Testimonials
We wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed your tours, loved all the history......your area is beautiful. Jane & Andy P, New England
Enjoyed our time with you thank you for making our holiday so special. JJ & PD. Scotland.
Thank you again for everything our vacation was great. We thought the little towns and the the stately houses were wonderful and the girls just loved the all the movie scenery we visited. Tom & Audrey B.
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7 Day Escorted Tour customised peak district holidays designed for you
Suggestions for a 7 day escorted tour with Tailor Made Stays. Your holiday in England will be whatever you want and we will create an individual itinerary to suit you.
Day 1
~ Buxton
Buxton, standing at a height of 1,000ft (305m) above sea level, is the highest town in England.
Famous since Roman times for its warm springs (28°C) and health giving waters Buxton was named ‘Aqua Arnemetiae’, the spa of the goddess of the grove. Boasting natural baths, a grand Crescent, gardens, the imposing Palace Hotel and Opera House Buxton aspired to rival Bath and Cheltenham.
~ A drive through the lovely Peak District countryside to take in the wonderful views of the Bradfield Valley.
~ High and Low Bradfield
High and Low Bradfield are situated in a unique position surrounded by the dams that deliver water to nearby Sheffield. Low Bradfield was almost completely destroyed by the great Sheffield flood in 1864.
The church of St Nicholas stands proud on the hillside in High Bradfield. From here you can appreciate the superb scenery the Loxley Valley offers.
~ After taking as much time as you like to enjoy the Bradfield area your personal tour guide will return you to your accommodation.
Day 2
~ Tissington
A charming estate village that developed around Tissington Hall, a Tudor building and home of the Fitzherbert family for over 400 hundred years. Now open to the public. With no overall design plan the cottages of Tissington are scattered in random fashion, which only adds to the rural feel of this delightful village.
Boasting more than 650 years of well dressing Tissington is said to be the original home of the ceremony and is still the first village each year, Ascention Day, to dress their wells.
~ Hartington
Situated on the river Dove Hartington is one of the most beautiful villages in the Peak District and a popular tourist spot. A picturesque village with duck pond, Market Square, village green, fine 14th century church, 17th century hall and its own cheese factory and shop.
Hartington Hall built in 1611, where Bonnie Prince Charlie once spent a night, is now a youth hostel.
Although a Market Charter was granted in 1203 a market has not been held here for many years.
~ Dovedale
A beautiful escorted tour through exquisite scenery to Dovedale often called the most beautiful dale in the Peak District. Wander at leisure along easy walking paths to see the extraordinary scenes in this area. Day 3
~ Crich
Step back and enjoy a bygone age of vintage trams, cobbled streets and enchanting buildings surrounded on every side by breathtaking Derbyshire scenery. This National Tramway Museum has exhibition halls and video shows telling the story of the tram. Set in three acres of Woodland Park with walks, sculpture trails and of course unlimited tram journeys up to the Glory Mine for more spectacular views.
~ Cromford A small settlement before Sir Richard Arkwright built his cotton mill Cromford had little more than a church a packhorse bridge and a few homes. Arkwright built cottages for his workers; a corn mill, the Greyhound Hotel and he established a market. The large pond adjacent to North Street originally supplied a head of water for the mills. To improve the movement of goods in and out of Cromford the Cromford canal was built, in the 1790’s, which was followed later by the Cromford and High Peak Railway.
Day 4
~ Ashbourne
Your escorted tour today visits Ashbourne, the gateway to Dovedale and a thriving market town. In 1745 Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, was camped at Ashbourne when he declared his father, James, King of England, Wales and Scotland. A plaque in the market place commemorates this event.
The longest pub sign in the world straddles Church Street advertising the Green Man & Black’s Head Royal Hotel. Visited by author George Eliot, James Boswell and Dr Johnson, Ashbourne can also boast that Queen Victoria called for tea when she was just princess.
Famous for its Royal Shrovetide football game Ashbourne has interesting narrow streets, shops and corners to browse and enjoy.
~ Haddon Hall
Perched overlooking the river Wye and home of the Manners family for the past 800 years Haddon is a hall steeped in romantic history. The gardens offer a fantastic display. Leaving the house you are met by a heady scent of flowers as you enter a walled garden where abundant perennial borders and lawns are a wonderful sight. You can take as much time as you like to enjoy the terraces and flower beds this garden offers.
The authentic appearance and unique charm of Haddon Hall has made it a popular venue for filmmakers. The hall and gardens have been chosen as setting for many films and dramas. Most recently the Oscar nominated Pride and Prejudice and Jane Eyre used Haddon Hall and Chatsworth to recreate the atmosphere that inspired both Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte on their visits to the Peak District.
Day 5
~ Caldwell’s Mill
Visit a working flourmill and craft area. Glass blowing, jewellery, ironwork are some of the crafts in this interesting complex of old buildings.
~ Edensor
The Chatsworth estate village. Wander round and view the interesting and unusual architecture of a village that was relocated by instruction of the 4th Duke of Devonshire, to a position where it could not be seen from Chatsworth House. The estate church is St Peters.
~ Enjoy a tasty lunch in the Chatsworth Orangery or one of the other eating venues.
Wander round the old stables now a garden shop selling a variety of unusual trinkets and gifts.
~ Chatsworth House
Today your tour takes you to Chatsworth House in the Peak District, beautiful home of the 12th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.
Chatsworth is one of the grandest houses in the Peak District and has been used as setting for many films including the 2005 Oscar nominated film book Pride & Prejudice.
Find out how Chatsworth is linked to the Mitford Girls and the Kennedy’s. This fascinating historic house and estate brims with interesting and famous works of art, sculpture with collections gathered by the family over generations. Explore this wonderful Peak District estate at your leisure with gardens, glasshouses, vegetable garden and forest walks to enjoy.
Day 6
~ Monsal Head Monsal Dale
A drive to absorb the wonderful panoramic views offered by Monsal Head and Monsal Dale. Lunch can be taken either in Buxton or at Monsal Head.
~ Tideswell
Tideswell, close to Buxton, is the home of ‘the Cathedral of the Peak’ the magnificent 14th century church of St John the Baptist. An ancient settlement situated on the river Wye Tideswell dates back to pre Roman times. Granted a market charter in 1251 and at one time boasting 60 shops, it remains an interesting place to visit.
Day 7
~ Eyam
A visit to the pretty village of Eyam with its fascinating history fully explained in the museum. In 1665 the ‘Black Death’ was raging in London. From ‘nowhere’ the plague appeared to erupt in a village in Derbyshire. Discover how it came to this tiny village and the story of the bravery that makes Eyam famous throughout the Peak District. Visit the village church which holds a register of the deaths in the village.
A tour of Eyam Hall can be also included; it is still a family home.
~ Lunch can be taken in Eyam
~ Hathersage
An interesting Peak District village Hathersage has strong literary connections. In 1845 Charlotte Bronte paid a visit to the village. Whilst there she met various friends and neighbours in the area. Her famous novel ‘Jane Eyre’ was set in Hathersage and nearby North Lees Hall is said to be the inspiration for Mr Rochester’s house in the novel.
In Hathersage churchyard is a famous link with the outlaw Robin Hood. One of Robin's men, known as Little John, is reputed to be buried in Hathersage churchyard, the grave measuring 11 feet from head to footstone.
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How Interesting
One of England's most popular stately homes and one of its largest private houses is Chatsworth House the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. Chatsworth is believed to have been the inspiration for Jane Austen's Pemberley, home of Mr Darcy, in the book Pride & Predjudice and Chatsworth has been used as a setting for the many adaptations of the novel.
The village of Edensor on the Chatsworth estate was razed to the ground then rebuilt out of site of the main house.
The Padley Martyrs, Nicholas Garlick and Robert Ludlam, were two catholic priests, captured in 1588, taken hanged, drawn and quartered. The ruins of Padley Hall still exist behind the tiny Padley Chapel.
Castleton has a shivering mountain and the Devils Arse.
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Famous Derbyshire People
Richard Arkwright perfected water powered spinning machines and installed them in his factory at Cromford. Building up a whole new community he provided cottages for his workers, a chapel, school and the Greyhound Hotel. 
Initially he lived next to the mill at Rock House but as he prospered he went on to build Willersley Castle on a hill above Cromford. He died in 1792 aged only 60 and was buried at the church he built.
Kathleen, sister of John F Kennedy, is buried in the church of St Peter, Edensor. Kathleen known as ‘Kick’ married William Cavendish, Marques of Hartington in 1944. Only four months later William was killed whilst on active duty and in 1948 she was killed in a plane crash.
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