Back Tor

The walk up Back Tor is steep and over quickly, which is either a blessing or a frustration depending on your legs and your mood. It's a proper little hill perched above the Hope Valley, with enough height to make the climb feel earned without eating up half your day. From the summit you get cracking views across the Dark Peak - the moorland rolls out in all directions, purple-brown and moody even on decent days. On a clear morning it's genuinely impressive.

It's the kind of walk that suits people who want the payoff without the full expedition. Thirty minutes up, fifteen minutes admiring the view, and you're back at the car park before lunch. Families with older kids will manage it fine, though younger ones might struggle with the steepness. Serious walkers sometimes treat it as part of a longer loop through the valley, which makes more sense than doing it in isolation.

The terrain is rough moorland underfoot - boggy in wet patches, firm in others - so proper boots matter. There's no interpretation or infrastructure up there, just open ground and sky. It's free to access, assuming you've found somewhere to park nearby.

Staying at Derbyshire Hills Campsite, five miles south near Castleton, gives you a proper base for exploring this corner of the Peak. Back Tor works well as a warm-up walk before tackling bigger peaks in the area.