There are some great hostels and bunkhouses in the Peak District National Park. Near to the popular Derbyshire villages of Matlock, Castleton and Bakewell, and close to Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands. Bunkhouses provide the perfect base for those walking the Pennine Way from Edale, mountain biking on Kinder Scout or climbing on the edges around Grindlow, Stanage, Froggatt Edge and The Roaches. Ex YHA camping barns and hostels provide great self catering accommodation close to the popular Monsal Trail, Manifold Valley Trail, High Peak Trail and Tissington Trial. All great trail for walking, family cycling and horse riding. Watersports are available at Carsington Water and Derwent Reservoir both with bunkhouses close by. Try the Peak Districts hostels and bunkhouses, ideal for holidays in the great outdoors.
Peak District bunkhouses & hostels
Bretton Hostel, in the heart of the Peak District near Eyam & Hathersage, feels remote on Bretton Edge. The peaceful space with far-reaching views across Peak. Excellent walks & cycle rides from the door. Perfect to wind down, for outdoor activities & for gatherings. Fully equipped kitchen, living/dining room, WiFi, secure cycle store & eco-studio. Bottom sheet & pillow provided, but bring your own bedding. Local pubs nearby.
Ashbourne Gateway Centre is currently closed for major refurbishment. Planned re-opening late 2025.The new Centre will offer 7 en suite bedrooms & 2 apartments, sleeping 42 in total. Plus self catering kitchen, dining/lounge areas.
The Tissington Trail off-road cycle/walking route starts opposite. Carsington Water, The Roaches & Alton Towers are all close by.
With all of the Peak District National Park within easy access, the centre is an ideal location for activities and tourism and it welcomes a wide range of groups. 31 or 52 bed configurations can be booked.
The spacious centre includes; a large lounge with library, TV & wood burning stove, well equipped kitchens, dining areas & 9 bedrooms. There is parking for 20+ vehicles and grass areas for on site activities & camping. An extensive network of paths give access to the countryside.
CLOSING ON 30TH SEPTEMBER 2024. The Glenorchy Centre is on the edge of the Peak District National Park in the historic market town of Wirksworth. Close by are the High Peak Trail for walking & cycling, and Black Rocks for bouldering & climbing. Nearby Cromford has Arkwright’s mills, a World Heritage Site, & Cromford Canal. Suitable for self-catering groups, the accommodation includes a spacious multi-purpose hall.
Close to the start of the Pennine Way with easy access to Kinder Scout and the village of Edale via a network of footpaths from the doorstep. Castleton, Buxton, Bakewell and Chatsworth House are all within 40 minutes’ drive.
There are 2 bunkhouses each with a fully equipped kitchen and available for sole use by groups. Bring your own sleeping bags and personal towels.
Fenns Farm Accommodation can offer guests accommodation to suit all budgets. It consists of four properties, Waterslacks Camping Barn sleeping 15, Wills ‘Glamping’ Barn sleeping 6 and two holiday cottages, Fenns & Foggs Barn both sleeping 7. All the accommodation is situated on the edge of the Peak District village of Butterton, in walking distance of the local pub and the Manifold Valley.
At the centre of the pretty village of Youlgreave in the heart of the White Peak, this youth hostel has been given a contemporary upgrade under private management. The hostel has an on-site artisan bakery, cafe and a bookshop There is a self-catering kitchen, a patio with picnic tables, cycle storage and nine private bedrooms (7 en suite). Individual travellers are always welcome.
The Boarshurst Centre is situated on the north western edge of the Peak District yet with easy road and rail links to Manchester (12 miles away).With 32 beds across 2 dorms and 2 leaders’ rooms the centre provides well appointed self-catering accommodation for child, youth, adult and family/friend groups who seek to practice outdoor pursuits. BYO sleeping bags
Close to Dovedale, Manifold Cycle Trail, Carsington Water, Alton Towers & Roaches Rocks (great for climbers). Ideal for quiet groups, families, cyclists, walkers, DofE, scouts, schools & team building. Camp in the comfort of a remote cosy barn with log burning stove, toilet & water. No electric & no distractions. In a meadow, off the beaten track with great views. BYO camping equipment. Glamping wagon also available.
The John Hunt Base is situated in the High Peak on the site of Hagg Farm (also in this guide). The base offers comfortable, family friendly accommodation for groups of up to 18. It is ideal for sightseeing, hill walking, trail running and biking as well as quieter pursuits such as photography. There is a picnic area, wildlife garden with fire pit and a playing field with climbing boulder. Activities can be arranged including climbing, stream scrambling, caving & on-site high ropes.
With its own crags, streams, lakes & 600-acres of mature woodland, Shining Cliff Hostel has nature on its doorstep.
Access is half a mile from the nearest parking area along a woodland footpath. Paths lead through the woods to the A6 at Ambergate (20 mins’ walk) which has a food shop, pub, buses and trains to Derby. The hostel is ideal for a wide range of groups wishing to enjoy time away in a peaceful woodland setting.
In the heart of Bamford these two bunkhouses are on a small farm just 3 miles from the iconic Stanage Edge.Perfectly located for visiting Castleton, Chatsworth House & Hathersage. Both bunkhouses are centrally heated with hot showers & well equipped kitchens. Sheets & pillows are provided. BYO sleeping bags.
Thornbridge Outdoors offers excellent flexible group accommodation. With its superb location in the heart of the Peak District you have access to wonderful countryside, quaint villages, stately homes, and the traffic free Monsal Trail, popular with walkers and cyclists.
Renovated to a high standard including double glazing and insulation, the Reckoning House is situated 3 miles from Bakewell. It is on the edge of the Lathkill Dale National Nature Reserve, full of interesting flora and fauna as well as outstanding geological features.Horse riding, fishing, golf and cycle hire are available locally. Local walks include the Limestone Way. Facilities include: cooking area, 4 calor gas rings (gas supplied), hot water for washing up & showers, storage heaters in all rooms.
A mile from Castleton in the Peak District, Pindale Farm offers a range of accommodation: B&B in the farmhouse. Six self-catering/self-contained rooms sleeping 8 or 10 people in the Barn. A self-catering unit sleeping 8 people in The Engine House. Plus an AA 3 Pennant campsite. Perfect for D of E expeditions and many outdoor activities. Instruction is available.
Sheen Bunkhouse is in a quiet corner of the Peak District, close to the beautiful Dove and Manifold valleys. It has a well equipped self-catering kitchen, lounge, two bunkrooms and separate toilets & showers.The Manifold Track, Tissington Trail and High Peak Trail give easy access to beautiful countryside, ideal for families and cyclists. Dovedale and the moors offer stunning walking. Buxton, Leek and Bakewell are within 12 miles and Alton Towers is 20 minutes away by car.
Close to Hathersage and 2 miles west of Stanage Edge, the bunkhouses are on a family-run dairy farm. Popular areas for climbing, walking from meadows to moorland with fantastic views & mountain biking. Each bunkhouse is heated and has a living room, kitchen, bathrooms with toilets, showers and washbasins. Sleep in dorms with bunks or the Hayloft has mattresses on the gallery floor. Camping is available. Secure bike storage and free parking.
CLOSING OCTOBER 2023 FOR REFURBISHMENT. RE-OPENING AUTUMN 2024Roaches Bunkhouse is at the foot of The Roaches gritstone edge in the Peak District, amidst some of the best climbing in the country, plus walks & cycling in stunning scenery.Close to Ye Old Rock Inn & 3 miles from the historic market town of Leek. Excellent self-catering bunkhouse accommodation with private rooms.
Lockerbrook Outdoor Centre, operated by the Woodcraft Folk, is situated in glorious isolation high above Ladybower Reservoir with stunning views across the Upper Derwent Valley. This converted hill farm has two barns, which sleep 38 in 7 rooms, with an additional 3 twin rooms. Self-catering kitchen, dining room, large social space, log burner & drying room. Catering & outdoor activities available.
Overlooking Mam Tor, at the start of the Pennine Way, Edale Barn is a traditional camping barn; a stone tent with a wooden sleeping platform. Close to Kinder Scout, Jacobs Ladder, Kinder Downfall & Hollins Cross. Adjoining the barn, but with external access, is a cooking area with mains water & a chemical toilet. No heating or electricity. BYO sleeping mats/bags, cooking equipment & torches. Pubs serving meals are an easy walk away. NO DOGS
St Michael’s Centre, located in the village of Hathersage, provides high quality family friendly group accommodation, surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the Peak District National Park.
There are comfortable dormitory style bunk beds and a lovely central hall which provides a fantastic communal kitchen, dining and lounge area for enjoyable shared living. Attached cottage also available separately or for larger groups.
Mount Cook, a fantastic purpose built centre, offers groups of 8 - 180 the perfect base for an exciting weekend or holiday in the Peak District. A whole range of outside activities can be organised on- or off-site for a min of 8 people. Popular with schools, clubs, corporate team building, weddings and gatherings of friends and families. B&B, full or half board. Self-catering with sole use bookings.
Bradwell War Memorial Hall is in the pretty village of Bradwell in the heart of the Peak District. This community run hall offers low cost self-catering accommodation to groups of 6-42.An ideal base for walkers, bikers, DofE, students or climbers who wish to explore this popular area. There are no beds so BYO sleeping mat and bedding. The rooms are centrally heated, there’s a well equipped kitchen & hot showers.
Situated in the Peak District’s Woodlands Valley, Hagg Farm offers comfortable accommodation for up to 44 people with an additional 18 beds in the John Hunt Base next door (also in this guide). Part of Nottinghamshire CC’s Environmental & Outdoor Education Service, Hagg Farm is available for private hire by groups, families, clubs & charitable organisations. It can be booked on a self-catering or catered basis.
Peak District hostels and bunkhouses are ideal for holidays and enjoying the outdoors. They often have boot rooms and drying rooms for wet boots and coats and wash-down areas for mountain bikes. Self-catering is great for a warm cup of tea at the end of a walk and makes a good value holiday. The stately homes of Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall are in the heart of the Peak District. Other sites such as Hardwick Hall, Kedleston Hall, Sudbury Hall, and Lyme Park, Cheshire are just outside the boundaries.
Ladybower Reservoir in the Peak District Peak District National Park The Peak District National park is the oldest in the country. It’s easy to see why millions are drawn to the area every year. Rolling green hills, open moorland, and beautiful rivers and lakes to name just a few reasons why. Cycling in the Peak District is some of the best and most challenging in the country as there are miles of quiet, rural roads and tracks, the challenge comes from the fact that avoiding hills is nearly impossible. Not a concern for a keen cyclist, however.
Nature lovers delight in the stunning scenery and unique biodiversity of Dove Dale, Lathkill Dale, and Cressbrook Dale National Nature Reserves. Whilst walkers love the challenge of Thorpe Cloud, Mam Tor, and Chrome Hill. The Pennine Way long-distance footpath starts in Edale whilst the Pennine Bridleway starts at Middleton Top. Other long walks include the Limestone Way and Sabrina Way Bridleway. The Derwent Valley Heritage Way takes walkers through the Derwent Valley World Heritage site heart of the beginning of the industrial revolution.
