The Ultimate Guide to Peak District Walks #5

Accessible Adventures: Miles Without Stiles & Easy Trails

The joy of the Peak District’s landscapes should be available to everyone. Thankfully, numerous trails cater beautifully to wheelchair users, pushchairs, those with limited mobility, or walkers seeking gentler terrain. The national park’s "Miles Without Stiles" initiative meticulously curates routes free from restrictive barriers, steep gradients, or challenging surfaces. These open up stunning scenery without compromise.

Repurposed railways offer some of the finest accessible walking. The Monsal Trail provides a smooth, mostly level track through engineering marvels like Headstone Viaduct and atmospheric tunnels (now lit) high above the Wye Valley. Similarly, the High Peak Trail and Tissington Trail traverse former rail lines, offering well-surfaced, gradual routes through the countryside. All feature regular access points and often have cycle hire/refreshments nearby.

Gentle valley and reservoir circuits abound. The Carsington Water loop provides a fully accessible surfaced path around the reservoir, with shorter options available, plus visitor centres, cafés, and bird hides en route. Chatsworth Park delivers aristocratic grandeur on firm paths suitable for mobility scooters (available to hire), showcasing the stately home, deer park, and River Derwent. Ladybower Reservoir circuits combine accessibility with wartime history, passing the Derwent Dams where the Dambusters practised.

• Accessibility Essentials:

  • Surface Check: While "Miles Without Stiles" routes are vetted, surfaces vary (compacted gravel, tarmac, firm earth). Check individual route descriptions.

  • Facilities: Many accessible car parks (e.g., Monsal Head, Hassop Station) have accessible toilets. Larger sites (Carsington) offer changing places.

  • Equipment Hire: All-terrain mobility scooters/trampers can be hired (book ahead) at key hubs like Derwent Reservoir.

  • Group Support: Organisations like Disabled Ramblers organise group walks.

Explore accessible routes:
Let's Go Peak District Accessible Walks