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Here are 3 of the best pram friendly walks in the Peak District with routes, pictures, maps, parking information and top tips. The peak district is the perfect place for a weekend getaway with kids. Expect to see rolling hills, amazing views, woodlands and open moorlands. You can also find lots of charming country pubs and the occasional ice cream van.
Before you read on, what do we mean by a “pram friendly walk”? Pram friendly walks follow trails which are well paved and the routes are relatively flat. There may be the occasional gate or style where you may need to lift the pram. These flat and well paved trails also attract cyclists, so it’s always important to be aware of bicycles and supervise kids carefully on these trails.
By the way, some walking websites in the Peak District recommend very long routes. All of our pram friendly walks in the peak district are also parent friendly too! These walks are relaxing walks that you can enjoy at a steady pace for an hour or two – with nice amenities like cafes and ice cream vans. No route marches or half marathons here.
Oh yeah and make sure that you read to the end of this article. We will also share a few popular places that are NOT suitable for pram friendly walks in the Peak District.
1 Longshaw Estate
Don’t miss our FULL guide on the Longshaw Estate walks
Located super close to Sheffield, with plenty of parking options the Longshaw Estate is a great spot for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. There are lots of lovely trails in the area so you can adapt the route to your needs. Most of the trails are flat and well paved. The Longshaw Estate also affords some stunning views of the Peak District. Also don’t miss the cafe near the Estate office and car park.
The route we recommend here sticks to the main trails. The route is around 2.6km and will take around 30 minutes at a steady pace. This route follows the trail through the woods and past the beautiful Longshaw pond. There is an option of extending the walk. Rather than turning left back to the estate car park, you can go straight and follow a path through the Longshaw plantations and past the stanage pole.
Distance: 2.6km with the option of extending
Parking: There are several spots to park nearby. You can park at the Longshaw Estate carpark (called the Woodcroft car park). This costs £3.50 to park up to 4 hours and £5.00 to park for over 4 hours.
Top tips: If the parking at Woodcroft is too busy or too expensive, there is also free roadside parking on the B6521 near Padley Gorge.
2 Lady Bower Reservoir
Don’t miss our FULL guide on Lady Bower reservoir walks
Lady Bower and Derwent Reservoir are fantastic for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. They are surrounded by a very well pathed trail allowing walkers and cyclists to walk around the reservoir with breathtaking views of the area. Just near the Derwent dam, you can also find a small beautiful nature trail for kids. If you visit the Derwent Dam when the water levels are high enough you can also see water impressively cascading down the front of the dam. As scary as it looks this is not a problem. It is just part of the overflow system.
The loop walk we have suggested is a little longer at 9km. This will take around 3 hours at a steady pace. If you want a shorter walk, you can follow the trail along the west bank of Ladybower dam.
Distance: The full loop walk is around 9km.
Parking: The pay and display parking at Fairholmes car park costs £3 for up to 2 hours or £5 for all day parking.
Top tips: This car park can fill up during peak times. There are also several laybys on the road leading up to the Fairholmes car park. Some laybys are free and others are pay and display.
3 Monsal Trail (from Hassop Station cafe)
Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE on getting to the Monsal Waterfall
The Monsal Trail is another great spot for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. Start at the Hassop Station cafe. This is a great place to grab a cuppa and a snack. From here you can join the Monsal trail – an old railway line converted to a walking and cycling trail. The route from the Hassop Station Cafe to the Monsaldale viaduct is just under 4km each way. Just before you reach the iconic Monsal viaduct the trail goes through the Headstone Tunnel. A disused railway tunnel through the hill. The tunnel is well lit and nice to walk through. The Monsal trail runs across the Monsal viaduct, affording epic views of Monsal dale. If you are planning to do this walk with a pram we recommend doing it as a return route. The walk is around 8km in total in will probably take a couple of hours at a steady pace.
This route can be extended to visit the Monsal Dale waterfall and Monsal Head viewpoint – however this extended route is not suitable for prams due to the steep path and steps.
Distance: 8km return walk
Parking: You can park at the Hassop Station cafe (pay and display car park)
Top tips: Watch out for bicycles on this trail – this is a popular cycling route
A few other great spots for pram friendly walks in the Peak District
Here are a few other ideas for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. Take a walk around Bakewell village. Walk round Castleton Village. Stroll around Chatsworth Gardens, play park and farm. Walk along the path by the Calver river. Explore Eyam – the historic village.
Popular spots that are NOT good for pram friendly walks in the Peak District
Ok, to help you plan, we just wanted to mention a few spots that are popular with families. BUT these locations are not good for pram friendly walks in the Peak District…
- Padley Gorge and Grindleford station cafe are very popular with families. There are a couple of trails linking grindleford station cafe and padley gorge. This route is rocky, unpaved and have sections of steep steps. This is not a good location for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. A baby carrier or sling would be recommended here. The best pram friendly walk in this area would be to park at Grindleford Station cafe. Grab a coffee and walk along the road towards the Padley Chapel. This small quiet road is well paved and pretty flat.
- Burbage valley, Higgertor and stanage edge. These areas are stunning but the paths are rocky, unpaved and steep in sections. This is NOT a great spot for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. If you want to walk in the area with a pram your best bet is the trail between Burbage bridge north and Burbage bridge south. This trail is relatively flat and a little rocky.
- Curbar Edge and Baslow Edge are not suitable for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. The trails that run along the edges afford some amazing views, but there are some pretty big rocks on the path that would make tough going.
- Cavedale, Mam tor and kinder scout are not good for pram friendly walks in the Peak District. These are steep peaks with rocky trails, steps and some sections of open moorland. These areas can be pretty exposed. A short walk around Castleton village or Edale village would be great with a pram.
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