We recently moved to the peak district from London after working there for our adult lives to this point, now 41. London is fine until you want more, at which point you realise its been sold and housing is so cheap up north if you can work out how to pay for it.
Weve been exploring the Peaks every weekend for a year on and off since we moved. But is there a secret drive you take near yours? The UK is so beautiful, but many of its popular spots are played out.
The Peak District is right on my doorstep (I’m near Manchester). Monsal Dale, near Little Longstone, is lovely. It was a regular place ofr my family to visit when I was a kid, and I still go up there sometimes. The walk along the river from there to Millers Dale is lovely. And there’s a pub at Monsal dale viaduct (or at least, there was, not sure if it’s still open).
More locally, I like the area around Uppermill, Diggle and Delph (north-east of Oldham). There’s a great little riverside cafe caled the Lime Kiln, just north of Uppermill. It gets busy at weekends though.
A couple of weeks ago I went up to the Northumbria coast for a holiday. Warkworth, Alnwick, Bamburgh, Holy Island… it’s all beautiful around there.