London to Manchester Road Trip (via Derby & Peak District) 🚗🌄🏰
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There are many ways to go from London to Manchester. With this scenic route, you will explore the Peak District and some movie filming locations and historic sites.
London to Manchester Road Trip (via Derby & Peak District) Itinerary Summary
📍 London
📍 Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studios, Watford 🧙♂️ (tickets here)
📍 Bletchley Park 💾
📍 Leicester 🦊
📍 Derby 🏙️
📍 Matlock Bath & Heights of Abraham 🚠
📍 Nine Ladies Stone Circle 🔮
📍 Bakewell 🥧
📍 Chatsworth House 🏰
📍 Bamford
📍 Castleton 🏞️
📍 Mam Tor ⛰️
📍 Manchester 🐝
Total Distance: 🚗 Approx. 230 miles
📸 Photos & Info are located further down. Keep scrolling to see all these places. ⬇️
This road trip is ideal if you want to mix heritage, countryside walks and magical detours into one unforgettable journey. ✨📸
Get the FREE London to Manchester Road Trip (via Derby & Peak District) Map!
🚗 Need a car for this road trip?
If you don’t have your own car, I’d really recommend renting one — it gives you the flexibility to stop at each waterfall and explore at your own pace.
I usually use DiscoverCars to compare prices and find the best deals across different rental companies.
👉 It’s really easy to use:
- Compare multiple providers in one place
- Cheaper than booking direct
- Free cancellation on most options
- Their 3rd party insurance is a lot cheaper
- They have a great customer service for claims (though I hope you won’t have to use it!
Additional Information and Highlights
📍London
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Visiting the Tower of London and admiring Tower Bridge
– Going to Big Ben and Westminster Abbey
– Going on the London Eye
– Exploring Camden and Camden Market
– Going to Notting Hill and Portobello Street
– Discovering street art in Shoreditch
💡 My Top Tip: If you are planning on visiting several paying attractions, it’s worth considering buying a Go City Pass London to save money.
📍Warner Bros. Studio Tour
📍 Address: Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR
🚆 How to get there:
– Train from London to Watford and shuttle from Watford to the studios
– Booking a tour with transport included from central London
💡 My Top Tip: I always recommend booking one of the first slots available because you can stay as long as you want in the studios. While most people stay around 4 hours, if you want to stay more you can, therefore booking one of the first slots give you the flexibility to stay as long as you truly want.
📍 Bletchley Park
📍 Leicester
📍 Derby
📍 Matlock Bath & Heights of Abraham
📍Bakewell
The largest town in the Peak District, home mellow stone houses, quaint courtyards and the famous Bakewell Pudding.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Stroll around the town and discover the local shop and market
– Eat a Bakewell Pudding from The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop
– Go to All Saints Church
– Visit the Bakewell Old House Museum
– Go for a walk (or picnic) in Bakewell Recreation Ground
– Walk on the Weir Footbridge (also known as the love lock bridge)
📍Chatsworth House
One of England’s most beautiful stately homes, Chatsworth is set in a beautiful parkland by the River Derwent.
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Visit the House
– Stroll through the formal gardens and water features
– Visit the farmyard and playground (great for kids)
– Walk scenic trails around the estate
🎅 Christmas: Christmas at Chatsworth is a magical experience. There is a light trail and loads of beautiful decorations. It’s on from November to beginning of January but tickets sell out fast.
🎟️ Tickets: You can book online here. Make sure to book in advance if you are visiting during Peak Season or at Christmastime.
📍 Bamford
📍Castleton
🗺️ Things To Do:
– Visit the caverns (Peak Cavern, Speedwell Cavern, Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern)
– Hike to Mam Tor and along the Great Ridge ((12.9 km – 4 hours 30 minutes – Details here)
– Walk up Cave Dale
– Visit Peveril Castle
– Have a pub lunch at The George or the Bulls Head (they both have beautiful beer gardens as well)
– Visit the Castleton Museum (located in the information centre)
🅿️ Parking: Castleton Visitor Centre Car Park (pay and display) is the main car park and centrally located. It gets full quite early though but you’ll find more car parks by the road leading to Winnats Pass.
📍Mam Tor
This 517 m hill is the most famous peak in the Peak District. It offers fantastic views over the valleys and a fantastic ridge walk.
🥾 3 Walking options:
– Short and Steep. Walk from the National Trust carpark. 1.1 km return – 40 minutes
– Circular walk from Edale (7.4 km – 2 hours 40 minutes – Details here)
– Circular walk from Castleton (12.9 km – 4 hours 30 minutes – Details here)
🌅 Sunrise: Mam Tor is an excellent sunrise spot so if you don’t mind getting up early, it’s worth checking the sunrise time so you can go there and take beautiful photos.
🅿️ Parking: The closest car park is the National Trust Mam Tor Car Park (pay and display, free for members). It’s a short but a bit steep walk to the summit from there. It only takes 20 – 25 minutes though.
📍 Manchester
