The Peacock at Rowsley
Peak District, United Kingdom[view map]
Local restaurants
A creeper-clad, child-friendly pub near the Nine Ladies stone circle, The Druid Inn at Birchover (+44 (0)1629 650302) has a terrace and garden seats, perfect for enjoying a leisurely Sunday lunch. The Bull’s Head at Ashford-in-the-Water (+44 (0)1629 812931), an old coaching inn near the River Wye, has an acclaimed bistro-style menu and remarkable sticky toffee pudding. Dress up for an evening at Fischer’s, Baslow Hall’s noted fine-dining restaurant on Calver Road in Baslow on the edge of the Chatsworth Estate (+44 (0)1246 583259); there’s an excellent six-course Prestige Menu of tasting dishes. No jeans or trainers.
Local bars
A mile from Rowsley in Beeley, another Chatsworth Estate village, the Devonshire Arms (+44 (0)1629 733259) is a traditional pub with log fires, real ales and fish suppers on Friday nights; it also has decent vegetarian options.
Local cafes
Edensor (pronounced ‘Ensor’) is one of the prettiest villages on the Chatsworth Estate, and home to the Post Office Tea Room (+44 (0)1246 582283), where you’ll find soups and cream teas made with locally sourced ingredients.
Worth getting out of bed for
Bring your clubs and swing your way around Bakewell Golf Club’s nine-hole course (+44 (0)1629 812307), walk or cycle the plentiful local trails with wheels from Bakewell Cycle Hire (+44 (0)1335 348603), or hack across dales from nearby Haddon House Stables (+44 (0)1629 813723). Go hot-air ballooning with Dragon Balloon Company, Mam House Farm, Castleton Hope Valley (+44 (0)1433 623007). Fly-fishing is also possible – ask the hotel for details.
Diary
April/May The two‑week Peak District Walking Festival crams in dozens of walks (www.visitpeakdistrict.com). September Chatsworth Country Fair (www.chatsworth.org), three days of ballooning, massed brass bands, ferret racing, vintage cars and a traditional funfair.