A Taste of the Peak District

Accommodation, activities and attractions of the Peak District of the UK

Site Map >> Home >> General Information >> How to get to the Peak District

Where exactly is the Peak District? Here is a map of the UK showing county boundaries. The Peak District location and surrounding counties are highlighted (surrounding cities are initialled - L = Leeds, M = Manchester, S = Sheffield, D = Derby and N = Nottingham)

Ordnance Survey map of the White Peak or Dark Peak (in association with Cotswold Outdoor).

Click here for a map showing the main roads and towns in the Peak District and here for information about towns, villages and dales.

Peak District - how to get there the easy way - Midland Mainline, Virgin trains, Central, Transpennine Express or National Express coach

Your route will obviously depend on where you are coming from and which part of the Peak District you wish to visit. The following are some suggestions as to how the National Park can be reached by road. When in the Peak District, the A6 is a key road for accessing the east and north, the A515 from Ashbourne is good for accessing the west. Alternatively, leave the car at home or if you have no car, come by coach.

From the south east - M1, leave at junction 25 and take the A52 to Derby where you can pick up the A6 heading north through Duffield and Belper or stay with the A52 to Ashbourne. Alternatively, leave the M1 at junction 28, take the A38 south to Alfreton and pick up the A615 from Alfreton to Matlock.

From the north east - M1, leave at junction 33, through Sheffield city centre to pick up either the A57 (Snake Pass road) or the A625. Alternatively, to avoid Sheffield, leave the M1 lower down at junction 30 or 29 and pick up the A619 from Chesterfield (to Baslow) or the A632 (to Matlock).

From the south west - M5, M42, A42, M1 then direction’s as for approaching from the South East. Alternatively take the M6 round Birmingham, leave that at junction 6 and take the A38 past Lichfield to Derby. From there pick up the A52 for Ashbourne or the A6 for Matlock. You could also travel further north on the M6 and cut across via Congleton or Macclesfield to Buxton.

From the north west - M6, M63, leave the latter at Stockport and follow the signs for Buxton. Alternatively, stay on the M6 to junction 19, through Knutsford and Macclesfield to Buxton (for the north of the National Park) or from Macclesfield to Leek and Ashbourne for the south.

By public transport - There are stations within the Peak Park but in practice it is probably easier to go to one of the surrounding cities and catch a bus from there. Off the main roads, public transport is not too good.

Instead of driving, why not travel to the Peak District by coach or by train (tickets from the Trainline).

Click here for a list hotel accommodation (with secure online booking) in the Peak District - distances from Bakewell.

Search or Stilwell’s for holiday cottages to rent.

Click here for Bed and Breakfast accommodation or click here to view our main accommodation page.

More bus and train information