Hartington

Stone walls frame this proper Peak District village where locals still know your name and the post office sells everything from stamps to hiking socks. Hartington sits in a gentle valley about twenty minutes south of Buxton, making it an excellent spot to spread out a blanket and watch life slow right down. The village green provides the obvious picnic location, though the real treats are the meadows that roll away towards the Dove Valley.

Families will appreciate how contained everything feels here - kids can't wander far without bumping into a dry stone wall or friendly dog walker. The Stilton cheese shop makes for essential provisions, and you'd be mad not to grab some of their famous crumbly white for your hamper. Duck pond entertainment comes free, though don't expect anything too dramatic.

Walkers often use this as a lunch stop on longer routes towards Dovedale or the Tissington Trail. It's that sort of place where an hour easily becomes three, especially if you strike up conversation with the regulars outside the pub. Several holiday parks dot the surrounding countryside - Newhaven Holiday Park and Bank House Farm Campsite both sit within three miles, making Hartington a natural day trip from base camp. Just don't expect mountain drama. This is gentle England at its most unhurried.