UKH

Well I haven't seen my grown up children since boxing day. We want to meet (now that we are allowed)somewhere in Northern or central Peak for a walk at 10.00 on Sunday 11th of April. Could anyone suggest somewhere. There will be 3 cars as 6 of us. Eldest says everywhere busy to park even at that time. (But youngest thinks 10.00 is already very early so can't suggest earlier!)Don't mind where as long we can park and a local walk of some kind. Or is this question asking impossible as that place would then become busy. I would otherwise   give  Peak a miss on a Sunday but it's central location  for us and it's been a long time.

Main road between the Ladybower Inn and the big bridge on the Snake pass has space if you're  early enough.  Burbage North can be OK but very busy mid morning onwards. The road by the side of Redmires resovoir can be quiet.

10am is pushing it anywhere.

Thanks for suggestions.I would suggest 9.00 but it won't go down well!

Redmires has been absolutely heaving in this latest lockdown

Just reset all the clocks in the house by 2hrs once they are in bed 🙄

Monsal head will be fine, the free road parking will be taken but the pay carparks will have plenty of space.

Somewhere further West towards Manc.would do as one coming from that direction..

Either big off road parking area at the White House pub above Littlebrough for the Pennine Way in either direction or the big lay-by off the A635 between Greenfield and Holmfirth for the Wessenden Head area. Both can get busy but tend to have a bit more coming and going with selfie takers and short dog walkers, rather than full day hikers so you can usually get a spot quickly. Hills should be significantly quieter too.

Even half an hour earlier would be better, we parked at stanage on bank holiday Sunday at 9:30 and there were plenty of spaces around. So somewhere less honey pot would be fine I'd guess

Stannage plantation is rarely full, at least around 10ish when I normally get there, probably because its pay and display.

Stanage popular was pretty much empty at 930 Bank Holiday Monday. Hardly anyone around on the paths. By mid day it was busier but not crazy. I imagine the weather will be the deciding factor and people might have been put off by the forecast snow.

Try Longstone edge, nice walking, quite and always parking available.

I was going to suggest the Snoopy laybay. Can't vouch for the bacon sarnies these days, though( not that they were owt special previously.....)

I run past here a lot. It's been full by 0900 most weekends for the past few months!

Warning if you do get a space. A lot of people park up to take in the view, then find they've been blocked in by muppets who ditch a car and go for a bimble on the res wall. 

Also, not a great place to park up late....unless you're into certain car based activities with other middle aged couples, or the youth who use it for dealing.

Try Glossop.  It's right by the moors and parking wont be a problem. 

Yhanks I

s there a car park in Glossop. Don't really know it except to pass through..

Try by the tennis club. You can walk up Doctors Gate/Bleaklow from there.  Its rarely crowded. 

Good options from Derbyshire Level too.

If they've not seen you for so long, they need to get their priorities right.

Stanage Pop, Plantation, Cutthroat Bridge, Ladybower, Grouse Inn, Curbar Gap, Castleton Mam Tor road are all good if  you're 'reasonably' early .

That sounds a good plan.. Thanks 

Monsal Head is a good suggestion. That car park never seems busy.

We went to Fairholmes last week (Derwent dam) and it wasn’t particularly busy. Massive car park and further parking along the road. I’d head there.

It's rarely full but not very big, the odds are pretty good but it's not a dead cert that there will be three spaces at 10am ish.  Perhaps as a plan B if there isn't space you could head along into Great Longstone.

Miller's Dale further along the trail might be a safer bet.  (Guessing a bit, I've not been over there for ages.)  Alternatively one of the car parks just off the A6 - Wyedale, White Lodge or even the Chee Dale layby. 

White Lodge is just off the A6 at the bottom end of Monsal Dale, about a mile and a half south of Monsal Head and the viaduct.  If the forecast is right about there being a chilly northerly wind blowing, it might be nicely sheltered down by the river there.

The Ladybower area is a safe enough bet - it's very busy but there's a lot of space what with Fairholmes, the various car parks on the way there from the A57 and the parking along the A57 itself between the viaducts.  The Heatherdene P&D is very unlikely to be full too.  Unless the weather is dreadful it'll be busy down by the reservoir, but you don't have to walk far to get away from the crowds.  Besides the more obvious walks from there round the reservoir and up Win Hill, there are a couple of steep little paths that head out of the back of Heatherdene car park directly up the hill onto Bamford Moor.

If you do go that way and find yourself coming back down Hordron Edge to emerge by Cutthroat Bridge, on no account try to walk along the road from there back to Ladybower - it's a hideous experience and you'd be taking your life in your hands.  Much better to cross the road at Cutthroat Bridge and take the bridleway that skirts around the Northern side of the Ladybower Quarry before dropping back down to the road by the pub.

I've always found that even on busy days, you can always get parked on the "broken road" on the side of Mam Tor.

From Castleton, drive west, passing the Winnats Pass junction.  Continue for about 1km, passing the old pay-for-parking meters, which were all knackered (OLP'd) last time I was there.  As the road rises, you will come to a layby on the left where there is access to one of the tourist cave attractions. Should be plenty of free parking on the right hand side of the road.

Watch out for MTBers and (God Forbid) gravel bike riders hooning down the tarmac descent.  Shout "Allez, Allez!" to those struggling upwards.

Easy walking up the road to Mam Tor and beyond.  Have a good one!

I'm probably being dim, but..  "OLP'd"?

What's so wrong about gravel bike riders coming down the broken road? With the exception of the 2 mtrs, down the steep muddy bit up near the top, it's basically a road descent. Not a particularly exciting way down if you're on a mountain bike! Agree that there is loads of potential parking down there.

Another parking possibility is somewhere up on Sir William Hill. If coming up from Grindleford, you can park where the road turns left and then walk up the gravel road to the top (or nicer on the moor to your right (north) down the other side and along to the pub which I guess will be opening for outside drinks next week? Great view point up there.

Grindleford station should be ok at that time. Up padley gorge to the Burbage valley or along the Derwent to hathersage then back via Stanage.

OLP - Opening Lockfast Place.  Breaking into something (safe, moneybox, parking meter etc.) which is secured.  Scots' Law

The machines had all been forced, or vandalised, last time I was up there.  Sorry for the confusion, I just went into old jobspeak.

Every day is a school day.  Thanks.

Did it work out ok?

On my way out into the Peak this afternoon I passed by Hassop Station (on the Monsal Trail) SK218705.  There's a bike hire place and a cafe with an already big covered outdoor area that they've supplemented with a large marquee, and they seemed to have opened up an overflow car park in a field over the road to supplement their already large car park too.  Lots of people about but it all looked very pleasant and well organised.  Might be a good option for anyone else in the same boat over the coming weeks, especially if you're meeting up with non-outdoorsy friends and rellies.  I don't think there would be any need to get there early unless it's a bank holiday weekend with a good forecast (in which case you'd probably want to be elsewhere anyway).

Often spots available at the Higgar Tor car park

Met up at tennis courts in Glossop-thanks MG-great idea-lovely walk up Dr's Gate and sat on grass by car park for afternoon tea-until it got too cold. Thanks for a great suggestion and others who suggested Glossop. 

Good stuff!