Exhilaration at it's Peak! (Peak District)

Member Name: MandyMinx

Product:	Peak District
Date:	29/08/03 (199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great scenery, Fresh air, Loads to see

Disadvantages: Steep hills

Instead of our usual jaunt to the seaside, my husband and I decided that what was really needed was something different. We wanted peace and quiet but we also needed to be able to keep the children occupied and happy too.
We were lucky enough to find a cottage, high on the moors of Derbyshire, on the edge of the Peak District. Not only did we get the peace and quiet we craved, we were perfectly positioned to explore the Peak District and all the delights it had to share.



I don't think that there are many who could fail to be moved by the beauty of the Peaks. The valleys and the Dales, The Black Peaks and the white, the moors and the forests.
I am trying to find the appropriate words to describe the breathtaking views and the exhilaration of standing on the edge of the Moor, looking out at the valleys below. It really is a unique experience. There are 1,600 miles of walks available to you as well as miles of bicycle paths and bridleways. For those of you that fancy a challenge there are too many places to see and explore to mention but that does not mean that the less adventurous of us would be unable to enjoy some of the bounty's that this great area has to offer.

Think of great TV programmes like Peak Practice and All creatures great and small and you will get an idea of some of the pretty little villages that nestle in the hills and in the valleys around the area. Believe me though, the camera does not do them justice. They are far more quaint that they appear on the box. Many of you will have read my opinion on Eyam, the plague village which can be found in the Peaks. This is only one of the great places we were able to visit. I think of all the villages that we explored, Bakewell was my favourite.
Bakewell is not only a picturesque place, with its church steeple, it's majestic bridges straddling its babbling river and it's quaint little shops. It is also the birthplace of the good old Bakewell tart or puddi
ng as it should be called. We visited an old shop that made these culinary delights and whisked one home for tea. The Bakeswell Pudding that is available in Bakewell is nothing like the ones that we can buy in our supermarkets and resembles an egg custard in some ways although the distinct almond flavour and the dollop of jam is still there.
There is an abundance of farm shops in and around the Peaks and the food available was absolutely excellent. Being able to buy a pad of butter, freshly churned was wonderful and as you can imagine breakfast in the morning was an excuse to try all sorts of fresh and natural products.

For those of us that like to explore there are some fabulous show caves in the Peaks. Poole's Cavern at Buxton is a delightful experience and what I thought was great was the fact that they have done a lot of work to make it as accessible to everyone as possible. The paths were quite level to make access possible for wheelchair users and the cave entrance was level and easy to enter. We had a great time here. The guides were great and well informed and the tours were really interesting. The experience we had here made us want to visit more caves and we found ourselves a few days later visiting Peak Cavern in Castleton, better known as the devils arse because of the rude noise that the water made as it flooded the cave. Unfortunately I found this cave a bit too much and the dreaded claustrophobia struck. I had to be taken back to the beginning of the tour and the mouth of the cave. The rest of the family thoroughly enjoyed it though and said they definitely got their money's worth.

If castles and stately homes are your thing then you will find plenty to satisfy you here. Chatsworth House is a beautiful stately home with its wonderful halls and beautiful gardens. Occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire this is a real royal residence where even the chickens are housed in a listed building. For the children, Chatswor
th has its own working farm where they have regular demonstrations and petting is allowed. There is also an impressive adventure playground for the kids to play in too. There is a charge for all of this and if you don't have time to do it all you might like to sit by the river in the grounds of Chatsworth. The river is so shallow at this time of year that children can quite safely play in it and my youngest spent a good few hours paddling and exploring.

Most of the pubs do food, although we did find that many of the pubs actually shut in the afternoons and reopened in the evening during the midweek. There were lots of places to eat and cream teas were a specialty. If after all that peace and quiet you find yourself yearning for something a little more lively, you can pay Matlock Bath a visit.
Named because the waters around there were though to have healing qualities Matlock Bath is well known for being the home of the biker, Matlock Bath has all the attraction of a seaside resort, only instead of the sea you have the beautiful river Derwent. There are the fish and chip shops, arcades, novelty shops and great pubs. We were luck enough to visit Matlock Bath during the illuminations where the town is all lit up at night with beautiful lights and there are little boats on the river with fantastic lights and designs. The kids loved Matlock Bath because it satisfied all the yearnings they had for the seaside.
For those of you that do not suffer from a fear of heights there is an impressive cable car ride that carries you up above the trees to The Heights of Abraham, a little theme park high up on the cliffs with a play park for the children and a restaurant with one hell of a view. For the little ones there is Gulliver's Kingdom, built into the hills of Matlock Bath. Great for the little ones this is one steep park and totally unsuitable for those with wheelchairs or those who struggle to walk.


I wish I could share all the delights
of the Peak District with you but we would be here forever. I will tell you that everything was well signposted which was really useful as many of the long and winding roads looked the same. We found that parking was really good and in many places it was free, parking signs were well marked and accurate. There were plenty of toilets in the tourist areas and everything was clean and well equipped.


Some advice I would offer if you are planning a visit.


Make sure that your car is in good condition. Some of the hills are really steep and very narrow and some of the routes are difficult. Check your tyres before setting out.

Take a map with you. As I have said before, many of the roads look similar and it is reassuring to have a map with you. There are some really good guides for the many walks on offer. I would also suggest if you are walking near the moors that you go in two's. It's very easy to get lost.

Take a coat. The weather can change really quickly.

Wear goos flat shoes. Some of the foot paths are a bit steep and your feet will take a hammering.

Take a camera. The views are breathtaking and you will want to share them.

Stop overnight. There are loads of campsites dotted around the Peaks, in fact some of the little pubs had them alongside and they were cheap too.

Watch out for busy traffic, especially at the weekend. The Peaks are a very popular tourist attraction.


Drink it in. In my opinion the Peak District is the eighth wonder of the world. Make the most of it. We had a fantastic time and have returned home shattered but definitely satisfied.
We were worried that there would not be enough to keep our picky teenager and hyperactive 11 year old amused. We were wrong, they loved it and are already hoping for a return visit

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