My Dad was walking the Pennine Way back in April/ earlyMay – 268 miles taking him almost 3 weeks – meaning my Mum was at home on her own over two bank holidays. I decided to go and visit and look for things for us to do together and whilst googling I discovered Morton Hall Gardens Tulip Festival, so off we went!

Approaching the main gardens I’d already lost my Mum in a meadow. My parents bought a field to stop it being developed on and have since converted it to a wild meadow, so she was off noting all the plants and grasses for inspiration.

Once we finally got to the main garden we were greeted by beautiful views out over the local hills. I couldn’t believe someone lives here as their private home – it’s truly beautiful. We meandered through the tulip display tents, and then through some pretty blossom toned with white and purple pastel tulips.

In to the main formal gardens and we were taken aback by how perfect all the beds were – with tulips of all shades from red, to orange, to black, to purple – mixed with a stunning selection of other plants too. It had been so well done and was an absolute joy to walk around.

There’s then also a less formal section surrounding a small pond area, with lots of snowdrops and willow trees which was nicely done and very peaceful. Overall we spent about 1.5 hours exploring the gardens – it’s only a small site but absolutely beautiful around every corner.

After exploring the gardens, we headed to the refreshments tent and had the most delicious cake and a cup of tea before heading to the next stop of our day, Coughton Court and Handbury Hall. I’d definitely recommend the tulip festival here to anyone, it’s absolutely stunning and it’s even run to raise funding for the nearby Royal Shakespeare Company’s costumes for its plays. Win win really.

I hope you enjoyed all the tulips -stay safe and happy travelling everyone!

Coughton Court

Let’s start at Coughton. The craziest thing about this house is that the same family have lived in it since 1409 – yup, that’s 600 years of uninterrupted Throckmortons. The current head of the family is Magnus Birch Throckmorton (only in England) and his family now occupy the house under a 300 year lease from the National Trust, meaning even better – we get to snoop around their house too!

The present building dates to the 15th Century and has since survived in a family who for much of that time were impoverished, persecuted or imprisoned for their adherence to the Catholic faith.

Let’s start there with the historical stories. Coughton is home to a sixteenth-century double layered priest’s hole, used to hide Catholic priests from being captured and (likely) killed during the Reformation. When the hole was discovered in 1910 still inside were a rope ladder, a small tapestry, bedding and a folding leather altar. The double layer meant that if anyone chanced upon the first empty compartment, it was unlikely that they would have found the second compartment below, where the priest would have been hiding.

Coughton’s most famous historical link is to the gunpowder plot. This was a plan by a small group of young Catholic extremists to blow up the House of Lords, together with the King and the entire Protestant government – which in turn they hoped would lead to a new regime that sympathised with Catholicism and allowed them to practice. The ring leader of the plot was Robert Catesby, son of Anne Throckmorton of Coughton Court.

Guy Fawkes was chosen to prepare and ignite the 36 barrels of gunpowder that had been hidden in the cellars underneath the House of Lords. Early in the morning of 5 November the cellars were searched and Guy Fawkes was captured. He was taken away and tortured to reveal the names of the other plotters. Ultimately the plotters were all tried and convicted of treason and subsequently hung, drawn and quartered in 1606. The country celebrated the defeat of the plot with bonfires which we continue to this day as Bonfire Night. (Not sure we should celebrate the brutal murders of a group of young men who just wanted to practice their faith, and I can see why many Catholic countries see it as offensive).

Another famous Coughton resident was Bess Throckmorton, who was Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth I. She secretly married Sir Walter Raleigh in 1591, much to the fury of the Queen. They were both sent to the Tower of London. When Raleigh was executed in 1618, Bess was rumoured to carry his embalmed head around with her in a red leather sack. Lurvely.

And the final historical fun story is that of Katherine Vaux who married Sir George Throckmorton in the early sixteenth century was the aunt of Katherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII. She had no fewer than 19 children and 112 grandchildren. Poor woman!

Hanbury Hall

After all that historical excitement, it’s time to head to Hanbury with a stop for lunch along the way at one of the many nearby pubs.

Hanbury was built later than Coughton, in the 1700s. Its original owner was Thomas Vernon, who amassed a fortune as an eminent barrister for 40 years, as well as becoming Whig MP for Worcester in 1715. He married but had no children, so the estate was passed to his cousin, Bowater Vernon (again only in England).  

The most famous part of the house, by far, is Thomas’ legacy at the hall – the wall and ceiling paintings that he commissioned Sir James Thornhill to create. These depict the story of Achilles and, having been recently restored, are Hanbury’s crowning glory. Thornhill also painted St Paul’s Cathedral and Greenwich.

The Vernon’s owned Hanbury until the 1920s and, like the Throckmortons, were a colourful bunch. A young heiress, Emma Vernon inherited Hanbury at the age of 16, but eventually eloped with a local curate (assistant vicar), which her husband Henry Cecil wasn’t happy about. He closed the hall and sold all of the furniture. Henry himself later married again bigamously and moved to his family seat at Burghley House, where his second wife died in child birth.

Later, Lady Georgina Vernon and her husband Sir Harry took great interest in the care of other people, opening a site as a convalescent home for soldiers injured in the Boer War in 1900, and both becoming involved in the Red Cross. Lady Georgina was a Vice-President for many years, and at the outbreak of the First World War their home became an auxiliary Red Cross Hospital.  I decided I liked her the most of all the characters I’d met during the day.

After a good dose of English history, it was time to head home after a glorious day out. I had such fun visiting these homes with my Mum and learning about their very interesting residents. I hope you enjoyed following along – stay safe and happy travelling!

Mum and I had planned the route, so obviously didn’t know where to go or what direction – from Calke Abbey car park, I eventually led us off on a path (which turned out to be the completely wrong one) entering some lovely woodland and followed along a stream to the nearby reservoir. The reservoir is man made, covering 209 acres with a capacity of 1400 million gallons, benefiting around 800,000 people in Leicestershire. It’s one of the most modern and efficient reservoirs in Europe – you learn something new every day.

We walked round the reservoir, and then through Calke Village and back on to the Abbey grounds. Just a week before the weather here in England had turned really mild and the daffodils started blooming, but it lulled us in to thinking Spring was here before hitting us with Winter Part 2. As we walked back on to the Estate, I could barely feel my hands and my eyes were watering at the cold. We strolled past the beautiful church and then Calke Abbey itself came in to view. I decided I was far too cold to continue on our walk and instead we decided to warm up in the house.

As with anything with an Abbey in the name, the site was of course once an Abbey until Henry VIII came along. However the current building was built well after that between 1701 and 1704, as a Baroque mansion. The house was owned by the Harpur Family for nearly 300 years, but passed to the National Trust in 1985.

The house is really unique as it has been preserved in the state in which it was handed to the National Trust. It really is as if time stood still, and illustrative of how many of these grand houses gradually fell in to a state of disrepair, unsustainable post two World Wars and the introduction of inheritance tax. In fact, the Harpur who passed it to the National Trust did so in lieu of an £8m inheritance tax bill.

What’s also interesting is that slowly over time bits of the house had already been closed off by the Harpurs to try to make running the estate more affordable. What it means is you now have a mish-mash of rooms – some well kept and found in an impressive state, and others completely decrepit after years of abandonment. There are signs of the once splendid grandeur of the early generations, with servants bells (labelled Lady Harpur’s bedroom and so forth), grand fireplaces and a library of incredible books, but there are also many mouldy, torn and worn rooms. I quite liked it because it had character.

An un-stately home indeed.

After warming up, and a spot of lunch in the Café, it was back to the walking route I’d already messed up. With Dad at the helm, we walked up north to the nearby lime kilns. These kilns lie on the Calke Estate, and were once used to create mortar to enable the bonding of bricks to build buildings by burning the limestone to make quicklime.

We then looped back down to the Estate, through more pretty woodland and open fields before collapsing in to the car. In total we walked about 8km in a very inefficient loop, but it was still beautiful and a lovely day out. The perfect way to clear my head after a long week at work, and to re-set myself before starting all over again on Monday.

Thanks so much for reading – what did you think of Calke Abbey? I loved this affectionately labelled un-stately home, and thoroughly recommend a visit to anyone who might be in the area. Stay safe and happy travelling!

You can do these days in an order to suit you as they aren’t too far apart, and if you don’t have a full week – no problem, just pick the days you like!

Itinerary Day 1 – Arrival and Thor’s Cave

Assuming you’re arriving in to the Peak District late morning, it’s time to start your visit to the National Park with what it’s best for – a hike! Grab some lunch in Wetton, before heading to one of the area’s most famous sights, Thor’s Cave. After your hike, head the 40 minutes north-east to Matlock, which will be your overnight stop for 2 nights.

Optional: If you want to add a bit of extra luxury, stay the night before or after this day at Tawny Hotel– whilst not technically in the Peak District, it’s only 15 minutes from the Thor’s Cave walk and one of the most incredible England hotels I’ve ever stayed at. It would be sure to kick your week off in style.

You can read my guide to the walk at Thor’s Cave HERE

You can read my Tawny Hotel Review HERE

Itinerary Day 2 – Matlock

Have a bit of a lie in today after your hike yesterday, and then enjoy a stroll around Matlock itself. Perhaps check out Hall Leys Park, enjoy brunch alongside the river and then spend your afternoon at one of the lovely local attractions. We headed to Cromford Mills, a super interesting World Heritage Site which is the site of Arkwright’s famous cotton mills. There’s an exhibition centre there, plus every Sunday is a beautiful market with local crafts for sale. If that doesn’t appeal, you could visit the Peak District Mining Museum, take a ride on the Peak Rail, or even visit Lumsdale waterfalls.

You can read my guide to Cromford Mill HERE.

Itinerary Day 3 – Matlock

There are lots of lovely hikes in and around Matlock, so today it’s time for one of the best – a 6 mile hike starting in Matlock, up High Tor, continuing on to Matlock Bath and the Heights of Abraham before looping back round to your start point.

You can read my Matlock, High Tor and Heights of Abraham walk guide HERE

At the end of the day, head the short 20 minutes north to Bakewell, which will be your base for the next 2 nights.

Itinerary Day 4 – Chatsworth House and Bakewell

From Bakewell, Chatsworth House is only a short drive away. I recommend going there for opening because it can get busy. Start the day there exploring the front of the house and taking some nice shots before the cars all start parking in front of it.

Then tour the house itself, marvelling at the incredible interior, before taking a walk up to the hunting tower, and then around the formal gardens, including the maze. Finish your visit off with a special afternoon tea for a touch of luxury.

After an afternoon tea, head back to Bakewell and explore the town. Strolling along the river is a must to see the ancient bridge, as well as sampling the local delicacy – Bakewell Tart/Pudding. Then visit the church and the beautiful almshouses, before finishing the day with a delicious dinner.

You can read my full guide to Bakewell (including Day 5’s walk) HERE.

Itinerary Day 5 – Monsal Trail and Monsal Dale

After a day off from hiking yesterday, it’s time to get exercising again! Have a little lie in today to rest a bit, but then it’s time for another of the area’s most famous and beautiful walks, also close to Bakewell.

The Monsal Trail route is a walking/cycling route constructed from an old railway line which connected Manchester and London on the Midland Railway from 1863 to 1968. Once closed, the old railway route was converted to a trail which is 8.5km in length. You could choose to walk the whole thing, but the area is also home to the Monsal Dale – beautiful rolling hills with stunning views you don’t get from the trail. We did a loop walk per the route shown HERE, which took us 3 hours to complete.

You can read my full guide to 2 days in Bakewell (including Day 4’s activities) HERE.

Itinerary Day 6 – Castleton

Drive north to Castleton first thing in the morning. As yesterday was a big hike, spend today enjoying a slightly less active day by visiting Peveril Castle for its wonderful views out across the hills, and be sure to take a trip in to one of the many caves Castleton is home to to learn about it’s mining history.

Also stroll around the town centre to enjoy the picture perfect cottages and have a pub lunch, which is a must when on holiday in England. And if you do fancy a walk head to Winnats Pass, an incredible view point.

You can read my guide to Castleton HERE.

Itinerary Day 7 -Mam Tor

Before you leave Castleton, it’s time for one final hike. Probably the most famous in the Peak District – Mam Tor. For this walk, we decided to follow in my parent’s footsteps – we did a 5 mile route from a book they bought in 1986. My dad had annotated it in pencil very clearly and apart from a stile now being a gate nothing had changed!

You can read my full write up of the Mam Tor walk HERE.

And after all that exploring, it’s time to head home after a great week in the Peaks.

So what do you think of the Peak District? Would you want to explore this beautiful area of England? I think it’s the perfect balance of getting out in to nature, and at a slow (ish) pace to enjoy the pubs, stately homes and pretty villages of the area too. Stay safe and happy travelling everyone!

Anyway, back to the post at hand. I’m finally concluding my England autumn/winter 2022 series is a visit to Cromford Mills, in the Peak District. I visited whilst staying near Matlock back in October and was really blown away with what the area had to offer.

The History of Cromford Mills

Cromford Mills are designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, and are often labelled as ‘the birthplace of the modern factory system’. It is special because it was the world’s first water-powered cotton spinning mill, developed by Richard Arkwright in 1771. Anyone who has studied the Industrial Revolution will know his name as he is one of the most famous pioneers of the era.

Today at the mill you can visit the Arkwright exhibition to learn more about the history of both the mill and the man. To look at the history I had to really put different lenses on what I was reading because emotionally it’s so complicated.

On the one hand, Arkwright was without doubt a self made man – coming from humble roots to develop something that ultimately lead to a huge increase in our standard of living. He started with 200 workers at the mill, which created so many jobs that the locality couldn’t staff them – so he was one of the first manufacturers to build houses, and also later educational facilities nearby. This contributed greatly to the local economy and continued throughout the 17 and 1800s.

That said, working here would today be classed as slavery. Starting from 1772, he ran the mills day and night with two twelve-hour shifts. Most of the employees were women and children, with the youngest only 7 years old. The minimum age was later raised to 10, and the children were given 6 hours of education a week. Today that is of course horrific, but to children of the time the money and education was sadly more than most received and establishments like this helped raise the living standard in this country so that future generations of children and adults alike could live a much better life.

The other difficult historical aspect is that the cotton processed here came from slave plantations overseas – mainly in India and then later the Americas. This mill helped fuel slavery because without it it wouldn’t have had anything to mill. Again Arkwright, and this country more widely, benefited from the appalling treatment of slaves across the globe.

Without mills like this and the Industrial Revolution, England wouldn’t be the country it is today. We wouldn’t have the standard of living we do, the relative wealth we do, the economy we do (although we’re doing a great job of trying to destroy that!) and the infrastructure we do. However, it is built on wealth derived directly and indirectly from slavery and horrific working conditions across the globe, plus has driven population booms and untold damage to this planet and the environment.

In short the exhibition was great, and really made me think.

Visiting Cromford Mills Today

Today the mills have been preserved and converted in to a series of shops, cafes, exhibitions and attractions.

The little shops were all beautiful, and so full of treats I bought quite a lot. I came home laden with locally made cheese, some lemon curd, some Italian olives, a new hair scrunchie and some Christmas gifts too. It was really nice to be able to support small local businesses as well.

After exploring the mill complex itself, there are also some lovely walks around to do. Highlights include walking up to the nearby church and then strolling along the river, taking in the sculpture trail as you do.

It’s also nice to pop over to Cromford village, where you could have a look in the shops, or enjoy a nice pub lunch if you wanted.

You can then also cross the road opposite the car park to walk along the canal and visit the café and shops located there too. There is even another Mill building which is home to the old equipment.

What do you think of Cromford Mill? We had a lovely visit and I thought the site had been preserved beautifully as a perfect balance of history and modernity combined. Hope you enjoyed the tour – stay safe and happy travelling.

The History of Newstead Abbey

Newstead Abbey was founded in about 1170, by Henry II in penance for the murder of Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral – an event which shocked the country and shaped Henry II’s actions for the rest of his life.

The priory was designed to be home to at least 13 monks, although there appear to have been only 12 at the time the Abbey was shut down. Despite being so small, it couldn’t escape Henry VIII and his blinking dissolutions. I think every other article I publish about England includes this man’s maniacal destructions – see Mottisfont, Shaftesbury, Lacock, Whitby, Rievaulx, Fountain’s and St Augustine’s – to name but a tiny few of the c.800 religious buildings he killed off across the country.

Henry VIII granted the house to Sir John Byron in 1540,and it remained in the Byron family until 1815. The Byrons are a famous family, and perhaps the Estate could have remained with them for longer if the 5th Baron hadn’t squandered his wealth and ended up stripping the Abbey of all its treasures to pay off his debts. After his death, the Abbey passed to the most famous of them all – George Byron, or the Lord Byron, famous for his poetry. His assessment of the situation when he arrived was indeed poetic, and rather dramatic.

Thro’ thy battlements, Newstead, the hollow winds whistle;
Thou, the hall of my fathers, art gone to decay.

He didn’t turn out to be wrong though – unable to keep up the house he was forced to sell it in 1818 to Thomas Wildman, a school friend of Byron’s, whose wealth came from a plantation in Jamaica. The restoration you see today is off the profits of slavery. I’m pleased the Abbey recognised this in its exhibitions, and whilst we can’t change history, I’m glad they faced in to it.

Finally in this long and interesting history, The Webb family took over the house in 1861. Mr Webb was an African explorer, and people such as Livingstone, Wainwright and Susi all visited. His daughters also travelled, and particularly loved Japan – you can find Japanese touches all over the house in tribute. After the family died, the Abbey was given to the Nottingham Corporation in 1931.

What to see & do at Newstead Abbey

Be sure to start your visit inside the house, where you can explore inside the incredible Abbey, including the Great Room, Library, Study and Bedrooms. You can also enter the ex-Abbey cloisters and chapel which are very special.

The Gardens at Newstead are also amazing, with lots to explore. There are formal gardens, woodland area, and my favourite – the Japanese Gardens. Ethel Webb (above mentioned daughter who went to Japan) had no children because she was too busy travelling (oh you 1800s pioneering woman) and dedicated her life to bringing Japan back to England. She was president of the horticultural society for years and the Japanese Garden at Newstead was her passion and her legacy. I loved it.

There’s also a lake to walk around, some lovely cottages to find and a tea room serving some tasty treats. All in all, we spent 4 hours visiting the Abbey.

How to get to Newstead Abbey

It’s easiest to get to Newstead with a car, being 30 minutes from the centre of Nottingham. It’s also do-able as a day trip from nearby cities including Derby (30 mins), Sheffield (50 mins) and Lincoln (1 hour). You could also visit as a day trip from the Peak District, being around 35 minutes from Matlock.

If you don’t have a car, the easiest way to get there is by taking a train in to Nottingham or Mansfield and taking a taxi, although this will be much more expensive than driving and I think there are easier day trips in England without a car.

Overall, I found Newstead Abbey a beautiful place to visit and really enjoyed it. The history was interesting and the grounds beautiful. What do you think? Would you want to visit? Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

Southwell (pronounced Suth-ull, not South-well) is a beautiful town in the heart of Nottinghamshire. I was born in the area but hadn’t been in over 25 years, so when a chance for a day trip to the town came up with a friend this year, I jumped at it!

Southwell is a great option for adding on to a stay in cities such as Nottingham, Lincoln, or Sheffield – or as a stop en-route to the Peak District. It’s easy to spend a day in the town, but you don’t need longer than that, making it the perfect day trip location.

The Southwell Workhouse

We started our day at an amazing place – The Southwell Workhouse. Built in 1824, The Workhouse is the best preserved example in the whole of England of the hundreds of workhouses built across the country. The system implemented here shaped the way in which the poor were treated during the 19th century.

Up to 158 inmates at a time entered this building as a last resort – the idea was that workhouses should be a ‘deterrent’ to ensure that only the truly destitute would enter such a harsh regime. Adults were divided into categories – those unable to work (called blameless) and those capable of work but unemployed (called idle and profligate able bodied). Men and women were also segregated.

Walking through The Workhouse is a truly sobering experience. Men, women and children were forced to work 12 hour+ days at menial, pointless work including peeling potatoes and washing clothes with only bare hands and water. There was significant punishment for those who ‘misbehaved’ – most of them with mental health issues who were struggling in such a harsh environment – including no food, time in small cells alone and more monotonous work.

In 1929, the new Poor Law meant the workhouses were disbanded and handed over to local authorities – The Southwell Workhouse continued as an institution for the poor, homeless and elderly, running as a temporary bedsit until 1976.

The Firbeck Infirmary

Also on site is The Firbeck Infirmary, which was once the site where inmates of The Workhouse received treatment if they were unwell. After The Workhouse was closed, it remained as a site caring for the elderly and was used as such until the 1980s. When the site closed, inmates and staff found it difficult to adapt to new surroundings. The revolution in geriatric care that has taken place since the late 1980s indicates that the care provided in Firbeck in the 1980s bore more resemblance to that in 1871 than 2018!

Southwell Town Centre

After spending a few hours exploring The Workhouse and Infirmary, we headed in to the town centre and explored the lovely streets and unique shops. Southwell is a lively market town with a range of independent shops, many selling local produce – everything from cheese stalls to organic beauty products. The winter sun was deceptively cold, but it was nice to have a few spells of blue skies.

Southwell Minster

Following lunch, we visited Southwell’s most famous resident – Southwell Minster. The earliest church on this site is recorded in 627 but the current structure dates back to the 1200s and in to the 1300s. Its most famous element is its stunning octagonal Chapter House dating back to 1288.

Southwell is also where Charles I was captured during the English Civil War in 1646. The fighting saw the church seriously damaged and the adjoining Archbishop’s Palace was almost completely destroyed, first by Scottish troops and then by the local people, with only the Hall of the Archbishop remaining as a ruined shell.

Southwell Trail

To finish off our wonderful day in Southwell, we decided to stretch our legs and walk the Southwell Trail, which began life when the Midland Railway ran trains from Southwell to Mansfield. Today, this 7.5 mile trail is built on the former railway line and is now a Local Nature Reserve, stretching from Southwell to Bilsthorpe and passing the villages of Farnsfield, Kirklington and Maythorne. It was the perfect way to finish the day. You can find many walks taking in parts of the trail in the document HERE.

I had a lovely day exploring another off the beaten path destination in England – we really are so lucky there is history everywhere in this country and it doesn’t take much travelling to discover it. I’m excited to explore more corners of England over 2023 – and of course I’ll keep you updated on all of my adventures.

I’ve been to the Peak District 3 times in the last 2 years, and each time I seem to discover a beautiful walk in stunning weather with glorious views. You can check out my other visits in these posts:

• Thor’s Cave Hike
• Mam Tor Hike
• The Monsal Trail Hike (plus Bakewell & Chatsworth House)

This time around I got the chance to stay at one of the most beautiful cottages in the East of the Peaks – One Church Street in Tansley, right next door to one of the most famous towns in the Peak District, Matlock. The accommodation was a gorgeous cottage which was cosy, warm and beautifully appointed. I couldn’t resist the chance for another trip to the area so I invited my Mum and Dad along, and the three of us went for an Autumnal weekend in this beautiful area of England.

Hike Information

Location: You start the hike in the town of Matlock – park in any of the public car parks available.

Hike distance and time: The full round loop is 6 miles (10km) long, and there are a number of quite steep climbs so you need to be of moderate fitness. Overall the hike took us 5hrs, but that was with a food stop and lots of photo stops.

Terrain: Very hilly, lots of hard ups and downs. The ground can also get very muddy and slippery so it’s important to wear proper hiking shoes.

The Route

You can follow the route we did HERE.

A. Matlock to High Tor

The first section of the walk takes you from Matlock up to High Tor, one of the most beautiful viewpoints of the day. Start off with a nice breakfast in one of Matlock’s lovely cafes, before heading out of the town through Hall Leys Park and Knowleston Gardens, before arriving at Pic Tor.

Walk along the river, and loop up to the War Memorial if you’d like to, or save yourself the climb and continue on round following the signs to the High Tor recreation grounds. Be sure to pause on the way up, and a-top, High Tor for the wonderful views.

B. High Tor to Matlock Bath & Lover’s Walks

From High Tor, exit in the opposite direction to which you arrived, snaking down the woodland trail until you reach Matlock Bath. Matlock Bath is a beautiful little village with the River Derwent passing through it. It was in its prime during Victorian times, when its spa waters and scenery made it one of Britain’s first tourist destinations. Lord Byron even went as far as to call it ‘Little Switzerland’.

Whilst in Matlock Bath, we added 2 miles on to our walking route to circle Lover’s Walks, which are accessed through the woodland across the river. We followed the paths upwards to the top, and then came back down again. The views at the top were my favourite of the whole walk.

C. Matlock Bath to Heights of Abraham

Leave Matlock Bath by following the signs to Gulliver’s Kingdom (I can’t think of anything worse than an overpriced children’s adventure park tourist trap, but I shouldn’t judge as I haven’t been – now’s your time to stop there if you fancy it). Once you arrive at the entrance of the attraction, take the steps to the right just before you reach the entrance queue.

Now comes the hardest climb of the walk, right up to the top – just keep going until you reach a road, and then turn left, following the signs of the Derwent Valley trail through a couple of fields until you reach a wood.

Entering the wood, follow the sign to Matlock (the furthest left path) and you will eventually circle the Heights of Abraham grounds. You have to pay to enter, and can only access the site via a cable car from Matlock Bath – if you do want to visit highlights include a Victorian tower, a number of exhibitions, and some interesting underground caverns. But for this walk we’re circling the perimeter and heading down through the surrounding fields instead.

D. Heights of Abraham to St John the Baptist’s Church

Circle the Heights of Abraham grounds to the exit, heading straight down through the fields back down towards Matlock. You’ll come out on a road with the Cliffe House Estate on your right – follow the road leftwards and downhill until you reach the beautiful St John the Baptist Church.

E. St John the Baptist’s Church to Matlock

From the church you could walk straight along the road in to Matlock, but then you miss the views. Instead, fork left up a path running in between a wall and some woodland, and follow it round. You’ll wind around a few bends and open fields, and then the path will open out with a view of Matlock in front of you. Just keep walking until you’re back in the town.

And after all of that, maybe even treat yourself to more food and a drink. We decided instead to stock up at the little M&S there so we could cook in our beautiful cottage. We had a lovely evening of relaxing, cooking, and doing our daily Times puzzles. Very sophisticated.

So, what do you think of this walk, and the Peak District in general? I think it’s an off the beaten track area of England not often considered by overseas visitors, but it’s truly beautiful and well worth a visit.

BUT. I live in a beautiful part of the country which is just brimming with pretty English countryside, village pubs, thatched cottages and relatively flat walks which make for a really easy way to spend a day. A 40 minute drive from home is lovely Lyveden, home of the Lyveden Way – a flat (obviously), very English stroll.

I wouldn’t recommend travelling far to do this walk as there are much better options across England, but if you’re in the area it’s a lovely way to spend a day.

Hike Information

Location: You start the hike at Lyveden New Bield, a National Trust property in Northamptonshire (right in the middle of England), which has plenty of parking.

Hike distance and time: The full round loop is 13km long and will take around 3 hours, so is perfect for a morning or afternoon.

Terrain: Flat through fields, woodland and villages.

The Route

You can download a map of the Lyveden Way HERE.

A. Lyveden New Bield

Park in the car park at Lyveden New Bield and spend some time exploring the grounds. At the site is a grade one listed Elizabethan house, owned by the Tresham family until 1649 when it was sequestered during the Civil War because Tresham was a Catholic and refused to refute his beliefs. In 1660 Charles II granted Lyveden to the Earl of Sandwich (only in England) and from then the house passed through various family members, before ultimately becoming property of the National Trust.

There is also an orchard, some lovely gardens and even a labyrinth on the site, however the main draw is the Garden Lodge which is a roofless and partially derelict structure out in the gardens. It’s just beautiful.

B. Lyveden New Bield to Lady Wood Head

Exiting to the left of the Garden Lodge as you look at it, head in to the field, and follow either of the Lyveden way signs (straight on or right) – the route is a loop so whichever you don’t choose, you’ll come back that way. We chose to go right. Follow the field round and then enter another field with woods on your left. These were particularly beautiful with the bluebells out. Continue with the woods on your left until you come out at a tarmac road, marked Bridleway.

C. Lady Wood Head to Green Side Wood

At the tarmac road, turn left, following the Bridleway (or head straight across the fields for a detour in to Fermyn Woods Country Park depending on time). Eventually this path will enter the woods, which you can meander through enjoying the trees. It will come out at some fields, normally housing horses, cows or sheep.

D. Green Side Wood to Wadenhoe Church

From here continue through a couple of fields until you come out on a track, at which point you turn left and walk slightly uphill to a gate at the top. From there turn right in to another field, and follow that until another road, where again you turn left and then right over a cattle grid through a tree lined path towards a church.

Wadenhoe Church Tower was built in around 1195 (!), and the remainder of the structure was built between the 1200s and 1500s. The church is famous for being the one used in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, a film made in 1999.

E. Wadenhoe Church to Wadenhoe

Follow along the field with the river on your right, before entering the village car park through a gate. Head up the hill with the pub on your right (stop for lunch or drinks if you want to!) and then onwards through the stunning village full of thatched cottages. At the cottage pictured below, don’t miss the Lyveden Way sign pointing through the gate as it’s easy to miss.

F. Wadenhoe to Lyveden New Bield

Follow along the field, cross over one road, then at the next road turn right and then left down a narrower track. Keep following the signs for the Lyveden Way as you walk down the track, past a farm on your left and a beautiful house on the right. You’ll come out at some more woods, and you’re then on the straight track back to Lyveden New Bield.

So, even though it’s not epic views – what do you think of the Lyveden Way? Would you want to walk it? I think there are definitely more varied walks in England in The Lake District, Peak District and Yorkshire, but if you’re in the area it’s well worth doing. Stay safe and happy travelling everyone!

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows my version of ‘me’ time is usually a luxury hotel and a walk. So this was no different – we chose to stay at The Tawny Hotel, and it was an absolutely perfect choice.

Location

Nestled just south of the Peak District, The Tawny Hotel sits in rural Staffordshire. You can’t access the hotel without a car so driving is the best option. It’s a 3hr drive from London, 2.5hrs from Cambridge, 1hr from Manchester and 1hr from Birmingham – making it a perfect base from which to explore more of the Midlands.

You could also choose to get the train to the nearest major train station, Stoke on Trent, and then get a taxi which would take around 20 minutes. However that would leave you unable to make the most of the hotel’s surroundings as there isn’t much within walkable distance.

The main attractions nearby are the famous theme park, Alton Towers, plus all the beautiful walks 20 minutes north in the Peak District, around the areas of Leek and Ashbourne. This makes The Tawny the perfect place for a luxury stay to unwind and rest after spending your days out in nature.

Accommodation

Wow. That is the only word I can use to describe the accommodation. The Tawny isn’t a traditional hotel – it has no main building, but instead just has lots of different huts/boathouses/lodges/cabins scattered about its grounds. We chose to stay in a boat house over looking a lake.

The room was spectacular, with a statement luxury bath in front of the floor to ceiling window. The bed was huge and comfy, and the indoor bathroom was also high quality with some lovely products provided.

Outside was another treat, with a deck area, plus a large outdoor jacuzzi – totally perfect to collapse in to after a day walking. There is also an outdoor shower so with 4 ways to bathe and wash in the room, you will also smell great!

Food & Drink

The Tawny Hotel offers an extensive in room dining menu, but also has a striking modern restaurant building within the grounds. This is home to a fine dining restaurant called The Plumicorn, as well as a more informal bar area serving tapas and pizzas. Breakfast is also served daily, with both a large range of buffet items and a menu to choose from – both were delicious.

Amenities & Experiences

The hotel has lots of fun things to explore. Undoubtedly its most unique feature is its utterly stunning grounds, with multiple walking trails around lakes, woodland and landscaped gardens.

Also within the grounds are many games to discover. For example, there are giant garden games including Connect 4 and Table Tennis, as well as an indoor pool table.

The hotel also has a stunning outdoor heated swimming pool, in front of its feature restaurant. I can’t swim so I didn’t go in it, but it looked absolutely wonderful. There is also a spa on site, with an extensive treatment menu.

Overall our stay at The Tawny Hotel was absolutely magical. This is one of the best hotels I’ve ever stayed at in England, and it was a really restful and peaceful treat to completely switch off and de-stress. What do you think? Would you like to stay? Thanks for reading and as always, stay safe and happy travelling!

Hike Information

Location: We parked in Wetton – there is a free car park there but arrive early as it gets full quickly. If not, there is another car park (a field) just up the road, costing £3 a day. There is no-one monitoring though, just an honesty box sellotaped to the gate so please take cash. When we left there were about 60 cars in the field, but only about £5 in the box!

Hike distance and time: The hike distance is around 6 miles, and took us 3 hours to complete (with lots of photo stops!)

Terrain: The walk is a mix of downhill, steep inclines, and to enter the cave you will need to be comfortable scrambling and with an element of climbing.

The route

The route that we followed can be found on the website HERE.

A. Wetton Car Park to Thor’s Cave

From Wetton, Thor’s cave is well signposted. Follow the road running parallel to the field car park, following the arrows pointing to Thor’s cave. This will then leave the roads and enter on to a track with some beautiful views out over the hills. Follow the track round and up, until you can see the cave in front of you. You can climb on top of the cave, but you then need to take the path sloping downwards to get to the entrance of the cave at the front.

In the rain, the track to the cave can be very muddy and you need to be in hiking boots. To get in to the cave requires you to pull yourself up on to rocks and scramble up slippy stones. I saw 3 people fall over and hurt themselves, so please be careful and don’t underestimate it. This cave has existed for centuries, and it’s estimated to have contained the burial sites of at least seven people. Digs have also found evidence of habitation since the Palaeolithic period (about 50,000 years ago, including bear remains!!!!)

B. Thor’s Cave to Wetton Mill

Follow the steps from the entrance to the cave downwards. After a few hundred metres the path splits, take the left-hand path which is a steeper descent but takes you down to the river bed through the trees. Cross the bridge and turn right along the wide footpath.

Follow the path as it runs parallel to the river until a second bridge. Cross over and turn right through a wooden gate into the valley (do not continue along the road you have emerged on to), signposted Wetton Hills. This will lead in to an open area, home to lots of sheep!

Walk for 500 metres, as the path bends to the right look for a Public Bridleway signpost which is almost hidden in the trees, then turn left and head up the path on an ascent. Go through the gate, and then walk through the open space until you reach another sign post which you can follow right to a second cave, situated above Wetton Mill.

C. Wetton Mill to Wetton Hill

After enjoying the caves, head back down towards Wetton Mill and stop for a break if you need a drink or an icecream. Then exit on the road and turn right, past a campsite on your left, until you arrive at Dale Farm. Walk through the farm yard area with the house on your right, and then through a gate in to a field.

Walk through the open field, until you come to a stone path which ascends upwards. Follow the path upwards until you reach a wooden stile, then turn right to go through a stone stile. Bear left and then continue down the path with the hedges on the right. 

Go through a gate, keep walking to a second gate then turn right onto the road for about 500 metres. The road bends sharply round to the left then arrives at a house. This is the only point where we got lost against the instructions. At this house, do not walk past it – turn sharp right at the top of the drive following the footpath signs (when we visited there was a jam box there, pictured below).

Follow this footpath to a gate which you walk through in to a wide open field. Walk directly across the middle of the field to the gate at the boundary, cross over a stream and you will find yourself in the field below Wetton Hill.

D. Wetton Hill to Wetton

Unfortunately it’s time to walk uphill again. Follow the path roughly through the middle of the hill, seeing a wall on your right hand side. Head towards the wall, bearing slightly right until you reach a wooden stile. Go over the wooden stile and head south across the field, away from the boundary wall towards a second wooden stile across the field.

Then follow this field straight across (no need to climb any further), until you reach a wooden gate out on to the road. Walk straight down the road, past the Royal Oak pub and then turn right and walk down the road back to the car park. Although I definitely recommend stopping for a drink – you deserve it after all that walking!

What do you think of this lovely walk? We really enjoyed it and it was a perfect way to spend a day in the Peak District, getting a good mix of views, hills, woodland, villages and caves. I hope you enjoyed following along!

Hike Information

Location: You start the Mam Tor hike in Castleton, where there is ample parking. The most central car park is by the Castleton Visitor Centre. It costs £6 to park for the day, but does get filled up early so if it’s full when you arrive there is another car park down the road.

Hike distance and time: The full round loop is 5 miles long and will take around 3 hours depending on fitness, so makes for the perfect half day trip.

Terrain: The terrain includes quite a steep climb, so you need to be of reasonable fitness. The route is largely paved or home to well trodden grass paths so no scrambling is involved. I even wore trainers rather than hiking boots, which I wouldn’t dream of on some hikes so overall this is an easy to moderate hike.

The Hike

We followed the route guidance HERE but for some reason did it in reverse.

A. Start in Castleton

Arrive in Castleton before it gets too busy. You then have two options – either explore Castleton itself first while it’s still quiet and then head on your walk, or do the walk first then finish in Castleton with lunch in a pub and then explore. In Castleton, there are lovely places to discover including strolling along the river and a trip to Peveril Castle.

Either way, to start the walking route from the visitor centre car park, exit at the top right corner of the car park along the little stream away from the main road.

B. Castleton to Hollins Cross

Head out of the car park and head along one of the many paths that lead towards the hills, which start out running alongside the little river. We actually diverted a bit from the route, and ended up following a path that ran alongside Dunscar Farm. This section of the route is very flat and easy to walk.

Eventually, you will arrive at the base of the hill, and the only way is up! It’s a steep climb from the lanes up to Hollins Cross, but we did it in stages on a scorcher of a day, with plenty of water. The views at the top from Hollins Cross are stunning, so recover by sitting to enjoy them for a minute or two before continuing.

C. Hollins Cross to Mam Tor

From Hollins Cross, head left across to Mam Tor itself. This section is one of England’s most famous ridge walks, so be sure to wrap up warm as it can get very windy up there! It’s pretty much a straight and flat-ish walk, with incredible views out across the fields – and of course be sure to get the obligatory Trig point photo!

D. Mam Tor to Winnats Pass

From the Mam Tor summit, continue heading away from the direction you came, and descend down. There is only really one path to follow and it’s quite well paved, although made of a number of steep steps. You will eventually come out in a field (probably full of sheep) and it’s time to start your loop back to Castleton. Continue through the fields, past a disused quarry and in the direction of Winnats Head Farm, and then walk through the incredible Winnats Pass on your way back.

E. Winnats Pass to Castleton

After walking through Winnats Pass, continue back round in to Castleton. You will pass Speedwell Cavern on your way, so if underground caves appeal then you could always pop in to discover a bit more about the area’s mining history. If not, continue on to Castleton and treat yourself to a pub meal – you deserve it!

So what do you think? I absolutely loved this hike and it felt good to complete one of the Peak District’s most famous routes. Thanks so much for reading; stay safe and happy travelling.