Rainy Days in the Peak District

A sunny day is never guaranteed whatever season it may be; in fact you may experience four seasons in one day here in the Peak District National Parks! The weather in The Peak District can be unpredictable and it’s best to pack layers for your days out to be prepared. There are some days when you just want to shelter from the rain.

So, what to do in the Peak District during those gloomy rainy days? There are many activities for everyone to enjoy under shelter and plenty of children's activities in the Peak District.

Read on for our recommendations for a typical rainy day in the Peaks:

Café's & Bookshops

If you’re a bit of a book worm and looking to escape to a cosy nook elsewhere than your Peak Venues property then where else is better than reading in the Peak District.

High Peak Book Store and Café just outside Buxton is the perfect place to spend a relaxing few hours, browsing an extensive and eclectic selection of books, choosing a card or gift and enjoying homemade food with locally roasted coffee, not to mention some of the yummiest selection of tray bakes and cake in the Peak District.

A perfect place to shelter from a dreary rainy day is visiting one of The many cosy Peak District pubs on your door step. You really are spoilt for choice with so many good pubs around the National Park and if young kids are in tow and you need to keep them occupied then you will find many colouring and activity books in the Peak District pubs to keep them entertained.

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For kid fun days out in the Peak District you want to visit Brick corner café in Buxton.

There are plenty of Legos for kids to play with and let their imaginations run wild, while parents relax with a coffee and slice of cake. There are also Lego robotic and coding sessions that parents and kids can participate in. These are 90-minute sessions where kids follow a guided Lego build, and then code their build to make it move.

Prices start from £7.50 per session and need to be pre-booked.

Designed, built, and managed by parents The Play Village Ashbourne offers an experience that’s centred around the magic of role play. Where your children can let their imaginations run wild.

The Play Village consists of eight play pods that are life-like settings designed to ignite the imagination of young children. Role play has so many educational benefits for children and it’s super-fun too! You parents can also have some downtime and enjoy a hot drink and treat yourself to a homemade slice of cake while the kids play away.

Please see our 'Food & Drink' section for more places to eat.

Crich Tramway Museum just a 15 minute drive from Matlock, is one of those perfect multi-generational family days out as kids will love the Woodland Walk and Sculpture Trail, as well as the adventure playground and indoor play area, parents and grandparents will enjoy the history, and everyone will enjoy the unlimited rides on the trams! (Refer to our 'Museum section' to see more museums in the Peak District).

Take a ride on an old steam train on this preserved railway line between Rowsley South Station and Matlock Platform 2 to shelter from the rain. Whether it’s simply a nostalgic journey back to a bygone age or a discovery of the sights and sounds for very first time of a steam or diesel locomotive Peak Rail welcomes you to experience the thrill of our preserved railway whilst travelling through the delightful Derbyshire countryside.

With special events on throughout the year such as 'Santa Specials' and an 'Easter Treasure Hunt', and they also have 'Kids Go Free Days' throughout the year. As well as normal train journeys, there is something for everyone to enjoy, onboard dining is available on our Palatine Restaurant Car which offers Sunday Lunches, Christmas Lunches, Afternoon or Cream Teas and operates on various days during the year.

Please see our 'Arts and Heritage activities' page for more museums to visit

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Other rainy days ideas

Also a great idea before travelling to The Peaks is to download and print off some ‘Peak district activities for kids’ - quizzes, word searches, puzzles, crosswords and Peak District colouring sheets to help you keep the kids boredom at bay! You can see more of our pubs in The Peak District on our 'Food and drink' section.

There are many impressive, historic stately homes to visit too in and around the Peak District which offer tours of the elegant, quaint interiors, an ideal day out to stay dry on those wet days! (See our historic and stately homes page).