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Slow Lane Magazine, May 2019
Insights and stories from across Europe and beyond
  • favourite (but oft-forgotten) festivals
  • Nepal's secret valley
  • boutique beauty in Drôme Provençale
  • carving out a future in southern Italy
  • Inntravellers' Tales – our new writing competition
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Landscapes of the Peak District

Baslow, Hathersage & Castleton
 
Explore the dramatic beauty of Britain's first National Park on this self-guided walking holiday, with luggage transported. Stay in three typical Peak District towns, enjoy panoramic views across the moorland, and visit Chatsworth House and its beautiful gardens.
Landscapes of the Peak District. 6 nights
Landscapes of the Peak District. 6 nights
 

Holiday information

 

A walking holiday in the Peak District

The contrasting landscapes of the High Peak, from the ordered parkland and manicured gardens of Chatsworth House to the straggling rocky escarpments that line the heather-clad moors of Britain's first National Park, make for a very inviting few days’ leisurely exploration. Staying in three traditional market towns, this holiday provides opportunities to explore both the region's grand country homes and brooding moorland, and allows you to discover the essence of this unique and diverse area.
After visiting Bakewell and Chatsworth, our route follows the River Derwent towards the moors and a series of striking and dramatic gritstone 'edges'. Returning to the river and the charming market town of Hathersage, you then head off to your final destination in Castleton, taking in stunning views from the hills as you make your way to the geological gems of Mam Tor and the Blue John Mines.
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    The weather in the Peak District can be unpredictable, so pack for all weathers.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 6 6 9 12 15 19 20 20 18 14 9 7
    mm 71 57 62 59 58 58 52 62 58 60 70 73
  • Arrival in Baslow
    Night 1: at The Devonshire Arms (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of walking.
  • Choice of walks from Baslow: 6km or 16km (4 or 10 miles)

    Linear walk to Chatsworth: 6km (4 miles), 2hrs
    For your first day, you can enjoy a short stroll along the river through the deer park and spend your day visiting Chatsworth House and exploring its extensive gardens and landscaped grounds. Chatsworth is the seat of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and dates from the late 17th century. Today it is one of Britain’s best-loved country estates and now houses famous works of art, a working farmyard and a spectacular cascade, as well as shops and places to eat. We thoroughly recommend you visit the house (pay locally).

    Circular walk via Bakewell: 16km (10 miles), 5.5hrs
    Alternatively, you could continue on to Bakewell via the pretty estate village of Edensor, where each house is built in a different style – when the village was re-sited, the busy Duke of Devonshire simply ordered ‘one of each’ when it came to choosing the architectural design of the houses! The market town of Bakewell, the ancient ‘capital’ of the Peak, is famous for its puddings (don't let the locals hear you call their famous culinary dessert a 'tart’) so makes a great lunch stop, before winding your way back to Baslow.
    Chatsworth House
  • Baslow to Hathersage: 14km (9 miles), 5hrs
    Your route to Hathersage begins with a climb through bracken to reach the first of the moodily magnificent gritstone ‘edges’ that characterise this region, enjoying an easy walk along Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt Edges with tremendous moorland views on your right and the wooded river valley on your left. A direct descent through woodland takes you to the village of Grindleford where you rejoin the Derwent to follow its banks to Leadmill Bridge for two nights at The Plough Inn on the outskirts of Hathersage.
    Baslow to Hathersage, cattle on Baslow Edge
  • Circular walk from Hathersage: 17km (11 miles), 6hrs
    For your day in Hathersage, we suggest a circular walk passing through beautiful pastureland before climbing ‘Jacobs Ladder’, a rocky path that leads up to the rugged Stanage Edge, popular with climbers. Pass medieval North Lees Hall that inspired Charlotte Bronte to write Jane Eyre after visiting the area in 1845, before traversing the Edge through a landscape of sheep, bracken and abandoned millstones with far-reaching views across the stunning Hope Valley before returning to your inn.
    Hathersage Moor
  • Hathersage to Castleton: 15km (9.5 miles), 5hrs
    From Hathersage you have a gentle stroll through farmland and woods beside the River Derwent to the village of Shatton. Leaving the river behind, you rise to the summit of Win Hill which rewards with spectacular views over the Upper Derwent Valley and Ladybower Reservoir which was famously used by Lancaster bomber pilots while training for the Dam-buster raid – the film was also shot here in 1954. From Win Hill, you drop down to then ascend Lose Hill. The day ends with a descent into the town of Castleton for two nights at Dunscar Farm.
    On the route from Hathersage to Castleton
  • Circular walk from Castleton: 10km (6 miles), 3hrs
    For your final day we suggest a walk which enables you to complete the horseshoe of hills which surround Castleton. The walking is on well-trodden, clearly marked paths and affords the opportunity to visit one or two of the the famous Blue John caves en-route (named after the blue and yellow, or bleu-jaune, mineral discovered here) and Peveril Castle, dating back to the time of William the Conqueror, at the end of the walk.
    Peveril Castle
 

Accommodation

All of your three bases offer a warm welcome and comfortable accommodation.
 

Options to extend or shorten your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 6 nights: 01 April - 31 October 2019

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 30 April £575 £230
    1 May - 30 September £595 £240
    1 - 25 October £575 £230
    3rd & 4th person discount -£35
    Single traveller supplement £35

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Please note: this holiday is not available to children under 12 years, nor are dogs permitted on Inntravel holidays

    Add £18pn in a single room if staying in Castleton Friday or Saturday

    Included travel: transfer Castleton-Baslow (if driving)

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Devonshire Arms
    'King': 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2019 £20
    The Plough Inn
    Deluxe suite: 01 Apr - 31 Oct 2019 £25
  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Connecting travel options - via Chesterfield

    Outward route Price per person Latest train
    arrival time
    taxi Chesterfield Station to hotel (0h30) £9 flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest train
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Chesterfield station (1h) £17 flexible

    Connecting travel options - via Sheffield

    Outward route Price per person Latest train
    arrival time
    taxi Sheffield station to hotel (0h50) £10 flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest train
    departure time
    taxi hotel to Sheffield station (0h50) £14 flexible
What's included
  • 6 nights
  • 3 picnics
    6 breakfasts
  • luggage transported
  • route notes and maps
  • transfer back to first accommodation to pick up car
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 5 reviews
  • Mr R Parkinson
    London
    08 April 2019

    This was our first Inntravel holiday in the UK and it was as good as any in Italy. The landscape was spectacular, especially the Edges, and Castleton was a magical place, a little like Delphi. Staying at Dunscar Farm during lambing was wonderful.

  • Mrs Tadcaster
    19 September 2018

    This was our first Inntravel experience and will not be our last. Every aspect of the holiday was first class. The guide notes were very reliable and we walked through stunning countryside on routes that we may not have selected ourselves. It was everything a walking holiday should be.

  • Mr T Dybdahl
    USA
    02 May 2018

    We enjoyed the entire trip very much. The scenery was varied but always lovely, and walking amid the sheep was an unexpected pleasure. There was a nice mix of hiking through woods and along the Derwent, then having long vistas from the higher edges and the hilltops. The whole experience was excellent.

  • Mr M Langridge
    Canada
    09 July 2017

    Mondays are market days in Bakewell, there was also a cattle auction taking place when we were there. "Relish" (in Buxton) makes really good lunch sandwiches. We enjoyed the Old House Museum in Bakewell - fascinating chaos!

    Had a really good dinner at Rowley's in Baslow.

    The Community Store in Grindleford is a delight, just as you said. The woman behind the counter was thrilled when told that it was highlighted in our guidebook!

    Some more information about the impressive North Lees Hall would have been nice.

    For those interested in architecture/design, the David Mellor Design Museum in Hathersage is a must.

    The final two days' walks: along the ridge of Lose Hill, and then the haunting Mam Tor and dramatic Cavedale were our highlights.

    Castleton is a lovely town full of lovely small streets and surprises.

    Please warn foreign visitors that there is no bank in Castleton, and no ATM that accepts overseas cards!!! Not a problem paying for anything, but definitely a problem if you need cash.

  • Mrs C Aarsen
    Canada
    01 May 2017

    We had a fantastic time and so enjoyed our time on this tour. I was a bit sad that we didn't get to Bakewell - it would have been awesome to see Haddon Hall which we found out about afterward - I guess it would have been nice to know about that place as well in the notes. Chatsworth, while nice, was a bit of a disappointment. I didn't really enjoy the fashion displays that were scattered through the house though the guides were very helpful and the grounds and setting were gorgeous. I realize that changes from year to year but the setting, as I said, was stunning. The walks truly lived up to the name - Landscapes of the Peaks District. We saw so much beautiful country and really enjoyed the walks and the scenery. It was something I would highly recommend to anyone.
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • We can book a wide range of airlines and routes from the UK. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. For Europe and Morocco, there’s a £30 booking fee per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). For India and Nepal, the booking fee is £50 per person. More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to buy our policy (if you live outside Europe you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK and EU residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.
  • Even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it’s been confirmed that flights will continue as normal and that you won’t need a visa to go on holiday (the limit on stays is 90 days). What you will need if there’s no deal is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival (extra months added because you renewed your passport early do not count) and adequate travel insurance to cover you for accidents and illness in case reciprocal health deals are suspended. If you are driving while on holiday, you will probably need an International Driving Permit (plus a Green Card if you are taking your own car to Europe). More information >
  • The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 7/22/2019 11:19:08 AM