The Peak District is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of life. It's in a unique place between Derby in the East Midlands, and Sheffield and Manchester in Yorkshire and Lancashire. It's a beautiful, remote, and sometimes barren part of the world, that's accessible to people who live and work in the busier parts of the world.
There's a train line that runs through the peak district between Manchester and Sheffield, that allows you to see the beauty of the landscape from a comfy seat, stopping at some lovely places along the way, one of these places being Grindleford. There's not much around the station, it's mostly used by commuters, but Grindleford has a lovely cafe that you stop at for a spot of lunch.
From the station is Totley Tunnel, which disappears through the hill. Above this is the Padley Gorge Trail, which climbs (or meanders) gently up through the woods, alongside a stream. There's a couple of options for making your climb, you can keep to the main track, or take another path which is slightly more precarious, and a little more of a challenge, and a little more fun! I came down the fun way.
Once you get to the top you come out at open moorland, yet still at the bottom of the hills. There's some lovely views and places to explore. Lot's people simply park at the top and use it as a picnic area and a place to let the kids paddle in the stream. A great summer experience. To top it all off there's always an ice cream van parked at the top, to add to the experience.
So that's Padley Gorge, hope you like the pics, and go check it out if you're ever in the area!