Getting outdoors right now should be a priority on your self-care list because a recent trip to the Peak District was exactly what the doctor ordered for me. The Peak District is a vast place to explore so finding a walk/hike that is suitable for you needs research and can be easy. We decided to use a good weather day to get on our walking shoes and head to the Staffordshire area of the Peak District to explore Lud's Church. 

With a 80-minute pleasant drive from our base in Leicestershire, we headed towards the Gradbach area in Staffordshire. Parking here was a bit tricky as it seemed that everyone had this spot on their agenda that day, it meant we parked on the main road around 15 minutes further along to where we were hoping to park in the end. There is a car park by the River Dane, it's about a quarter of a mile from the old mill at Gradbach. There is also The Roaches Gradbach Car Park which is aligned with the walk towards Lud's Church. So there are plenty of options there for when you arrive by car.

If you do fancy another walk whilst you are at Lud's Church you can access The Roaches whilst here, we didn't but we'll definitely be giving it a go next time. The Roaches is an impressive rugged and steep gritstone ridge. Up here you can see panoramic views of Cheshire, Winter Hill in Lancashire and even Snowdown in Wales on a clear day. 

Lud's Church is a unique Peak District landmark that definitely has the wow factor enclosed within it. It's an 18 metre deep, moss-covered chasm full of history, myths and dark green wherever you look. It was created in the Roaches' gritstone after a giant landslip, which over time has been covered from top to bottom in vibrant moss. 

Walking towards this area was very uphill but there's fantastic spots on your way up to enjoy a spot of lunch before seeking Lud's Church. We definitely grabbed the opportunity to have a rest and dig into our prepared picnic whilst admiring the great British woodland and everything it has to offer here. Once we were up at the Lud's Church the views were incredible and as it's only 100 metres long, it doesn't really take long to explore it. We would have loved to have really taken our time but due to the volume of people here we decided to walk through at their pace. Once we came through at the other side we walked through beautiful woodland to navigate our way back to where we started. 

I'm not going to lie this was difficult as our source of navigation didn't play ball so we had to endure quite a vertical drop (aided by the fact we followed another family) back to a familiar path. 

The area in which Lud's Church resides is beautiful and gave us a great experience of the British countryside under our feet. 

Lud's Church is a great place in the Peak District to explore as an individual or with your family. We saw loads of families here enjoying the different areas they could climb or explore at their heart's content.

There are some great things to do nearby to including the Leak and Rudyard Railway, the Peak District Alpaca Experience, Poole's Cavern and Country Park and the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. You can also explore the Peak District through bike hire and riding and trekking opportunities!

Ingleton Waterfalls Trail is a perfect day out for family and friends, there's something for everyone to enjoy on the walk. The walk offers a great opportunity for educational visitors to explore both nature and geological features including Thornton Force that falls 14 metres over limestone. There are 9 different sites situated around the trail for you to explore at your leisure. You will also spot rare and interesting plants and wildlife, as well as its importance as a geological site. 

Download a PDF copy of the Ingleton Waterfalls Trail Information Leaflet.

We soaked in all of the fresh air and opportunity to explore something really new to me and Jordan. The four and a half mile walk is advised to take around 2-4 hours to complete. It took us around 2.5 hours to complete as we went at a steady pace we were both happy with. The trail does have a well-defined footpath over moderately inclined ground. There is a large number of steps during the walk and there are handrails available to use. This walk isn't suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. 

On our walk we were lucky as the weather was on our side. The sunshine really brought out the best in British countryside during the Autumn. I loved all of the colours, space and the ability to find something beautiful at every corner. I would recommend that you take snacks and plenty of water on this hike. There are some stops along the way with a small cafe and toilets but none of them take card payments. (We were desperate for some water and a woman kindly brought us both a bottle of water, not sure how I would have coped if she didn't step in at the right moment). 

The walk was incredibly exhausting but a really great way to get out and explore some beauty that's right on the door of the Lake District. 

At the end of the walk is a short walk through the village of Ingleton. A really peaceful and tranquil place where you can grab a bite to eat at one of the local pubs or just sit down for a while to soak in the village atmosphere. The views around the village and throughout the walk were timeless and I'd definitely do it all over again. 

Facilities available at Ingleton Waterfalls Trail include toilets at the start and half-way round at Beezley Farm, Picnic areas at various points around the walk and free parking for ticket holders. It costs £6 per adult to participate in the walk and there is a vast car park. 

If you'd like to find out further information about Ingleton Waterfalls Trail you can do so by heading over to their website here.