A Guide to Beautiful Bookshops in the Peak District

There are many excellent bookshops in the Peak District and surrounding areas. Some of them are well known and others are hidden away. We’ve listed a selection of independent booksellers that are based in the Peak District National Park (UK) and just outside – grouping them to the nearest town. These include the famous Scarthin Books in Cromford as well as the acclaimed Buxton bookshop, Scrivener’s Books.

It’s worth noting that there are many excellent second hand bookshops in Derbyshire, so you’re bound to find a bargain or two when visiting this lovely county.

Where available, we’ve included normal opening hours and Covid hours. However we recommend that you check times & visit policy with individual shops before visiting. There are also links to buy online from each shop where this is an option.

This post contains affiliate links which means that we may receive a small amount of commission at no cost to yourself if you buy a product through this page. Please see our disclosure here.

All photographs taken by The Book Family Rogerson unless stated in the caption.

Bookshops near Matlock

Matlock is the county town of Derbyshire and is known for its dramatic scenery. Although not technically in the Peak District National Park, it acts as one of the gateways. You can find two fine bookshops within a three mile radius. There are also a number of independent retailers in town, many selling vintage homeware.

The Barrister’s Book Chamber

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The Barrister’s Book Chamber is tucked away in a quaint courtyard minutes away from the centre of Matlock. Selling secondhand titles, it has two beautifully-decorated rooms – one for adults and the other for children.

The range of books is wide – from contemporary thrillers through to hardback classics. They also stock a selection of lesser known titles with beautiful vintage covers. Angela and Laura, the owners, have created a welcoming, cosy space with a fireplace and armchairs. Perfect for a leisurely browse.

Address: The Barrister’s Book Chamber, The Courtyard, Dale Road, Matlock DE4 3LT

Hours: The shop is closed but you can buy vouchers and book bundles via their Etsy shop. They also have a Bookshop.org list.

Parking: There are Pay & Display car parks near to the station just around the corner and further down Dale Road

Scarthin Books

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Scarthin Books is probably the most famous of the bookshops in the Peak District. Located just under 3 miles away from Matlock in the historic village of Cromford, this quirky bookstore sits beside a tranquil mill pond.

Mazelike-inside, it stretches over three floors and has numerous nooks and crannies as well as a vegan/vegetarian cafe. There are thousands of new and secondhand books to marvel at so you really need to set aside a good few hours to explore this place fully. We wrote about one of our many visits to Scarthin Books here.

Address: Scarthin Books, The Promenade, Cromford, Matlock, Derbyshire, DE4 3QF

Opening Hours and Online Shopping: All details on their home page.

Parking: You can park for free on the promenade outside and on the surrounding roads.

The Stocking Mill

The Stocking Mill is situated in Ashford-in-the-Water, one of the prettiest villages in the Peak District. Only 2 minutes’ drive from Bakewell, this is a perfect base for Peak District adventures. See more on Coolstays.

Bookshops Near Bakewell

Bakewell is right in the heart of the Peak District and is a great destination for bibliophiles. It has a variety of new and secondhand booksellers as well as a number of charity shops. The town itself is pretty and easy to walk around in half a day although it does get very busy.

Hawkridge Books

Hawkridge Books can be found a few doors down from Bakewell Books. This antiquarian bookshop may look small from the exterior, but it’s much larger inside. With over 9000 titles in stock, Hawkridge specialises in natural history and ornithology books. The bookstore also has an impressive collection of Folio Society editions. Well-behaved children are welcome but the bookshop doesn’t have a kids’ section so bear this in mind if you visit. The owner also buys good quality books.

Address: Hawkridge Books, 14 Matlock Street Bakewell DE45 1EE

Opening Hours and Online Orders: Check the blog for the latest opening times. You can search for stock and order online.

Parking: There are several large Pay & Display car parks in Bakewell. You can sometimes find free spaces on nearby streets.

Book End

Book End is located the bridge and is run by volunteers. Sales from this charity bookshop fund a local community transport scheme.

There are around 2000 books on sale at any one time, all donated by local residents. These cover a wide range of genres from fiction to guides to collectables. The charity is always on the lookout for donations, which you can drop off at the shop.

Address: Book End Book Shop, Bridge House, Bridge Street. Bakewell, DE45 1DS

Opening Hours: Phone 01629 814994 to check opening hours.

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Bookshops near Buxton

The spa town of Buxton is home to two independent bookshops, with another three within easy driving distance. A hub for the arts, Buxton also has an opera house, a museum and several galleries – making it a fantastic place to stay for a trip to the Peak District.

Scrivener’s Books and Bookbinding

Scrivener’s Books and Bookbinding is the best-known Buxton bookshop and has a national reputation. Founded in 1997, it’s one of the largest second hand bookshops in Derbyshire. Spread over five floors, it sells an extensive range of genres. They sell collectables on AbeBooks.

Families are welcome during normal opening and there’s a comfy lounge area on the first floor with games and an honesty snack area. You can see more of the shop in our post here.

Opening Hours and Online Sales: Find out the latest opening hours on their Facebook page.

Parking: There is plenty of free parking on the surrounding streets. You can also find Pay & Display car parks in the centre of Buxton.

Chapter and Verse

Chapter and Verse is an independent Christian bookshop in Buxton run by a charitable trust. This specialist bookstore is situated near to Scrivener’s Books in Higher Buxton. It sells Christian books for adults and children, gifts, cards and music.

Address: Chapter and Verse, 2/4 Market Street, Buxton, SK17 6JY

Opening Hours: Check the Facebook page for the most up-to-date information including book club details.

High Peak Bookstore & Cafe

The High Peak Bookstore & Cafe (formerly known as Bookstore Brierlow Bar) is a destination in its own right. Only a short drive from Buxton on the Ashbourne (A515) road, this bookseller has a popular cafe and a dedicated children’s book room.

Stocking new books – most at less than half price – this is an ideal spot to find well-known titles at bargain prices. The bookstore also offers a range of CDs, bird feeders and cards.

Address: High Peak Bookstore and Café, Ashbourne Road, Buxton SK17 9PY.

Opening Hours: Check the website for the latest details.

Parking: There is a large free car park adjacent to the bookshop.

Peak Volumes

Peak Volumes is a characterful antiquarian and secondhand bookshop in the village of Tideswell (approximately 15 minutes’ drive from Buxton). Covering the ground floor of the former bank, the bookstore has an eclectic range of vintage titles covering fiction and non-fiction. Children will love the pic’n’mix sweet stall. Cards and wrapping paper are also available to buy.

Address: Peak Volumes, Guildhall, Bank Square, Tideswell SK17 8NT.

Opening Hours: Check the website for the latest information.

Parking: You can find free parking throughout Tideswell village.

Reading Matters Bookshop

Reading Matters bookshop is a little way off the obvious tourist routes in the small town of Chapel-en-le-Frith (around 15 minutes’ drive from Buxton). This ‘little bookshop with heart’ stocks a well-curated selection of new books and has a children’s corner.

If you live within a 5 mile radius of the bookshop, Reading Matters will deliver orders free of charge.

Address: 48 Market Street, Chapel-en-le-Frith, High Peak SK23 0HY

Opening Hours and Online Sales: See the website for the latest information.

Parking: There is parking outside the shop for up to 40 minutes or use the supermarket car park.

Buxton Accommodation Map

Booking.com

Bookshops Near New Mills

High Street Books and Records

High Street Books and Records in New Mills has traded for 30 years and the current owners have been running it since 2010. It has a nice mix of secondhand books upstairs and records in the cellar. Although it’s compact, the shop has a really well-curated book section including Folio Society editions, Penguin Classics, children’s books, non-fiction and commercial novels. It also holds lots of titles in its warehouse so be sure to check out the online catalogue.

Address: 6 High Street, New Mills, Derbyshire, SK22 4AL

Opening Hours and Online Sales: Check the website for the most up-to-date details.

Parking: There is a pay & display car park just around the corner.

Bookshops Near Glossop

George Street Community Bookshop

George Street Community Bookshop is community benefit society which means it is owned by a collective of local shareholders and run for the community (although all are welcome!). The distinctive bookstore sells secondhand books – fiction and non-fiction. It also has a blog and has just started a podcast. You can buy books online via the website.

Address: 14-16 George Street, Glossop, Derbyshire, SK13 8AY

Opening Hours and Online Sales: The latest details are on the website.

Parking: There are several pay & display car parks in Glossop.

Bay Tree Books

Bay Tree Books stocks new books, including the latest bestsellers, and gifts. During normal operation, the titles are displayed over two floors but at present, everything is on the ground floor. The bookstore is offering click and collect and free delivery in a 2 mile radius.

Address: 96 High St W, Glossop SK13 8BB, UK

Opening Hours and Online Sales: See the website for the current details.

Bookshops Near Leek

Picture Book Bookshop

Picture Book in Leek sells new books with a focus on natural history and local books. This diminutive bookstore stocks cards, the aforementioned local titles, and children’s books downstairs. The children’s section is a little treasure trove. Upstairs you’ll find new releases, bestsellers, YA, adult fiction and non-fiction.

Address: Picture Book, 6 Stanley Street. Leek, Staffordshire, ST13 5HG

Opening Hours: See the website for the current details.

Parking: There are several pay & display car parks in Leek. We often park at the Moorlands Shopping Centre.

Booking.com

We hope you enjoyed this round-up of bookshops in the Peak District. We feel very lucky to live in an area with so many thriving small bookstores, but they need your custom more than ever right now. We’ll keep on adding to this so please leave us a comment below or contact us if you have a suggestion.