Your stay · Places to visit

Country houses, market towns and dales

The Peak District is home to many country houses, historic market towns, rivers, lakes and dales. Here are some places we recommend during your stay.

Chatsworth House across the River Derwent and its parkland

Chatsworth House, about 20 minutes awayPhoto: Paste (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0

No. I

Country houses

Chatsworth House

Home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, on the banks of the River Derwent. The house is spectacular, the garden has amazing water features and giant sculptures, and there is a working farmyard with a children’s playground.

chatsworth.org

Haddon Hall

Standing on a rocky outcrop above the River Wye and over 900 years old, one of the finest examples of a medieval house and Tudor manor. A film location for The Princess Bride, The Other Boleyn Girl and Jane Eyre.

haddon.co.uk

Hardwick Hall

An Elizabethan house created by Bess of Hardwick in the 1500s.

nationaltrust.org.uk

Bolsover Castle

A stunning Stuart mansion, designed to impress.

english-heritage.org.uk

Cromford Mills

The birthplace of the modern factory system.

cromfordmills.org.uk

No. II

Market towns

Bakewell

Home of the original Bakewell pudding, a historic market town with market day each Monday. On the beautiful River Wye, it is a great place for a wander, a coffee and a spot of shopping.

Ashbourne

Winding cobbled streets, a welcoming Market Place and handsome Tudor and Georgian heritage.

Wirksworth

One of Derbyshire’s prettiest towns, a magnet for lovers of history and heritage with its imposing stone buildings.

Matlock and Matlock Bath

Our local spa town and its neighbour have some great attractions and eateries, and are well worth a visit.

No. III

Rivers, lakes and dales

Castleton

Popular for its show caves, history, shops, Christmas lights, garland ceremony, Winnats Pass and Cave Dale, and for walking on the numerous footpaths in the area. It is surrounded by hillsides and overlooked by Mam Tor and the ancient Peveril Castle.

Mam Tor

Known as the shivering mountain, one of the most famous and breathtaking walks in the Peak District.

Dovedale

A renowned National Trust beauty spot, with the beautiful River Dove running through its impressive limestone ravines. A must for any visit to the Peak District.