Nobody knows how many climbs there are in the Peak District, but there’s more than enough for a weekend away. For beginners to world-class climbers alike, there are perfect cracklines, limestone quarries, and steep rock faces that seem impossible. And some are. Stanage is one of the best known – 20 metres high, the gritstone edge stretches across the moors above Hathersage, and yields more than 2000 routes. There are no bolts here, but there are grooves, cracklines, roofs, towers and slabs begging to be climbed. If these words are meaningless to you, stick to one of the many easier walks where the finish line is a pub.

River valleys, gorges, wildflower grasslands, rocky outcrops – few of the UK’s National Parks match the Peak District’s sheer variety. Many walks run along a cross-section of the best landscapes here. Try the Cheshire Cheese Inn in Hope to start one of the most popular walks in the district. It’s a combination of the Cave Dale gorge, as well as the open moorland of the Limestone Way and the lofty Mam Tor. Follow the footpath to Castleton, then after Mam Tor continue the three-mile stretch to Hollins Cross and the pinnacle of Lose Hill, before heading back to Hope and the safety of the pub.

A well-placed room is essential for exploring the Peak District – every road-tripper needs a place to crash after exploring. Set on the Chatsworth estate – where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned – the Devonshire Arms is a perfect place from which to explore the region and the considerable grounds of this stately home. A typical country pub, there is a creeper-covered stone building with window boxes and trestle tables, and quaint bar rooms inside. Stay overnight, though, and the charm lifts its head too. The 13 bedrooms are individually designed and would do a boutique hotel proud. Seven of the smartly decked out rooms are located above the pub, and dogs are allowed in the farmhouse rooms, which have a country style vibe with four-poster beds and soft tartans. The food at the pub is average, but take a tour of any of the nearby villages for many more options.

There are hundreds of pubs in the Peak District to stay, but Hassop Hall is a castle-like building in Hassop, and is the best high-end accommodation in the area. Surrounded by gardens and parkland, this family-run accommodation hosts 13 rooms in the main building, each with ensuites and decked out with country charm. Manicured lawns frame knot gardens, parterre and fountains.

The Peak District town of Buxton is known for its bottled mineral water, and the town itself looks like a mini Bath. In 1573 Mary, Queen of Scots visited the town seeking a cure for rheumatism, but it wasn’t until the late 18th Century that the town became really fashionable. A grand, curving facade fronts Buxton’s thermal spas, built in Regency style in 1954 (and set to reopen in 2019 after extensive works). There will be 21st-century pampering in the elegant Georgian buildings, with 79 rooms and suites. The pump room – which dispensed the town’s spring water for nearly a century – will be the centre of the new attraction. Meanwhile, the town itself is a quaint and worthwhile place to be.