We have just finished our very first hiking tour in the UK and have loved every moment. This itinerary took us to the Derbyshire Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales, two of England’s best-loved National Parks. This is the first time we have run a tour in the UK, after almost 20 years of organising hikes in Italy, and we cannot wait to be back here again next September. We had warm sunshine, summer showers and everything in between! Here is a little photographic taster of everything we have enjoyed…
We met in the vibrant city in Sheffield and learnt about its industrial heritage. A global hub for steel production Sheffield was nicknamed the “Steel City.” Today it is a thriving centre for arts, education, technology and food, and is a brewing capital of the world.Our first hike started in the pretty village of Eyam, famous in Derbyshire for its self-imposed quarantine during the 1665 plague. The cottages today still bear poignant plaques remembering the names of all those who lost their lives in the epidemic.We rewarded ourselves at the end of the hike with a refreshing drink in The Barrel Inn, the highest pub in Derbyshire, sitting at 1300 feet above sea level with views across five counties.Our third day took us to the spa town of Buxton, beautiful Haddon Hall seen above, and a hike across the hills to the stunning estate of Chatsworth.Kinder Scout is the highest peak in the Peak District at just over 2,000 feet above sea level. On the fourth day we made the ascent. We joined the Pennine Way and climbed up Jacob’s Ladder to Kinder Scout’s rugged plateau. We were joined during our picnic lunch on Kinder Scout by a friendly local who was deeply interested in our hiking group!Our celebrated picnics are just as important on the UK tour as they are in Italy. We had great fun sourcing the freshest local ingredients to share with our guests.As we transferred from the Peaks to the Dales, we visited the magnificent cathedral at Ripon, and Fountains Abbey, the largest monastic ruin in the UK and a UNESCO World Heritage site.The fifth day took us to Whernside, the highest of Yorkshire’s Three Peaks at over 2,400 feet.Jubilant to be reaching the summit of Whernside, in spite of the low clouds!We enjoyed an excellent wine tasting at Buon Vino, specialists in Natural Wine, in the village of Austwick close to Settle.Delicious pizzas at Rind, in partnership with The Courtyard Dairy, just outside Settle, cooked in a wood-fired oven.Day 7 we hiked around the hills above Settle, and navigated our way over the stiles on Yorkshire’s famous dry stone walls.Our final hike took us up Ingleborough, the second highest mountain in the Yorkshire Dales. The region is home to the longest cave system in England, and some stunning waterfalls.Will hiked our final picnic up to the summit, and we enjoyed our last lunch together surrounded by magnificent views of the Yorkshire Dales.
The tour is scheduled to run again next September, from 3rd – 11th and we still have a few spaces available. Get in touch soon if you’d like to join us!
