Shauna Coxsey is the UK’s most successful competition climber ever. She dominated the British championships for the best part of a decade, and won numerous World Cups in her chosen discipline, bouldering. In 2014, she became only the third woman in the world to climb an 8B+ boulder ‘problem’. In 2016 she was awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to climbing and in 2021, she represented Team GB in the sport’s first outing in the Olympics.
Following the Games, she’s taken a step back from the competitive circuit, become a mum, and spent more time indulging her passion for climbing outdoors. Originally from Runcorn in Cheshire, Coxsey has lived in Sheffield on the edge of the Peak District for years, and knows the area’s walking trails, walls and boulders like the back of her hand. Here, she shares her tips on the top spots in one of the UK’s most popular national parks.
“I loved how wild the Peak District felt when I was a kid. The sunsets always stayed in my memory”
Active Traveller: What was it that made you first fall in love with Peak District?
Shauna Coxsey: When I first started to do climbing competitions, my Dad would drive me over to Sheffield to compete. We would always get so excited to drive through the Peak District on the way over and stop off for a little adventure if we could. I loved how wild it felt and I fell in love with the area. The sunsets always stayed in my memory.
AT: What’s one thing you’ve only come to appreciate after years of living nearby?
SC: It would be impossible not to say the rocks. The climbing in the Peak is world-class. I love walking and exploring through all the Peak District has to offer—but nothing beats a good climbing session with friends on a sunny winter’s day.
AT: Where’s your favourite place to climb if you’ve got all day, a great crew, and the weather’s amazing?
SC: It could literally be anywhere! For me the people (and the weather) are what make a good day out. I love venues with a good view like Stanage Edge, but I also love being in some of the quieter climbing areas. The woods in the Southern Peak, for example, they always feel magical.
AT: Where would you head to avoid the crowds, on a busy day in summer for example?
SC: Oooh I am not going to give up my favourite secret spots in the Peak! [laughs] But when it’s hot on a summer’s day and I’ve been hiking or climbing, I love checking out some of the wild swimming spots across the Peak.
AT: Where’s your favourite spot for a hike?
SC: I love going to the Burbage Valley with my family. It is super easy to get to with a decent-sized car park. It is such a great place to connect with nature, and so close to Sheffield. The climbing there is fantastic but it is also the perfect spot to take our young daughter just to go walking.
AT: Where’s the best place to climb indoors?
SC: The Climbing Hangar in Sheffield sums up everything that is great about bouldering. You will always find good boulders, good cake, and friendly faces. It’s a really great location for climbers of all abilities.
AT: I understand you’re quite into baking? Where’s your favourite Peak District café or bakery, and is there a cake there you particularly rate?
SC: I think you cannot go wrong with Coleman’s Deli in Hathersage. All of the cakes there are fantastic, and it’s a perfect treat after a climbing session!
AT: What’s your favourite Peak District pub? And what are you ordering when you get there?
SC: I am not sure if it is technically in the Peak District or on the outskirts of Sheffield, but the Cricket Inn in Dore has amazing food and is always snug and warm during the cold winter months.
AT: Where’s your favourite nightlife spot, if you wanted to go ‘out out’?
SC: My young daughter means I don’t really go out that much anymore [laughs] But going for food in one of the restaurants on Kelham Island, in the centre of Sheffield, is always a special treat when me and my husband have a night to ourselves.
AT: Where’s your go-to gear shop if you had to buy some new kit?
SC: Outside in Hathersage is a legendary climbing shop. They stock any kit you may need and you can always find out climbing information for the local area from one of the staff or a friendly local.
AT: What’s the best time of year to visit the Peaks?
SC: I love the Peak District in Spring—you still have a bite in the air so that you can get the best friction on the rock but the days are getting longer and you don’t need to wear so many layers when you head out.
Find Shauna on Instagram @shaunacoxsey
