| EVENTS |
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Buxton’s Pavilion Gardens plays host to a ontinually changing list of attractions across the full Year, ranging from craft or food fairs, exhibitions and regular tea dances for those of this particular persuasion
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Lea Gardens (Tel. 01629 534380) hold a rare collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, alpines and conifers in a lovely woodland setting. The attractive teashop provides seating both inside and out. Plants are available for purchase. Open from the around the 2nd week in March until the end of June, is famous for its display of rhododendrons and azaleas.
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| Matlock Bath Illuminations and Venetian Nights, plus fireworks, originated in Victorian times, when the residents illuminated the area with fairy lamps, followed by a procession of illuminated boats on the river, to celebrate Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. Originally candle powered, the illuminations pre-date the well known Blackpool Illuminations. The Illuminations run from the beginning of September until the end of October. |
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| Cromford Steam Rally The Cromford Steam Rally Society has been established since 1970, and is now one of the most highly rated shows in this part of the country, taking place in August, just outside Matlock. |
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Wirksworth Arts Festival and Architecture Trails a fortnight’s extravaganza of the performing and exhibiting arts, involving the whole of the village, typically during the middle two weeks of September.
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| Hopton Hall famous for its show of snowdrops during the spring – February and March |
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Well Dressings a Derbyshire speciality but although not unique to Derbyshire is the county where the tradition is the strongest. Almost all the wells dressed every year are either within the county, or only a short distance from the county boundary.
Well dressing almost certainly dates back to pagan times, when sacrifices were made to water gods for maintaining the supply of water and as an inducement to continue to do so. The sacrifices took both human and animal form, but gradually the cruelty and wastefulness of this method of giving thanks gave way to primitive man hanging garlands of flowers over the wells.
Dressings typically take place between early May and mid-September. |
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| Shrovetide Football Ashbourne, is a football match that has to be seen to be believed – with half of the town playing against the other ! Genteel is isn’t, but worth watching it is. |
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Chatsworth International Horse Trials held this year on 10th and 11th May, represent the best equestrian event the region has to offer.
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Buxton Festival, and festival fringe held across the majority of July, is the Peak’s version of Edinburgh’s festival, provides access to a range of cultural activities to suit most tastes.
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| OUTDOOR PURSUITS |
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| Walking The Peak District is famous for its beautiful scenery and picturesque walking routes. Bonsall is ideally placed in the centre of the region to give easy access to all areas. For more information see Walking Pages or Guided-walks. |
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| Carsington Water Reservoir with attractions including Visitor Centre, bird-watching, fishing, cycle hire and bike trail, walking routes, water sports centre including dinghy sailing, windsurfing and kayaking. |
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| Cycling The Peak District is extremely popular for cycling with routes for road bikes, mountain bikes and some cycle trails. Bikes can be hired from a number of loctions close to the cycle trails. |
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| Climbing Lots of accessible climbs on the famous Peak District gritstone. |
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| Horse-riding including hacking and driving experiences, is available from the Red House Stables in Darley Dale, near Matlock – tel 01629 733583 |
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| HERITAGE |
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| Chatsworth House Magnificent house with treasures collected over five centuries. The house has 105 acres of landscaped gardens as well as a restaurant, gift shop, playground and farm shops. Featured in the recent film "The Duchess". |
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| Haddon Hall Tudor manor house near Bakewell. |
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| Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site where the Industrial Revolution was born. |
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| Calke Abbey National Trust country house and grounds dating from 1704. |
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Tissington Hall near Ashbourne, is a fine Jacobean Manor House in the heart of the village, owned by the FitzHerbert family who built most of the cottages in Tissington. |
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Kedleston Hall near Ashbourne is one of the best surviving examples anywhere of the work of Robert Adam. Lavishly decorated with fine collections of paintings, furniture and sculptures. |
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Eyam Hall near Baslow, is a fascinating 17th century manor house that has been the home of the Wright family for over 300 years. |
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High Peak Junction Museum near Cromford, on the Cromford Canal, houses the original Cromford and High Peak Railway workshops and exhibition with canal-side picnic area. |
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National Stone Museum Middleton Top, tells the story of stone, its geological and industrial history, while outside the visitor centre, the quarry trail takes you back over three hundred million years. |
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| Caudwell’s Mill Rowsley, powered by the River Wye is the only complete Victorian working roller flour mill in the UK. There are a number of working craft shops as well as a fascinating gift shop and café. |
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| SHOPPING |
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Westfield Centre Brand new shopping centre in Derby with over 150 stores. |
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Masson Mills Shopping village and working textile museum less than 10mins away. |
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Peak Village at Rowsley, near Chatsworth, with the Wind in the Willows attraction, tel. 01629 735326. |
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De Bradelei Mill, Belper, for designer-wear,
tel. 01773 829830 |
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John Smedley Factory Shop, Lea Bridge near Cromford (tel. 01629 534571) established over 200 years ago, sells a wide range of luxury knitwear at its factory shop at Lea Bridge. It is acknowledged as a leader in the specialist field of fine gauge knitted products of the highest quality. Open every day 10-4pm |
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East Midlands Designer Outlet, near J28 on the M1, for a huge range of designer, sports and home-wares, tel. 01773 545000 |
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FARMERS MARKET |
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Bakewell – last Saturday of the month, except July
Belper – 2nd Saturday of the month
Buxton – 1st Thursday of the month, except Jan and Aug
Chesterfield – 2nd Thursday of the month
Matlock – 3rd Saturday of the month |
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VILLAGES & TOWNS |
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The Peak District includes many delightful market towns and unspoilt villages.
Ashbourne
Bakewell
Matlock & Matlock Bath
Wirksworth
Tissington
Youlgreave
Hartington
Alstonfield
Castleton
Buxton
Ashford in the Water |
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| OTHER ATTRACTIONS |
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Alton Towers - The popular theme park is only 22 miles away. Home of Air, Nemesis, Oblivion and many other favorites.
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Heights of Abraham - Cable car ride above the Derwent valley to famous show caves and hilltop park at Matlock Bath. |
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Gullivers Kingdom - Family theme park in Matlock Bath aimed at younger children with rides including roller coaster and log flume. |
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Peak Rail - operating heritage steam trains between Matlock riverside and Rowsley.
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Crich Tramway Village - Period village with working trams and National Tramway musuem.
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Blue John Caverns - working mine with tours and craft shop for Blue John stone at Castleton. |
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Poole’s Cavern, Buxton, has guided tours of the limestone cavern, famous for its stalactites and stalagmites. Ancient remains show the Romans worshipped here. Large car park, toilets, shop and drinks facilities available. |
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Wirksworth Heritage Centre, is housed in what once was a Silk and Velvet Mill where in 1851 Samuel Evans employed twenty eight to thirty workers. The property had been left empty for many years and considered 'at risk', when the Civic Society took it over and converted it into one of the finest Heritage Centres in the Midlands when it opened its doors to the public in 1984. |
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| Visit Peak District Website - Peak District & Derbyshire site - everything you need to know about the local area. |
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| TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES |
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Ashbourne: 13 Market Place. 01335 343666
Bakewell: Bridge Street. 01629 813227
Buxton: The Crescent. 0129 825106
Castleton: Castle Street. 01433 620679
Matlock: Crown Square. 01629 583388
Matlock Bath: The Pavilion. 01629 55082 |
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