With the clocks having gone back, some folk might decide to put their walking boots away for a few months until the lighter and warmer days return. But that could be a major error.
Autumn and winter in the Peak District offer some great walking and while you won’t have the long days required to undertake the biggest hikes, there are many shorter treks you can enjoy before returning to your Castleton B &B as nightfall approaches.
For example, the Peak District Walks website suggests the best short walk in the Dark Peak area of the national park is the five-mile route that combines Winnatt’s Pass and Mam Tor, starting and ending in Castleton and taking no more than three hours. That would make it suitable even for one of the short days of December.
Other short treks on the list include the classic route of the Mam Tor and Lose Hill, which is seven miles in length.
The list also includes more ambitious walks that can easily be managed in the available daylight hours, especially in November, but do climb higher and anyone venturing onto the Kinder Plateau will need to be very aware of the dangers of cold weather and poor visibility. These are best left until spring unless you are a very experienced walker.
As well as some fine walking routes, you can use this time of year to visit some individual sights, whether it is Castleton’s own Peveril Castle, which dates from the 12th century, or older fortifications such as the Roman Navio Fort, just south of the neighbouring village of Hope.
Apart from all this, there are many caves and caverns in the area such as the Speedwell Cavern and Blue John Mine. Being underground, the seasons have no impact on how much light there is and temperatures remain constant.
For all these reasons, you can still enjoy some of the best visits of the year to the Peak District when the days are short.
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