Leek

Leek makes a good base for exploring the southern Peak District without the crowds of the more famous honeypot villages further north. The town itself has a handful of independent hotels and guesthouses set in its Victorian terraces, an easy walk from the market square, the Nicholson Institute and the parish church. Staying centrally means you can explore the antique shops, cafes and pubs on foot before heading out to the surrounding countryside.

For a quieter stay, the villages and farmland around Leek offer country hotels and converted farmhouses with views towards Rudyard Lake or up to The Roaches. This is a good option if you plan to spend your days walking, cycling or on the water, since many properties sit closer to the reservoirs and moorland paths than the town centre does. Tittesworth Reservoir and Rudyard Lake both have accommodation nearby geared towards walkers, anglers and watersports visitors.

Because Leek sits right on the boundary of the Peak District National Park, it also works well as a less expensive alternative to staying inside the park itself, while still putting the Roaches, Rudyard Lake and the Churnet Valley within easy reach. Families tend to base themselves here for access to Peak Wildlife Park and the Churnet Valley Railway, while walkers and climbers often choose it as a jumping-off point for the gritstone edges above town. Booking ahead is worthwhile during the summer months and on market weekends, when the town gets busier.

Leek rewards a slow wander, with the surrounding moorland and lakes adding plenty for a longer stay.

• Leek Market — traders have sold here since the town was granted its market charter in the 13th century; today's markets run on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays across the town centre.
• The Nicholson Institute — a landmark building with a distinctive copper dome, built in 1884 by silk industrialist Joshua Nicholson and given to the town as a library, museum and public hall.
• St Edward the Confessor Parish Church — look out for the stained glass windows designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones, one of several traces of the Arts and Crafts movement dotted around the town.
• Rudyard Lake — a 2.5-mile reservoir just outside town, built originally to feed the canal network and now popular for sailing, kayaking, paddleboarding and a lakeside miniature railway.
• The Roaches — a dramatic gritstone ridge rising above the town, one of the best-known spots in the Peak District for hillwalking, bouldering and rock climbing, with sweeping views over the Cheshire Plain.
• Churnet Valley Railway — a heritage steam line running through the wooded Churnet Valley nearby, connecting several stations including Cheddleton and Consall.
• Peak Wildlife Park — a short drive from Leek, with walk-through enclosures for lemurs, wallabies and penguins, popular with families.
• Brindley Water Mill, Mill Street — an 18th-century corn mill designed by engineer James Brindley, one of the town's oldest working buildings.

Leek's food scene reflects its role as a proper market town, with independent cafes, bakeries and pubs rather than chains dominating the centre. The town is well known locally for its choice of real ale pubs, several of which serve beer from Staffordshire's own breweries. The weekly markets are a good spot to pick up local produce, and the town's antiques and craft shops make browsing between meals part of the appeal.

Camping around Leek means making the most of the Staffordshire Moorlands and the southern fringe of the Peak District, with sites ranging from simple farm fields to more established touring and camping parks. As with the rest of England, wild camping on open moorland is not legal without the landowner's permission, so campers should stick to recognised campsites, of which the area around Leek, Rudyard Lake and Tittesworth Reservoir has a reasonable choice.

The terrain here is proper moorland edge country: gritstone ridges like The Roaches rise abruptly above rolling farmland, and the weather can turn quickly even in summer, so it is worth choosing a site with some shelter and coming prepared for wind and rain regardless of season. Sites near Rudyard Lake and Tittesworth Reservoir tend to suit families and watersports visitors, with easier access and facilities close by, while sites further out towards the moorland edge suit walkers and climbers heading for The Roaches or the wider Peak District National Park.

Late spring through to early autumn is the most reliable camping season, when the moorland is at its most colourful and the daylight hours make the most of the walking and cycling on offer. Midsummer can get busy at the more popular lakeside sites, so booking ahead is sensible. Glamping has also taken hold in the area, with a growing number of pods, yurts and safari tents scattered across Moorlands farms, offering a comfortable way to enjoy the views without needing your own tent and kit. For those combining a stay with exploring the Churnet Valley or the Peak District further north, Leek is a convenient, well-placed base with camping options to suit most budgets and levels of adventure.