It takes less than an hour to drive from the centre of Manchester to the Peak District National Park. The first stop is at the famous Lyme Park, which was used for the fictional estate of Pemberley in the 1995 TV remake of Pride and Prejudice. Follow in the footsteps of Mr Darcy and explore the six-century history of Lyme Park, which encompasses a mansion house, moorland and deer park.

Three miles to the west of Chapel-en-le-Frith in the Derbyshire Peak District is an uninhabited hill called Eccles Pike. It's made of gritstone and situated 370 meters above sea level. Since “pike” refers to a pointed hill, it's unclear how Eccles came to have that name.

It's time to go caving! Park your car and walk to the entrance of the caves.

As you go deeper into the Peak District you soon come across the quaint village of Castleton, which is famed for its lead mines and natural limestone caverns. The biggest and most imposing of those is Peak Cavern, known locally as the Devil's Arse!
The main entrance is the largest cave entrance in Britain. Once you're inside you'll have a chance to see the stunning rock formations and hear the distant sounds of running water that define this spooky, magnificent and unique attraction.
There are tours of the cavern running hourly throughout the year. Check out the Peak Cavern website for the full opening times and admission prices.

The small village of Hope, with a population of fewer than 1,000 people and located among the hills in the centre of the Hope Valley, dates back to ancient times. Mesolithic and Neolithic implements have been found here.
If you get hungry, you can stop for lunch in this cosy place.

From this car park, you can walk to the dam.

Nestled in the Derwent Valley is an impressive sightseeing destination. Derwent Dam's iconic towers and breathtaking viewpoint entice travellers from around the world to explore their majestic beauty, no matter what time of year it may be.
It's particularly famous for being a practice spot for the so-called 'Dambusters' during World War 2. RAF Lancaster bombers used Derwent Reservoir to practice bombing raids, owing to its similarities to German dams.

This central car park in Sheffield is a convenient spot to park and enjoy an early evening stroll around the city.

The joy of the Peak District is that you have at least two major cities right on its doorstep. From Derwent Dam, you can be in Sheffield city centre in just 40 minutes. In fact, the city is so close to the Peaks that around one-third of it is located within the national park.
Now you can take some time to explore Sheffield's green city centre, full of Gothic-style architecture and public parks, like the Peace Gardens, which lie right at the heart of the city.

From the Peace Gardens it's a short walk through the city centre to the hidden gem that is Victoria Quays. An emerging riverside location, Victoria Quays has undergone a mini-renovation in recent years. It now houses some delightful bars and cafes next to the quaint river, as well as a monthly food and craft market. This is your chance to rest up before the short drive back to Manchester!

After a walk around Sheffield, have dinner at one of the local venues.
The drive from Sheffield to Manchester takes about two hours, but you can stay overnight in the city at one of the hotels.