A neatly kept mini-patchwork quilt of lush
valleys, velvet meadows, characterful Victorian market towns and gloriously
open moorland, the UK’s Peak District sits plumb in the middle of the country’s backbone.
Myth has it that the Peak District is the
second most visited national park in the world after Mount Fuji. Whether your
innate scepticism reflex can put that aside for a moment or not, once there you
can certainly see why that might be true (and not just because of its
geographical fortuitousness at the mid-point between the capitals of London and
Edinburgh).
In many ways, the region (actually not that
‘peaky’ - you may be surprised to know) concisely captures many a picture of
the hallowed rural England which film director Danny Boyle tried to represent
in a segment of his London Olympics fandango: that rich verdant sheen, the
chocolate-box villages, myriad colour-flecked flowerbeds and sheep - lots of
sheep. Moreover, if you didn’t quite twig what was meant by the phrase ‘rolling
countryside’ - when you have spent a week or two nosing round the different
corners of the Peak District, you certainly will.
So, if you’re planning a nice trip to the
UK soon, you may want to fold in a little trip to the Peakland, hole up in a cute
little two-up two-down and explore the region. Here are some
suggestions of the most relaxing spots to visit while you’re there;
Dovedale
Pictorially
famous for its linear stepping stones, the views here are pretty definitive of
the region as a whole. As the name suggests, as long as you miss the crowds on
really sticky days, the peaceful feeling that permeates the valley is one to
savour. Just a little further up the burbling stream, the heights on the left
are known as
Dovedale Castle.
A
little further on is a grassy tuft locally nicknamed Lovers’ Leap which takes
its moniker from a folk tale recounting a distraught maiden who threw herself
off said tuft after a particularly disastrous romantic rejection. Fortunately,
you are almost guaranteed to have a much more positive experience!
Chatsworth House
The majesty of Chatsworth House and its
grounds has not gone unnoticed by film directors and television producers down
the years. Nestled in a prime spot overlooking the Derwent and Wye valleys,
Chatsworth and its extensive estate makes for a thoroughly enjoyable day out.
Rent a deck chair and pull up a pew mid-way
up the slope of the main lawn and watch the bubbling weir on the River Derwent
and the people passing by and take in the tree-covered hillside, the
magnificent hunting tower, and the faded golden hue of the bridge down below.
Buxton
Constructed
around thermal springs in the Wye valley, the delightful Roman settlement town
of Buxton is now something of a cultural hotspot once again with a flourishing
arts scene, popular annual festival and a plethora of eye-catching sandstone
pavilion-style buildings and gardens, an opera house and classical churches.
That said, the
best place to relax here are the natural baths. Sheer bliss.
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Bakewell
This in mind,
the best thing to do in Bakewell is a find a sweet little traditional tearoom
like the Lavender Tea Rooms for example, order yourself a nice fresh pot of
English breakfast tea and award yourself a serious treat in the shape of a
Bakewell Pudding. Delish.
Guest Author Bio: "Matthew Pink is a writer and editor working in digital publishing covering travel and culture. Originally from the Lake District in northwestern England, he also writes crime fiction which is set there. Scafell is his first novel."
Guest Author Bio: "Matthew Pink is a writer and editor working in digital publishing covering travel and culture. Originally from the Lake District in northwestern England, he also writes crime fiction which is set there. Scafell is his first novel."













