Peak District National Park

Britain's National Parks
Britain has fifteen national parks spread throughout the country. They offer spectacular opportunities for various activities, including walking, cycling, horse riding and more. Contained within are fifty Areas of Outstanding National Beauty or (AONB). 

The Peak District National Park
Apart from the beauty of the region, there are several fascinating caves to explore. The Blue John Cavern is the only source of the semi-precious stone, the Blue John. It is a translucent type of fluorspar stone with bands of red, blue and purple. Romans discovered the stone nearly 2000 years ago; the stone has been highly prized ever since.  

The caverns were long forgotten, until 300 years ago. Local miners were following an old Roman seam and bingo, and Blue John was re-discovered. The mine workings are three miles long and include exciting features such as Waterfall Cavern, Crystallised Cavern and Mirror Lake. The largest is Lord Mulgrave's dining room, after the Lord who entertained a group of miners to dinner. The walls of the caves display fossils of marine creatures, evidence of long receded seas. 

In 1926 Treak Cliff Cavern was discovered. Visitors can now enjoy this floodlit underground realm. Fairy tale grottos, an Aladdin's cave with special lighting has created a fairyland.

Chatsworth House, the Palace of the Peaks
The massive estate at Chatsworth has a farm shop, farm, one thousand acre deer park, and a one hundred acre garden. The interiors of the house are full of stunning works of art and sculpture. The 12th Duke of Devonshire has invested in modern art too, and there are often contemporary exhibitions. Chatsworth House is a must-see while visiting the region. 

Winnats Pass
The wild and craggy Winnats Pass was once the haunt of bandits and highwaymen. Legend has it that thieves murdered two runaway lovers at the pass in 1748. It is a scenic route into the peaks, and our driver guides love the drive. 

Eyam
History tells us that pandemics are not new. The plague reached Eyam in 1665, the villagers, led by rector William Mompesson, convinced people to stay to save the lives of others. Their self-quarantine did save the lives of countless people from surrounding villages, but five out of six died. People of Eyam would wash coins and leave them on the village edge as payment for food. 

Peveril Castle
Towering over the village of Castleton is the imposing ruins of Peveril Castle, built in the 11th century and immortalized by Sir Walter Scott in his novel Peveril of the Peak. King Henry II built the Keep of the Castle, the father of Richard the Lion Heart. Beneath the ruins is the Peak Cavern, sometimes known as Devils Hole, which sounds much better. The tunnels extend 2,000 feet into the ground. We can arrange a mile-long guided tour of the maze of passages, with an expert guide of course. 

Hathersage
Hathersage was the home of Robin Hood's legendary lieutenant, Little John. The head and footstones of his grave in the parish graveyard are seven feet apart. The settlement is also rich in associations with Charlotte Bronte, who immortalized it as 'Morton' in Jane Eyre. You may come across millstone laying around; they quarried in the area until the last century. 

Touring and accommodation
One of our most popular suggested itineraries is the Wales and England 7 night driver-guided tour. It hits all the highlights of the beauty of Wales, the super castles, and the glorious English countryside, Oxford and the Cotswolds. The itinerary also includes the Peak District and Chatsworth House.

If this is your first time to England, we would recommend a custom version of our Town and Country Tour; it covers the famous places and allows you to utilise your private driver-guide by getting-off-the-beaten-path. Our Classic tour of Ireland is a good place to start for the first trip to Ireland, and we suggest the Classic tour of Scotland for your first trip to the bonny Highlands. Merging Wales with England makes for a dynamic experience of mountains, stately homes and cosy country pubs.

There is a wide choice of accommodation in England; Manor House Hotels, Guest Houses and Britain's Finest Hotels. We recommend staying at The Cavendish Hotel on the Chatsworth Estate with classic English styled accommodation overseen by the Duchess of Devonshire. Choose rooms, suites and or multi-room coach house.