The Great Outdoors – Walkers Paradise

The wonderful landscape of Dovedale and the Peak District National Park is a paradise for walkers, cyclists and lovers of other outdoor activities.

HERTIAGE WALKS IN THE PEAK DISTRICT BOOK - produced by the Peak District National Park Authority (price £10 from Sue)

Travel in the footsteps of our ancestors and do the Heritage Walks, this book describe ten walks in the Peak District. Six are landscape walks through spectacular White Peak scenery revealing the stories behind the features in the landscape. Four are village walks exploring the streets of these ancient places. Throughout the book they explain the long histories that have shaped the places we enjoy today.

This is the best guide produced for those who want to learn about the scenery as they walk.

Cycling

Cycling and mountain biking are very popular due to the miles of cycle routes along the country lands and former railway lines. Converted former railway lines such as the TISSINGTON TRAIL, HIGH PEAK TRAIL, and the MANIFOLD TRAIL also short sections of the MONSAL TRAIL offer safe traffic-free cycling along relatively level tracks across the most stunning countryside with fabulous views.

Cycle hire centres operate at Mapleton (near Ashbourne) Parsley Hay (near Hartington) Middleton Tor (near Wirksworth).

TISSINGTON and PARSLEY HAY have tea rooms with excellent foods.

Horse Riding

Bridleways and country lanes cross the Derbyshire Dales and the Peak District offering superb riding with spectacular views.

TISSINGTON TRAIL – have good facilities for the horse riders including horsebox. trailer parking

THE SABRINA WAY – another long distance bridleway, passes near Hartington. A leaflet is available from the British Horse Society. www.bhs.org.uk

What's On

A year round programme of festivals, events, shows and carnivals means there's always something happening in the Peak District. Here are just a few events which take place every year..

Markets

Bakewell Monday market is the biggest market in the area and in addition there are monthly farmers markets (last Saturday in the month) selling mouth watering locally produced foods.
Ashbourne on Thursday and Saturday every week.
Wirksworth on a Tuesday every week.

Well Dressing (May – Sept)
Well dressings are a custom almost unique to Derbyshire and Peak District and happen in villages from May to September. Springs and wells are decorated with beautiful pictures made of flowers, berries and leaves, with many villages having several dressed wells. A list of well dressing dates is available from Tourist Information Centres.

Festivals, Shows and Carnivals
During the summer there are carnivals, fairs and shows most weekends including:

Ashbourne Arts Festival (July)
Ashbourne Highland Gathering (July)
Ashbourne Show (August)
Bakewell Carnival (July)
Bakewell Arts Festival (August)
Wirksworth Festival (September)
Bakewell Show ( August)
Chatsworth Country Fair (September)
Buxton Food Fair (October)

Places to Visit
Houses and Gardens - Where else in England has such a wealth of fine country houses close by, such as:

Haddon Hall
Chatsworth
Sudbury Hall
Tissington Hall
Eyam Hall
Kedleston Hall

Chatsworth is one of the great treasure houses of England. Chatsworth has magnificent rooms which are filled with treasures collected over five centuries by the Duke of Devonshire. There are 105 acres of landscaped gardens to explore, with a restaurant, and gift shop, also adventure playground.

Haddon Hall is an unspoilt medieval and tudor manor house overlooking the river Wye near Bakewell, with a magnificent long gallery, beautiful tapestries and renowned terraced gardens. Restaurant and gift shop in the old stable block.

Tissington Hall is a fine Jacobean manor house in a picture postcard village. Home to the Fitzherbert family for over 500 years. The Old Coach House tearoom is nearby. Well Dressing is in May.

Alton Towers
For those children who insist is just 20 minutes away.