Hurdlow

Windswept limestone grassland stretches as far as the eye can see from this simple roadside stopping point on the A515. There's nothing fancy about Hurdlow - just a gravel lay-by with wooden picnic tables and the kind of expansive Peak District views that make you want to pull over and breathe properly for five minutes.

Families driving between Buxton and Ashbourne will find it a handy spot to let restless children burn off energy. The surrounding moorland gives kids space to run about safely, though there's precious little shelter when the Derbyshire weather turns. Dog walkers appreciate the open access to public footpaths that branch off in several directions from here.

This isn't a destination in itself, more a convenient pause in your journey. Five tables handle most visitors comfortably, except on sunny bank holidays when it fills up quickly. The lack of facilities means you'll need to bring everything with you - water, loo stops sorted elsewhere.

Staying at one of the nearby sites like Longnor Wood or Newhaven Holiday Park? Hurdlow makes a decent halfway point for exploring both the White Peak's gentle valleys and the dramatic gritstone edges further north. Just don't expect Instagram-worthy scenery - this is working countryside at its most honest.