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Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

The Peak District

Five-day Peak District escorted tour from Derby via heritage railways

Illustration of The Peak District

Great Rail Journeys operates this four-night escorted tour of Derbyshire and the Peak District, based in Derby's Cathedral Quarter. Over five days, the group stays at the 4-star Leonardo Hotel and travels by heritage railway, coach, and on foot to explore the region's spa towns, country houses, and moorlands. Day one introduces Derby's cathedral and riverside. Day two includes a market-town stroll in Bakewell and entry to Chatsworth House, a stately home dating to 1549 set in 105 acres of landscaped gardens. Day three features a guided tour of the Georgian spa town of Buxton and a roundtrip journey on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Derbyshire's longest heritage line. Day four climbs to Surprise View, a vantage point over moorland and valleys, following a steam-hauled Peak Rail heritage journey. A UK Tour Manager leads all excursions, and breakfasts and dinners are included each evening.

Price history

Across 3 checks, this price has held at £399 every time.

£3994 Jul24 Aug

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

  • Lunches are not included; only breakfast and dinner are provided each day.
  • The group size can reach 40 people, which may limit the intimacy of some guided experiences.
  • Rail connections from your local station to Derby are optional extras and must be booked separately.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Derby (Leonardo Hotel)

    Meeting up in the Cathedral city of Derby

    Meet the Tour Manager and group at the hotel in Derby's Cathedral Quarter this afternoon, with free time to explore the local area, including Derby Arboretum or the riverbank of the Derwent, before the first group dinner.

  2. Day 2overnight: Derby

    The market town of Bakewell and magnificent Chatsworth House

    Coach to the market town of Bakewell with free time to explore, then continue to Chatsworth House, home to the Cavendish family since 1549, with entry included to explore the halls, corridors and staterooms, plus the 105-acre gardens.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Derby

    Touring Buxton and the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway

    Explore the spa town of Buxton with an expert guide, taking in the Edwardian opera house, Buxton Crescent and Pavilion Gardens. After free time for lunch, continue to Wirksworth for a scenic roundtrip on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Derbyshire's longest heritage line.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Derby

    Discovering the Peak District on a Peak Rail heritage journey

    Transfer to Rowsley South to board a restored steam-hauled train on the Peak Rail heritage railway, then continue by coach to Peak Village for free time and lunch. A local guide leads a tour through Baslow, Calver, Surprise View, Hope Valley, Castleton, Bradwell and the village of Eyam, learning about its dark history from 1655.

  5. Day 5

    Homeward bound

    The holiday comes to an end after breakfast; make your way home or continue exploring the area independently.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Entry to Chatsworth House and its 105-acre landscaped gardens, home to the Cavendish family since 1549.
  • Day 3A guided tour of Buxton with an expert who explains the town's Roman origins, Georgian architecture, and rise as a spa destination.
  • Day 3A scenic roundtrip on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, Derbyshire's longest heritage line, winding through rolling countryside.
  • Day 4A steam-hauled Peak Rail heritage journey through the Derbyshire countryside, followed by a guided tour to Surprise View for sweeping moorland vistas.

Included

  • Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
  • 4 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
  • Standard Class rail travel
  • All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
  • Breakfast and dinner each day
  • All tour excursions including heritage rail journeys

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

Is this an escorted or independent tour?
It is escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides a UK Tour Manager from start to finish.
What trains are included?
The tour includes journeys on the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway (a roundtrip from Wirksworth to Duffield on a heritage line with diesel or steam haulage) and the Peak Rail heritage railway (Rowsley South to Matlock Platform, steam-hauled where possible).
What is the accommodation?
Four nights at the Leonardo Hotel, a 4-star property in Derby's Cathedral Quarter.
What meals are included?
Breakfast and dinner each day are included. Lunches are not included and are your own cost.

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