A new study by outdoor retailer GO Outdoors has ranked the Padley Gorge Circular in the Peak District as the UK's best walking trail. The six-mile circular walk starts and finishes at the 17th-century Grouse Inn near Grindleford and takes around two-and-a-half to three hours to complete.
The route received an overall score of 9.87 out of 10, based on visitor reviews, scenery, accessibility and nearby pubs. The study also considered how often Sunday roast dinners were mentioned in pub reviews, with only walks finishing close to a pub making the shortlist.
Route details and scenery
The walk follows Burbage Brook through Padley Gorge before passing ancient oak and birch woodland, open moorland and parts of the National Trust's Longshaw Estate. Walkers will also pass Toad's Mouth Rock, a well-known gritstone formation near the end of the trail.
The route offers a mix of woodland, streams and open countryside before finishing back at a traditional country pub.
The Grouse Inn
The Grouse Inn has been run by the same local family for nearly 60 years and is known for its home-cooked food, local ales and Sunday roasts. It sits at both the start and finish of the walk.
GO Outdoors said the walk stood out because it offered a mix of scenery over an accessible distance, with the route also starting and finishing at a traditional country pub.
Top 10 rankings
Second place went to the Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Walk in North Yorkshire, while Arlington Reservoir in East Sussex came third. The rest of the top 10 included Tarn Hows Circular and Windermere Western Shore in the Lake District, Hampstead Heath Circular in London, Cheddar Gorge Trail in Somerset, Alfriston and Cuckmere Valley Walk in East Sussex, Chess Valley and the Cricketers Circular in Hertfordshire, and Malham Cove and Gordale Scar Circular in the Yorkshire Dales.
Access and parking
The six-mile route can also be reached by train, with Grindleford Station sitting close to the trail, while buses from Sheffield stop near Longshaw Estate. Parking is available at The Grouse Inn for customers, as well as nearby National Trust car parks.
