Ultimate Peak District Adventure Itinerary: 7 Days in Derbyshire

Seven days in the Peak District sounds like a lot of holiday to fill—until you actually sit down and try to fit everything in. Between gritstone edges, show caves, stately homes, market towns and some of England’s prettiest dales, a week here disappears fast. We’ve put together the itinerary we’d actually follow ourselves: a day-by-day route that mixes big-ticket attractions with quieter corners, paced so nobody comes home needing a holiday from the holiday.

This plan works whether you’re based at Oakwood House with the whole extended family, at Oakwood Lodge with a smaller group or couple, or at Oakwood Mews for a relaxed twosome—Tansley sits close enough to the A6 and A515 that every day trip below is realistically under an hour’s drive.

Day 1: Settle In and Explore Tansley & Matlock

Don’t overplan arrival day. Stock up at the local shops, take a short stroll to Lumsdale Falls—a series of old mill waterfalls a few minutes from Tansley—and get your bearings in Matlock itself. It’s an easy, low-effort first day that still gets everyone outside before dinner.

Day 2: Chatsworth House & Baslow

Chatsworth House and its 1,000-acre deer park is the Peak District’s best-known day out, and it earns the reputation—house tours, a working farmyard and adventure playground for families, and gardens that are genuinely worth half a day on their own. Pair it with a late lunch in Baslow, a few minutes down the road, before heading back to base.

Day 3: Bakewell Market Town & the Monsal Trail

Bakewell is built for a slower pace: the market (Mondays), the famous Bakewell pudding (not a tart, the locals will tell you), and a riverside walk along the Wye. In the afternoon, join the Monsal Trail—a flat, traffic-free former railway line that runs through tunnels and crosses the dramatic Headstone Viaduct at Monsal Head. It’s an easy win for groups with a mix of ages and fitness levels.

Day 4: Castleton’s Show Caves & the Great Ridge

Castleton is where the Peak District gets properly dramatic. Four show caves—Blue John Cavern, Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern—sit within walking distance of each other, each with its own character (Peak Cavern’s entrance, known locally as the Devil’s Arse, is a sight on its own). If anyone in your group wants a walk instead, the ridge above—Mam Tor and Winnats Pass—delivers some of the best views in the National Park for a relatively short climb.

Day 5: Dovedale & the White Peak

Dovedale’s stepping stones across the River Dove are one of the most photographed spots in the Peak District, and the valley walk beneath Thorpe Cloud is gentle enough for most fitness levels. It’s further south than the previous days, so build in a relaxed pub lunch in Ilam or Alstonefield before the drive back.

Day 6: Eyam’s Plague Village & Hathersage

Eyam’s 17th-century plague history is genuinely gripping told on the ground—plague cottages, a self-guided trail and a small museum make it one of the more memorable, less strenuous days on this list. In the afternoon, Hathersage (and Stanage Edge above it, if anyone fancies a stretch of the legs) rounds out the day nicely, with cafés and a historic church worth a look.

Day 7: Matlock Bath & a Slow Departure

Save the lightest day for last. Matlock Bath’s cable cars up to the Heights of Abraham are a genuine highlight—and close enough to Tansley that you can fit them in before checking out. We’ve written a full guide to Matlock & Matlock Bath if you want more detail on where to eat and what else to see nearby.

Where to Stay for Your Peak District Week

A week-long Peak District trip is exactly where accommodation choice matters most—you’ll want somewhere genuinely comfortable to come home to each evening. Oakwood House sleeps 12 across five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, with a dedicated sitting room and dining room for the whole group to regroup after a day out—ideal for a multi-generational family taking on this itinerary together. For a smaller group or extended family, Oakwood Lodge sleeps 6 across three bedrooms and offers a flexible base with its own private garden. And for a couple or a pair of friends wanting a quieter week, Oakwood Mews sleeps 4 in its genuinely single-storey, step-free layout, with a private courtyard to unwind in each evening.

All three are in Tansley, close enough to the A6 that none of the seven days above involves more than about an hour’s drive each way.

Packing & Planning Tips for a Full Peak District Week

• Book Chatsworth House tickets online in advance where possible, especially during school holidays
• Pack proper walking boots—even the “easy” days above involve some uneven ground
• Bring a mix of layers; Peak District weather can shift within a single day
• Check opening times for the Castleton show caves before you go, as these vary seasonally
• Leave Day 1 and Day 7 light on purpose—travel days need slack built in

For current opening times, events and visitor information across the National Park, the Peak District National Park Authority’s own visiting pages are the most reliable source to check before you travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is seven days enough time to see the Peak District properly?

Yes, comfortably. Seven days lets you cover the headline attractions—Chatsworth, Castleton’s caves, Dovedale, Bakewell—without rushing, while still leaving slower days for walking and local villages. Basing yourself centrally in Tansley, as you would at Oakwood House, Oakwood Lodge or Oakwood Mews, keeps every day trip on this list within about an hour’s drive.

Which Oakwood property suits a week-long multi-generational trip best?

Oakwood House, which sleeps 12 across five en-suite bedrooms with its own sitting room and dining room, is built for exactly this—a bigger group wanting shared space to come back to after a full day out.

Do we need a car to follow this itinerary?

Yes. While Tansley and Matlock are walkable, reaching Chatsworth, Castleton, Dovedale and Eyam on this itinerary realistically requires a car each day, though all are short, straightforward drives from Oakwood Holidays’ properties.

Is this itinerary suitable for a group with dogs?

Much of it, yes—Oakwood House and Oakwood Lodge both welcome two well-behaved dogs, and Oakwood Mews welcomes two well-behaved pets. Dovedale, the Monsal Trail and the walks around Castleton and Hathersage are all dog-friendly, though the show caves themselves may have their own restrictions worth checking ahead.