Places to visit within easy reach of the Rambler’s Rest

 The Rambler’s Rest is situated in a quiet corner of the otherwise very busy and popular village of Castleton in the Hope Valley. Castleton is a historic village with spectacular views and a long history. Peveril Castle has dominated the scene since Norman times and the village church bears much evidence of its Norman origins.

The valley is world renowned for its caves and potholes and there are various showcaves some of which are famous for the Blue John Stone to be found there. A very rare mineral, Blue John has been made into fine vases, jewellery and other artefacts and there are shops in Castleton specialising in such items.

A good range of pubs, restaurants and cafes provide for your refreshment and the shops include gift shops, an antiquarian bookshop and others to browse – all within a compact area.

Castleton and the Hope Valley provide a wonderful and dramatic range of scenery for the walker, cyclist and tourist but stand on the doorstep of the whole of the Peak District National Park where the landscape varies from lonely moorland to the gentle valleys of the Derbyshire Dales.

Activities abound for all ages and include gliding, hang-gliding, caving, pot-holing and cycling. There are facilities for cycle hire and several trails follow the beds of former railway tracks where it is possible to explore the countryside quietly and safely without the worry of traffic.

Castleton lies close to the boundary of the Dark Peak and the White Peak. The Dark Peak is characterised by gritstone moorlands and offers superb walking. The area around the Ladybower reservoirs is dramatic and has good facilities for the visitor. The White Peak is an altogether gentler area domnated by the limestone it lies on and there are numerous wooded valleys where you can follow the rivers that created them and enjoy a wide variety of wild flowers and animal and bird life.

The Peak District is well known for an impressive range of country houses. Chatsworth House is within easy reach and is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Set in a huge deer park, Chatsworth has gardens, a garden centre, farm, farm shop and adventure playground and the house itself is open to the public.

Haddon Hall is a medieval mansion on a more accessible scale and its charm and originality has made it a popular location for period films and TV dramas. Other halls within a reasonable drive include Hardwick Hall, Lyme Hall and, a little further afield, Kedleston and Calke Abbey.

Excellent tourist information facilities exist and we will also be pleased to help you with the benefit of our own local knowledge to make your stay as rich and varied as you wish.

There are several towns nearby which are worth visiting. Buxton is about a 20 minute drive away and has an amazing range of Victorian and Edwardian Buildings, an Opera House, a fine park and a good range of shops, pubs, restaurants etc. The recently restored Opera House hosts an annual Opera Festival and also has a calendar of productions throughout the year ranging from opera to concerts.

Bakewell is a charming market town with a weekly agricultural market and of course the chance to buy a Bakewell Pudding!

The numerous villages of the Peak District have a great deal to offer and many carry on the tradition of Well Dressing where huge panels of clay are decorated with flower petals to create amazing pictures, usually on a religious theme, to celebrate the gift of water. The Plague Village of Eyam is within easy reach as is Tideswell with its stunning church known unofficially but justifiably as ‘The Cathedral of the Peak’.