The local area

The market town of Bakewell is three miles away and retains a number of country traditions which make it a fascinating place to visit. This is the home of the famous Bakewell pudding shop, and there is a lovely church, the New House Museum and lovely walks along the river bank.

Bank Holiday Markets, Well Dressing, the Carnival and Bakewell Show are all special dates in the calendar, whilst every Monday sees farmers, townsfolk and visitors jostling together at the cattle and sheep auction or amongst the wide variety of market stalls.

From Bakewell you can explore the delightful villages and small towns of the area. Tideswell is famous for its church, known as the Cathedral of the Peak, the 'Plague Village' of Eyam is close by and it is just a short drive to the village of Castleton and its spectacular caves.

The spa towns of Matlock and Buxton are nearby offering a wide range of attractions from the cable cars and spectacular scenery of Matlock Bath to the Opera Festival held annually at the Buxton Opera House. The Opera House has a full programme of plays and concerts throughout the year.

Derbyshire is famous for a range of magnificent stately homes, such as Chatsworth House with its deer park and ornate gardens or the quieter charm of Haddon Hall which is only a few miles beyond Bakewell.

Other stately homes within range include Hardwick Hall, a grand Elizabethan house, the Palladian mansion of Kedleston or Calke Abbey filled with the collected paraphernalia of generations and kept by the National Trust in an unrestored state.

This is a great area for walking, especially in the Limestone Dales which are such a feature of the White Peak. Monsal Dale and Millers Dale are close by and offer walks by the river or along the track of the former Midland Railway line with its viaducts and tunnels. Lathkill Dale is ten minutes away by car and offers superb scenery as well as evidence of Derbyshires lead mining past, it is also a nature reserve.

There are gritstone ridges to explore with dramatic views - these are popular with climbers with climbs of a wide range of difficulties.

As well as being a great walking area, the Peak District offers facilities for a wide range of outdoor pursuits from rock climbing to pot-holing to mountain biking to hang gliding. There are several cycle trails following the tracks of former railway lines along which you can explore the countryside free from traffic where cycle hire is available or explore the open uplands for which the Peak District is renowned.

For a very different experience you might visit Carsington Water which offers water sports and cycle hire facilities as well as having a visitors centre with shops, a cafe and restaurant.