Places of Interest in the Peak District, England, UK

Places of Interest in the Peak District


	Places of Interest - The Peak District

Stately Homes in the Peak District

There are few places in England that have two Dukes living next to each other, yet just inside the Peak National Park, the Duke of Devonshire and the Duke of Rutland have property that shares the same border, the splendid stately homes of Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall. To the east you will find the fine buildings of Hardwick Hall and Bolsover Castle, to the west is Lyme Park at Disley and to the south, Calke Abbey in Ticknall and Kedleston Hall near Quarndon.

Chatsworth House / Haddon Hall

Chatsworth House Bakewell Derbyshire DE45 1PP Tel: 01246 565300	Chatsworth is one of Britain's best loved historic houses and estates. We offer something for everyone to enjoy, from famous works of art, young animals and the spectacular fountains in the garden to the finest shopping, food and drink and many miles of free walks. The home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire is set in the magnificent landscape of Derbyshire's Peak District National Park.



The Rutland Arms Hotel	.... in the magnificent town of Bakewell in the heart of the Peak District National Park this 19th century hotel offers elegance and distinct history amid unrivalled surroundings.	... lying equal distance from both Matlock and Buxton, on the edge of the Chatsworth estate.
	.. or ..
Cavendish Hotel	....located in Baslow, on the Chatsworth House Estate in the heart of the Peak District.	...steeped in history, with perfect views and peaceful surroundings..



Haddon Hall Bakewell Derbyshire DE45 1LA	Haddon Hall is a fortified medieval manor house dating from the 12th Century, and is the home of Lord and Lady Edward Manners whose family have owned it since 1567. Described by Simon Jenkins in 1000 Best houses as "the most perfect house to survive from the middle ages", this remarkable old house is surrounded by terraced Elizabethan gardens and is set amongst the rolling countryside of the Peak District National Park.	Telephone: 01629 812855 www.haddonhall.co.uk

Calke Abbey / Kedleston Hall

Calke Abbey Ticknall Derby Derbyshire DE73 7LE Telephone: 01332 863822	A country house, park and garden where time has stood still. One of the Trust's most child-friendly and fun properties, a Baroque mansion with a unique collections of curiosities. Stunning 18th-century Chinese silk bed, invisible corridors, underground tunnels and a secret garden. Calke Park is a National Nature Reserve set in over 240 hectares (600 acres). A National Trust property where charges apply. (Photo: © NTPL / Rupert Truman).



Melbourne Arms & Cuisine India	....located about 2 miles northeast of Calke Abbey, this beautifully converted pub and restaurant, features exceptional Indian cuisine in an outstanding setting.	....accommodation is comprised of single, double, twin and family rooms.
	.. or ..
The Georgian House Hotel	...located on the west side of the city of Derby, within 10 minutes’ walk of the city centre, this beautifully preserved Georgian building offers free parking and the peaceful atmosphere of a country hotel.	...a Grade II listed historic building combining traditional, old-world charm with modern comforts and facilities.



Kedleston Hall nr Quarndon Derby DE22 5JH Tel: 01332 842191	A spectacular 18th-century mansion with Adam interiors, pleasure ground and parkland. This masterpiece of neo-classical architecture, designed by Robert Adam in the 1760s has luxurious state rooms retaining their original collections of paintings, sculpture and furniture. The Eastern Museum is filled with collections of Lord Curzon (1899-1905), Viceroy of India. There are 820 acres of open parkland, with cascades, lakes and four marked walks. A National Trust property where charges apply. (Photo: © NTPL / Matthew Antrobus).

History of the Peak District

The history of the Peak goes back to the Ice Age, when the shapes of the Dark Peak and White Peak were formed, although the name "Peak" has nothing to do with the shape of the hills, but comes from the Celtic tribe the "Peac". Signs of the first Neolithic settlers can be seen at the massive stone circles at Arbor Low and the Nine Ladies on Stanton Moor. The Romans came to the Peak District to exploit its mineral riches and lead has been mined by the locals for centuries. In medieval times markets developed together with fairs, and with the growth of agriculture, much of the wool - based wealth was used to build superbly designed churches. Throughout the centuries, travelling across the Peak has proved difficult whether by packhorse, mailcoach or rail. Today it is still impossible to cross the Peak by train, the disused lines, closed under the Beeching Axe in the 1960's, are now well-used walking and cycling paths.

Peak District Customs & Festivals

Many customs and festivals are unique to the Peakland area, the most famous being the Well Dressing, celebrated from May through to September in villages across the whole Peak District. Many Derbyshire villages owe their location to a reliable flow of pure water. The custom of "dressing" or adorning village wells with flowers may have originated as thanks for the water. The custom has been practised for over 300 years, and today the wells are decorated with flower petals pressed into clay held in a wooden framework. The design is first sketched onto the wet clay, which has been cleaned of impurities, and then flower petals, berries, moss, lichen, seeds and cones are pressed into the surface. With its 5 wells, Tissington is the best known. Photo left is one of the wells at Rowsley, on the A6 between Matlock and Bakewell.

Sporting Activies in the Peak District

Sporting activities on Carsington Water are available including sailing, windsurfing, rafting and canoeing. There are also fishing facilities, mountain biking on a specially constructed 8 mile circuit, picnic sites, restaurants, craft shops and a Visitors Centre explaining the story of Carsington. Rother Valley Country Park also offers water-sports and there is hang gliding at Wetton, pony trekking at Flash near Buxton and trout fishing at Ladybower Reservoir in the Derwent valley. The valley is now a scenic tourist attraction, with well - marked footpaths, cycle - hire available for the attractive woodland and lakeside cycle routes, picnic sites and car parking.

Steam Railways in the Peak District

The Rudyard Lake Steam Railway is a narrow gauge steam railway located 2 miles north of Leek in North Staffordshire. To get there head for Leek or Macclesfield and then take the A523 until you are a mile north of Leek, then follow the B5331 for half a mile to the free car park at Rudyard Station. The present railway is 15 years old and is 10 1/4 inch gauge and is equivalent to about half of a full scale narrow gauge railway. Trains are normally steam hauled and run most weekends from Easter to late October. Peak Rail run regular Steam and Diesel hauled heritage passenger trains between Matlock Riverside and Rowsley. A large car park at Rowsley makes it an ideal way to beat the traffic jams to get into Matlock. We also offer an on train dining service on selected trains, and footplate experience courses, where you can get your hands on a steam engines controls. Special events are featured at different times of the year, Santa Specials run through December. (www.peakrail.co.uk)

....and some interesting towns, villages and visitor attractions in the Peak District....
Ashbourne	Buxton	Cromford	Haddon Hall	Lyme Park
Ashford-in-the-Water	Castleton	Cromford railway	Hardwick Hall	Macclesfield
Bakewell	Chatsworth House	Edale	Hathersage	Stone Circles
Belper	Chesterfield	Eyam	Holmfirth	Tideswell
Bolsover Castle	Crich	Glossop	Leek	Wirksworth

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Places of Interest in the Peak District, England, UK