Bakewell
Famous for the pudding, the town of Bakewell is just half an hour’s walk from the cottage. After a pleasant amble along the river you can sample local brews in one of the many pubs, purchase a range of local products from the award-winning delis and bakeries in the town, and you might even catch a spot of cricket on the green!
Chatsworth
The Georgian Stately Home Chatsworth house is round the corner from the village. In fact, the Devonshire estate used to own all of Ashford in the Water right up until the 1950s! Chatsworth House is one of the biggest stately homes in the country and is set amongst magnificent, expansive parkland. You can walk through this parkland for free, admiring the many deer herds and the meandering River Derwent. However, the luxurious interiors of the estate are not to be missed, plus the victorian garden maze is a firm family favourite!
Lathkill Dale
Make sure you head up into the hills above Bakewell to have a look at the charming Lathkill weirs running down the dale. Especially in Springtime, when there is still plenty of water and lots of spring flowers, this dale is magical. With each fish pond teeming with trout, the only thing to disturb this idyll is the occasional plunging labrador (it is our dog’s number one swimming spot!)
Stanage Edge
After driving towards Hathersage for ten minutes, you will notice the landscape around you start to change dramatically. You are now leaving the White Peak and entering the Dark Peak, which boasts sweeping heather moors and awe-inspiring edges to climb, much like Stanage Edge. Scramble up the rocks to experience break-taking views or watch the bouldering experts safely from the floor…