Twixmas in the Peak District 2023: things to do in the Christmas holidays

1. Christmas at Chatsworth

Runs through to 7th January 2024
Click here to book your tickets

Step inside one of the grandest houses in the country and marvel their fabulous festive transformation; a sure way to get you into the Christmas spirit. After walking around the house, you then exit into the 105-acre gardens with waterworks, sculptures and twinkling lights.

Christmas tickets include admission to the house, garden, and the farmyard and playground. Or you can just get tickets for just the garden (which includes a festive light trail). All tickets must be booked online and include car parking (one car per transaction).

Click here for our full guide to visiting Chatsworth with kids.

2. Reservoir Christmas Trails

7th December 2023 to 2nd January 2024 (except Christmas Day), 10am to 3pm
No booking required, just come along on the day and time that suits you!

Severn Trent Christmas Trails are taking place at Carsington Water and Tittesworth Reservoir.

You don’t need to book for any of these. Just turn up to the relevant Visitors Centre (open 10am to 3pm) to pick up your trail map (£4 each). Each completed sheet will get a selection box as a prize (non-dairy selection boxes are available).

• Carsington Water (click here for info)
  Combine this with a Carsington water bike ride or the pram friendly Carsington loop walk.
  
• Tittesworth Water (click here for info)
  There’s a lovely pram friendly walk here.

5. Christmas fun an Brick Corner in Buxton

27th, 28th, 30th December
Click here for more information and to book

Our favourite Buxton café, Brick Corner, has a few days of post-Christmas fun planned for LEGO fans of all ages. Get creative with their LEGO and Robotics challenges with a cake and cuppa on the side.

Make sure you pre-book as places are limited.

6. Buxton Pump Room – Pigeon Post Family Activities

From the 8th December to the 8th January, 10am to 4pm
(Closed 24th, 25th, 26th, 31st Dec and 1st Jan)
Buxton Pump Room SK17 6BH
FREE
Click here for more information

During the school Christmas holidays, pop into Buxton’s beautiful Pump Room and craft a Christmas message or maybe even a thank you card at our Pigeon Post Office.  Whilst you’re there follow the free Pigeon Post family trail around the Pump Room for a small chocolate prize.

Or why not visit the Buxton Crescent Experience? Perfect for rainy days and livening up Twixmas,  time travel together and discover Buxton’s amazing story in nine very different rooms. Under 8’s go free.

• Family Trail – Follow the  Pigeon Post Christmas Trail and discover fascinating Christmas facts as you search for Parkin the pigeon’s missing post. Suitable for 4-11 year olds. Small chocolate prize for each completed trail.
• Pigeon Post Office Crafting – Ask for the Pigeon Post Office basket and get busy making and creating in the beautiful festive surroundings of the Pump Room. Maybe you’ll write your Christmas list to Santa, pen season’s greetings to friends and family or even finish off those thank you letters. Enjoy decorating paper and envelopes with a selection of crafty items!

7. Visit a Peak District cavern

All of the caverns in Castleton and Buxton are open throughout the Christmas holidays. They’re a fantastic day out for a Peak District rainy day as the weather above ground really doesn’t matter when you’re underground.

Open caverns include:

• Peak Cavern (Castleton)
• Speedwell Cavern (Castleton)
• Blue John Cavern (Castleton) – you pass this cavern on our Mam Tor walk.
• Treak Cliff Cavern (Castleton)
• Poole’s Cavern (Buxton) – read our review here. The cavern is also at the start of our Solomon’s Temple walk.

Please note that Heights of Abraham and their caverns have closed for the year and will reopen February 2024.

8. Hathersage Swimming Pool

Open year round
Click here to read our review
Click here to book

There’s something very special about swimming in an outdoor pool as the snow falls around you (we’re still hoping for a white Christmas!)

Hathersage Swimming Pool is supposedly heated to a constant 28°C all year round, although over the winter season it’s probably a fraction colder and if you do take your kids here, we suggest that everyone wear wetsuits.

9. National Stone Centre

Open year round, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Check out our guide to visiting the National Stone Museum
No booking necessary

Pan for gems, build a drystone wall, and hunt for fossils at The National Stone Centre, just a five minutes drive from the National Park boundary, close to Cromford and Matlock.

The National Stone Centre is free to enter, although it’s £3 to do the panning for gems, and £1 for geo-trail map. There’s also a café on site (with a rock shop and small exhibition), as well as a playground.

Combine your visit with a walk along the High Peak Trail to Black Rocks, or even further to Cromford Canal. Although, do allow 2-3 hours for wandering about The National Stone Centre, which includes a bite to eat at the Blue Lagoon Café.

10. Peak Wildlife Park

Open year round, except Christmas Day and Boxing Day
Click here to book tickets
Click here to read our review

Come face to face with exotic and endangered animals from across the world, including penguins, lemurs, meercats, zebras, deer and lots of farm animals at Peak Wildlife Park! It’s one of the top days out in the Peak District. Kids will love the walk through areas where you can venture inside animal enclosures, and they will especially love petting the farm animals.

This isn’t a normal zoo to see the ‘big five’. Instead it is an immersive experience to enjoy walking amongst less ferocious animals. Its a fantastic day out for little ones especially as they can be hands on with some of the tamer residents

Peak Wildlife Park is just 1km outside the National Park boundary near Leek and one of the best family days out in Staffordshire.