Dog-friendly Derbyshire

Take a beautiful Peak District National Park setting, just 3½ miles from Bakewell, add a historic hall (first recorded in the Domesday Book), and an ancient cluster of listed buildings converted to form superb holiday cottage accommodation, and the result is the captivating blend that is Harthill Hall.

Nestling in 14 acres of grounds on an upland called Priest’s Hill with excellent walking available from the doorstep, the properties have the use of an extensive range of leisure facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, sauna, solarium and treatment rooms. Noble names have woven the threads of the hall’s long history including Henry de Ferrers, the Cokaynes and the Harthills. Henry VIII is also believed to have stayed at the hall.

It was here in 1259 that Sir Richard de Hartle was issued a Papal Bull by Pope Alexander II, allowing him to appoint his own chaplain. The chapel ceased its functions as a place of worship in 1546 and now takes the form of The Chapel and Hartle Cottage. The eight cottages are furnished with antiques and surround a medieval cobbled courtyard. They all retain a wealth of original features including thick stone walls, large oak beams, mullion windows and flagstone floors. Derbyshire’s bustling market towns, villages, hills, dales and rivers offer majestic scenery, and a rich variety of customs. Boasting a varied and beautiful landscape, they offer a blend of heritage, history and family attractions.

The beautiful market town of Bakewell (3½ miles) is situated on the River Wye, crossed by a 13th-century five-arched bridge which has coffee shops and restaurants. Within easy reach are Matlock, Hall Leys Park, Chesterfield, Alfreton and Buxton. National Trust properties and gardens nearby include Riley Graves, Longshaw, Mam Tor, South Peak, Dovedale, Hardwick Hall and Kedleston Hall. Close by are both Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall. Golf and horse riding are available within 5 miles. Shop 3½ miles, pub 1 mile.

This holiday cottage is spacious, yet intimate, and commands beautiful views of the countryside surrounding the peaceful village of Sheldon, only 3 miles from the market town of Bakewell. The oldest part of the cottage dates from 1800 and has been converted skilfully into a living room with tasteful furnishings, original beams, exposed stone walls and a large fireplace with a multi-fuel burner. There is a large dining area adjacent to the living room and a kitchen which leads into a south-facing conservatory, ideal for breakfast and relaxing. There is a downstairs toilet and utility area. Upstairs has three large double bedrooms (two with en-suite showers) and a bathroom. One of the bedrooms has a 6ft zip and link bed which can be used as a double bed or two single beds. The cottage has Sky TV and wi-fi internet access. Only a few steps from the main cottage is a games room and studio apartment. The large, heated games room has a pool table and table tennis table as well as a drying room for wet clothes and boots. Above the games room is the studio with sitting room and a double bedroom with en-suite. The sitting room has a sofa bed (for alternative sleeping only) and a TV. The cottage stands in an enclosed garden which has driveway parking for four vehicles, flower beds and two lawns. The larger lawn overlooks the nearby fields and hills, and is ideal for ball games. It adjoins a stone-flagged patio area with a built-in barbecue and outside table and chairs. Sheldon has a pub close to the cottage which is friendly and provides good food. The village is within easy reach of Bakewell and Ashford-on-the-Water, and is an excellent starting point for walking, exploring the countryside and visiting Chatsworth, Haddon Hall, The Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath, the caves around Castleton and many other attractions in the Peak District. Shop 1 mile, pub 100 yards.

Buntingfield Farmhouse is set within the owners beautifully kept livery yard in a rural location set in the Peak District in Derbyshire. The property has been skilfully renovated and offers guests luxury accommodation throughout. The property boasts quality furnishings, decor and equipment in every room. Wake up in the large master bedroom with its own dressing room and en-suite to amazing views from the picture-perfect bedroom windows. The second bedroom also offers guests a relaxing place to rest your head. The garden is the perfect place to put your feet up and enjoy the pretty cottage where you can relax with your morning coffee with views over the nearby fields and hills. Benefiting from a stunning open plan living space, it offers guests the chance to be together whilst cooking on the fantastic Aga.
If you want to leave your car for a rest, walks can be enjoyed directly from the door with many public footpaths right on the doorstep. The small, rural village of Ashover is peacefully situated in the Amber Valley, just 5 miles from Matlock. The village has several good pubs, including one of the oldest pubs in the Peak District and another which offers home brewed Ashover ales. The county town of Matlock, a former spa town, offers a host of fine eating places, good shops and an interesting museum, whilst at the heart of the town, Hall Leys Park provides a lovely setting for a host of recreational activities such as bowls, tennis and boating.
Enjoy a thrilling day at Gulliver’s Kingdom, with its owl maze, water gardens, nature trails, exhilarating rides and cable car trips over the magnificent Matlock Gorge. Follow the High Peak Cycle Trail, explore the lovely market town of Bakewell, famous for the Bakewell pudding or visit the elegant Chatsworth House and Hardwick Hall where it all started for the Cavendish family. There is certainly plenty to see and do at this wonderful location.

Warming barn conversion, Dale End near Winster in Derbyshire. Open-plan living area. Exposed beams. Countryside views. Winster 2 miles; Bakewell 7 miles; Matlock 7.1 miles.