The Peacock at Rowsley

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.

For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Peak District, check out our Peak District eating & drinking guide

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.

For a full list of recommended activities in Peak District, check out our Peak District destination guide