White Peak Way

White Peak Way

A circular walking holiday through the magnificent Peak District National Park.

4 to 12 nights
46-97 miles
Moderate to Strenuous

From £490 per person

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About the trail

From the Georgian streets of the old spa-town of Buxton, the White Peak Way dips through seven distinct dales of the Peak District National Park. It clambers along ridges and traverses gritstone edges, wanders the green grounds of Chatsworth House, follows riverbanks through tranquil valleys, and even explores the rock chambers, tunnels and steps carved by an eccentric Victorian vicar. Historic villages such as Bakewell and Youlgreave also add to the character of the area, with their distinctive pastries and traditions, giving this walk a well-rounded, charming atmosphere throughout. Book a walking holiday on the White Peak Way and immerse yourself in this beautiful region.

We offer multiple holiday options along this trail. If you wish to experience the entire trail, simply select the first option from the list below.

Choose your route

  • White Peak Way
  • White Peak Way - South Section
  • White Peak Way - North Section

About this route

6 to 12 nights
97 miles
Moderate to Strenuous
2nd January to 24th December

From £750 per person

White Peak Way

The full White Peak Way explores seven dales of the Peak District National Park while meandering over gritstone edges and along tranquil valleys. This circular walk journeys 90 miles, starting and ending in Buxton, and features a wealth of incredible scenery to savour.

Whether you're keen to take in far-reaching panoramas from the various ridges, or wander the cobbled streets of the many towns and villages along the way, the White Peak Way has plenty of excellent sights to keep all walkers engaged from start to finish.

Available tours

Code Tour Duration Difficulty Price per person
WPW1 A circular trail beginning at Buxton 6 nights, 5 days walking Strenuous £750
WPW2 A circular trail beginning at Buxton 8 nights, 7 days walking Moderate / Demanding £995
WPW3 A circular trail beginning at Buxton 9 nights, 8 days walking Moderate / Demanding £1115
WPW4 A circular trail beginning at Buxton 11 nights, 10 days walking Moderate £1360
WPW5 A circular trail beginning at Buxton 12 nights, 11 days walking Moderate £1480

White Peak Way 6 nights, 5 days walking

£NNN per person
  • Itinerary
  • What's included?
  • Extra nights?
  • Tour facts
  • Route profile
  • Travel info
  • Weather
  • Holiday Highlights
Start

Travel to Buxton where your first night's accommodation will be booked

Day 1

Buxton to Castleton. 18.5 miles (29.5km)

Day 2

Castleton to Baslow. 21 miles (34km)

Day 3

Baslow to Youlgreave. 16.5 miles (26.5km)

Day 4

Youlgreave to Thorpe(L). 17 miles (27.5km)

Day 5

Thorpe(L) to Buxton. 23 miles (37km)

Finish

Depart from Buxton after breakfast

Your Itinerary

This itinerary lists our preferred overnight stops for this tour. Sometimes there may be a shortage of available accommodation in a preferred location, in which case we will transfer you from the trail to your accommodation and back again at no extra charge. Overnight stops marked with a (T) will always require transfers as standard.

Overnight stops marked with an (L) have very limited accommodation, and therefore more often than not will also require a transfer, particularly on bank holidays and weekends. We will use non-transfer accommodation wherever possible.

The daily mileages quoted are average trail miles only and do not include the distance from the trail to your accommodation. We do not expect you to have to travel more than a mile from the trail to your accommodation in most cases; should your accommodation be further than this, transfers will be provided as standard if practical. A very limited number of stops will require you to travel on foot up to two miles off the trail, however these instances will be clearly communicated to you if applicable.

Further transfers may also be required due to some accommodations having a two-night minimum booking policy, especially at weekends.

Below are the additional costs that may apply depending on your requirements. Dog-friendly tours are subject to a Daily Dog Charge, which will be listed below if applicable. Our standard prices per person are based upon two people sharing a room; if you are on your own, or are part of a group but require a room of your own, then the Solo Traveller or Single Supplements apply respectively:

A note about transfers
Solo Traveller Supplement
£75.00 per person / per night
Single Supplement
£60.00 per person / per night


You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Baslow)
£75.00 per person / per night
Standard
Interactive
© Contours Walking Holidays White Peak Way map
Circular trail beginning at Buxton
97 miles (155 km)
2nd January to 24th December

Holiday highlights

Visiting the majestic grounds of Chatsworth House, with attractive hamlets such as Edensor.

Exploring the mystical area of Stanton Moor, with traces of prehistoric man and eerie stone circles.

Experiencing classic Derbyshire: villages nestled within dales criss-crossed by drystone walls, host to pagan traditions such as Well Dressing.

What's included?

  • 6 nights' accommodation in en-suite rooms (where available) in selected B&B’s, hotels, inns and guesthouses along the trail, or a short distance away via taxi provided at our expense.
  • Breakfast each day.
  • Door to door luggage transfer.
  • Maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail.
  • An information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night and a kit list.
  • Detailed travel instructions on how to get to the start of your holiday and back from the end of it.

Extra Nights & Rest Days

Castleton is a lovely little village and is a good choice for a rest day if you would like to visit the impressive show caves of Peak Cavern and Speedwell Cavern.

A rest day at Baslow or Yougreave allows more time to visit the nearby market town of Bakewell, famous for its delicious Bakewell Pudding, is a popular choice. The Old House Museum was built in the reign of Henry VIII and includes many items of interest. Haddon Hall is nearby too, one of the finest medieval manor houses in England and is well worth a visit. It is worth considering spending a day exploring the house and grounds of Chatsworth House near Baslow.

The attractive village of Hartington is another possibility.

The splendid old spa town of Buxton is worth considering for an extra night at the start or the end of the trail. Amongst the many fine buildings is The Crescent, built in the 18th century by the Duke of Devonshire to rival its namesake in Bath; the Old Hall Hotel, which once played host to Mary Queen of Scots; the Opera House; the Devonshire Hospital, built in 1790 as stabling for the horses of gentry 'taking the waters', its magnificent 164ft dome was for many years the world's largest domed roof; and the Pump Room. Poole's Cavern, on the outskirts of the town is one of the finest show caves in the Peak District.

You can add rest days at any of the overnight stops:

Extra night (Standard)
£65.00 per person / per night
Extra night (Baslow)
£75.00 per person / per night

Tour Facts

Total distance: 96.5 miles (154.5 km)
Duration: 6 nights, 5 days walking
Minimum daily distance: 16.5 miles (26.5 km)
Maximum daily distance: 23 miles (37 km)
Code: WPW1 Grade: Strenuous
Season: 2nd January - 24th December
Start of holiday: Buxton
End of holiday: Buxton

Route Profile

White Peak Way Route Profile

Travel Information

Useful information and travel links that will assist you in your plans to travel to the start of the holiday and back from the end of it are sent to you with your full tour pack. A summary is given below:

By Air - The most convenient major city and international airports are Manchester, East Midlands and Leeds Bradford.

By Rail - There is a rail station at Buxton.

By Bus - Various bus services run to and from Buxton.

From London - Trains run from London Euston station to Buxton.

Return To The Start - The White Peak Way is a circular tour beginning and ending in Buxton.

Weather Information

To find out more about the weather forecast for your chosen holiday's general location, please see the following websites:

  • MetCheck - This website allows you to look up detailed weather information for specific locations as far as six months in advance.
  • Met Office - This website shows regional area forecasts a few days in advance, with a general UK forecast description of up to 30 days in advance.
  • Mountain Forecast - This website shows what the forecast is like up on specific hills and fells, and offers forecasts a few days in advance.
"Solomon's Temple" by Colin Bathe (2022) "Solomon's Temple" by Colin Bathe (2022)
"Lose Hill" by Colin Bathe (2022) "Lose Hill" by Colin Bathe (2022)
"Between Biggin and Dovedale" by Glen Sampson (2022) "Between Biggin and Dovedale" by Glen Sampson (2022)
"Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020) "Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020)
"Chatsworth" by Raymond Riggs (2020) "Chatsworth" by Raymond Riggs (2020)
"Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020) "Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020)
"Duke's Drive Viaduct" by Raymond Riggs (2020) "Duke's Drive Viaduct" by Raymond Riggs (2020)
"Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020) "Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020)
"Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020) "Baslow Edge" by Raymond Riggs (2020)
"A Scramble through the Rockery" by Roger Pearce (2017) "A Scramble through the Rockery" by Roger Pearce (2017)
"Near Dovedale" by Roger Pearce (2017) "Near Dovedale" by Roger Pearce (2017)
"Great Ridge" by Pat Fergusson (2017) "Great Ridge" by Pat Fergusson (2017)
"High Peak Haymaking" by Pat Fergusson (2017) "High Peak Haymaking" by Pat Fergusson (2017)

Customer reviews from the White Peak Way

“I loved seeing a new corner of the UK and I was very lucky with the weather. The route directions were excellent.”
Mr Nuquist, USA
“We were extremely fortunate with the weather, the walk itself is lovely and the accommodation was for the most part very good.”
Mrs Hawkins, UK
“The entire trip was well organized.”
Mr Muirhead, USA
“Well-designed route with varied walking.”
Mrs Meiklejohn, UK
“Thanks for organising it at such short notice, during the busy season”
Mr Deadman, Australia
“The beautiful (and at times challenging, thanks to the rain and mud) dales were a wonderful new experience to us.”
Mrs Locke, USA
“Fabulous break and the logistics were all seamless - thanks! I will be back for another holiday - hopefully with friends in tow!”
Dr Sprague, UK
“Excellent in terms of organisation, all accommodation more than satisfactory.”
Mr Attree, UK
“Very well organised and Richard at Contours took on board our fitness level and customised a route for us. Accommodation was very good. Luggage collected and delivered by Pac-Man Travel with no problem which certainly took away any stress. It was great having the holiday organised and accommodation booked for us. We are planning to do a walking holiday every year now with Contours.”
Ms Evans, UK
Find your holiday