After a long stretch of rain, the sun has finally arrived! The UK’s hottest day of the year was earlier this week and that summer feeling is already sweeping the nation. Whilst sitting in Endcliffe Park drinking with your mates is great fun, there is so much more of the Sheffield area to enjoy on a warm day, so we thought that another ‘Igloo suggests’ would point you in the right direction. Here is ‘Igloo suggests… A Day Trip Into The Peaks’.
A Day Trip Into The Peaks – The Hope Valley Train Line
Sheffield > Dore & Totley > Grindleford
A quick walk to Sheffield station can find you a day out like no other. Jumping on the train down the Hope Valley line allows you to escape the city life for a day and head into the countryside, right on your own back door. Leaving Sheffield via Dore & Totley, the train passes through the Totley Tunnel (the 4th largest in England) to enter the Peak District in North Derbyshire, with the first stop directly at Grindleford. Whilst the village is only small, it is a delightful place to stop off, perhaps for lunch at the famous Grindleford Station Cafe. From here you could journey up Burbage Brook through Padley Gorge, and head over the tops, or go direct on foot or via train to the next stop on the line: Hathersage.
Grindleford > Hathersage
Hathersage is a village larger than Grindleford, and is blessed with a number of great cafes, restaurants, and places to stop. The shining light of the village, however, is the outdoor swimming pool. Heated to a delightful 28 degrees all year round, and recently refurbished, the pool attracts visitors from miles out and is packed with swimmers, families, students, and the like. A session ticket costs just £6 for students, and is open from 7am every day, closing at 9pm on Monday-Thursday, and 7pm on Friday-Sunday. Once you’ve had a dip and maybe a bite to eat, you could jump back on the train and head three stops up to Edale.
Hathersage > Bamford > Hope > Edale
Jumping off the train at the tiny Peak District location that is Edale wouldn’t leave you with any reminders of the city. Embedded deep into the countryside, this stop is the perfect departure if you fancy a walk up one of the Peak District’s biggest ascents: Mam Tor. At 517m tall, Mam Tor is certainly no simple walk, with a steep ascent from some sides making for a challenging walk. However, it is more than manageable, even after a swim and a bite to eat, and could be the ideal way to embrace the weather from up high. From ascending on the Edale side, you could then descend towards Castleton, and grab a late afternoon or evening meal (or pint) before journeying home. If you fancied staying a little later, the surroundings of Mam Tor host a number of caverns, with plenty of guided tours available for a reasonable price.
Hope > Bamford > Hathersage > Grindleford > Dore & Totley > Sheffield
A 2 mile walk from Castleton to Hope Station will take you back to the train, but remember to get on towards Sheffield or else you’ll find yourself in the middle of Manchester. Though the possibilities for this journey are pretty much endless, tickets are well priced and trains are normally not too busy, so if you’re looking for a cheap day out to take in the Yorkshire/Derbyshire surroundings then the Hope Valley Train Line might be your ticket out of here!
Have you sorted your accommodation for 2021-22?
If not then DO NOT worry. Here at Igloo, we are still working to bring a great range of student properties for you to reside in during the next academic year. If you haven’t already, head over to our ‘Properties‘ page and use the custom filters to chose the property that best suits you! There are plenty of options from one bedroom upwards, so whatever you need, head over to the Igloo ‘Properties’ page and get searching.
