Our Top 10 Things to Do in the Peak District

Visit Peak District, the local tourist authority, are putting together a list of the top 10 things to do, see and experience in the Peak District and Derbyshire. They have asked us (and all the other members) for our personal recommendations in order to compile their list.

So here’s a sneaky preview at what we have submitted. We’ll let you know if it agrees to the Visit Peak District list when we see it!

1. Take a walk – doesn’t really matter where you start, there is so much gorgeous countryside to take in. We have maps in the cottages and a couple of ideas for walks from the door.
2. Visit a well dressing – associated in particular with Derbyshire and the Peak District, well dressing is believed to have started following the Great Plague. It is believed that clean well water kept residents safe from the water-borne disease. In thanksgiving, village wells are “dressed” or decorated with pictures constructed using natural materials embedded in a clay filled wood frame.
3. Try a proper Bakewell pudding (from Bakewell of course!) and not to be confused with a Bakewell tart.
4. Chatsworth – has it all – historical house, amazing gardens, children’s farmyard and adventure playground and beautiful riverside and woodland walks not to mention restaurants, cafes and a farm shop.
5. Haddon Hall – beautiful, un-spoilt medieval house and Tudor gardens for contrast with Chatsworth
6. Buxton Festival – music, literature, guided walking tours of the town, fringe. Three weeks each July
7. Have a pub lunch – lots of great choice. There are recommendations in the cottages (and we can add our two pennyworth too!)
8. Visit a cave – Poole’s Cavern in Buxton or one of several in the Hope Valley give an insight to the geology of the area and some of the ancient trades in Derbyshire.
9. Take to the country lanes for a cycle ride. Use the trails if you want to avoid the hills. Hire an electric bike if you don’t want to do the pedaling!
10. Sit outside one of the holiday cottages and watch the world go by (although nothing will be moving particularly quickly)