Lumsdale Waterfall

The walk to Lumsdale Waterfall is honestly the point - a proper easy ramble through woodland just north of Matlock that takes you past a series of small cascades before reaching the main event. It's not Niagara Falls. It's not even particularly tall. But on a grey Derbyshire afternoon when the water's running decent, it's atmospheric enough to justify the short trek from the car park.

You're looking at maybe thirty minutes there and back if you're not dawdling. The path is well-trodden and manageable, though it gets a bit muddy after rain - which, let's be honest, is most of the time round here. Kids will manage fine if they're used to walking, though under-fives might need carrying for stretches. The woodland setting counts for more than the waterfall itself; it's the kind of place where you actually notice birds and moss and damp stone.

There's no admission charge and no facilities to speak of, so bring water and don't expect a café. It works perfectly as a morning outing if you're based at one of the nearby parks - Packhorse Farm is barely a mile away, or Darwin Forest if you want something a touch more upscale. Pair it with Matlock itself for lunch and you've got a solid half-day sorted. Worth doing once if you're in the area. Whether you'll remember it in five years is another question.