Peak District

The best way to get to Peak District is to take a train from London St Pancras to Sheffield. Once in Sheffield, the best way is to take another train to Bamford and, after optionally, take a bus to Castleton, or you can start your hiking day right there.

Travelling around the UK is not always low-cost; train tickets are usually more expensive than a plane ticket to another country. Nevertheless, it shouldn’t stop you. England is much more than London. Wonderful countryside, green hills and lovely people along the way who are always ready to share some words.

Where you can save some money is, as always, accommodation. This time we decided to pitch a tent at the campsite near Castleton, surrounded by farm animals, hills and fresh air. As you may know, wild camping is illegal in England, but you can find an official campsite and spend the night for a small fee.

After we pitched the tent, which was indeed a challenging experience, the wind was fighting against us, and the fact we actually built the tent maybe a decade ago didn’t really help us either. We set for our first hike.

Mam Tor looks a little bit like a back of the dragon, and the climb of that hill was slightly more demanding than I could ever imagine. Mam Tor is just about 517 meters above sea level and should be a piece of cake.

Regardless of the wind, sun and probably some stomach bug, the hike was a rather pleasant experience. Green hills with sheep and goats gave that right James Herriot vibe, aka English countryside.

When someone asked me how to define true friendship, I would say it is when you vomit the whole night in a symphony, not to mention in the tent. So that was it, our Peak District experience. One afternoon on the hike followed with terrible nausea.

However, it wouldn’t be me if I did not decide to come back a few months later to finish what we started back in May. Again I paid a small fortune for a ticket and dealt with all the delays and technical issues along the way. Bamford edge is an excellent short hike which can be done within an hour and a half to the top.

Peak District should definitely be on your bucket list! There is so much more to find. From hills to waterfalls and lakes, tiny towns and villages with the best tea and scones!