hathersage is a bit of an overlooked Manchester day trip by train. It’s on the same train line as Marple and Edale and all these other spots which are popular but Hathersage has a lot going on, including… a gorgeous heated outdoor pool!
So if you’re visiting Hathersage on a day trip to the Peaks from Manchester, here’s what I’d do…
Once you’re off the train, grab breakfast at either Coleman’s Deli or Cintra’s Tearoom, depending on if you want to sit down or take food on the go.
Then head out on a lovely easy-moderate hike. I'd recommend Stanage Edge but there’s 20+ great walking routes from Hathersage that you can find in AllTrails from 7km to 35km!
Stanage Edge is an iconic view in the Peaks and the walk from Hathersage is only around 8km so it’s very doable in a couple of hours. Just be aware that this is a popular route and it can get busy, particularly on weekends with good weather!
After your walk brings you back to Hathersage, head over to Hathersage Swimming Pool. This is an outdoor swimming pool but it’s heated, so you can have a nice soak after you walk! Usually you don’t need to book either as it’s a lane pool so there’s plenty of space and it’s £8 per adult for a session.
They also have a pop-up sauna during the winter months but you will need to book your slot for that. Find out how on their website.
After your swim to relax after you hike, head for dinner to one of the fabulous food options in Hathersage:
Bank House Hathersage
Peak Pizza Co
The George Restaurant
Before taking the train back to Manchester (or on to Sheffield since you’re on the same train line!)
Marple Bridge
Train line: Northern Trains service from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield
Aww I love Marple Bridge and honestly I’d really like to live here too!
If you’re looking for a cute day trip from Manchester by train that doesn’t involve a big ol’ hike then I think Marple and Marple Bridge is a great shout.
Once you arrive on the train, head to All Things Nice where you can get a gorgeous brekkie or grab some baked goods to go.
Then head out on a nice easy walk in Marple around Brabyns Park where you can see the famous historic Marple Aqueduct and Marple Locks along the canal.
Don’t miss a wander along Town Street in Marple Bridge, I swear this area is straight out of a storybook!
If you have young kids with you I’ve also heard good things about The Garden House Marple which is a local charity and community farm where they have a playground and animal petting - they’re home to pigs, alpacas, rabbits, Shetland ponies, donkeys and more.
It’s a little bit further out but if you have a chance to swing by the famous Tawny Stores in Marple, it’s well worth it for their beaut seasonal produce and canalside cafe.
Or if you’re looking for a dinner spot, Libby’s Bread and Wine is a great shout.
Summary: Manchester day trips to the Peak District
I hope this guide gives you plenty of ideas for day trips to the Peak District from Manchester and also shows you how easy it is to do on the train.
With the countless walking routes, attractions and charming towns in the Peak District, there are so many options and day trip itinerary you can do from each of these day trip destinations.
Manchester really is the best of both when it comes to city living and proximity to the Peaks!
