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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Tours customised peak district holidays designed for you
Tailor Made Stays offer a wide range of options for escorted tours of the Peak District, England, and will organise any combination of
guided visits to suit your interest.
As always with Tailor Made Stays the choice of escorted tour is yours. You may want to mix and match some of our suggested guided tours.
When we know the interests of your group we will arrange a customised escorted tour itinerary just for you. 
These are just a small selection of the Peak District escorted tours we can offer and if your group has a particular interest not
mentioned please contact us, and Tailor Made Stays will be happy to organise a customised escorted tour just for your party to ensure you enjoy your visit to England.
The beautiful Peak District area of England has so much to offer so
enjoy one of our unique escorted tours. Just talk to us and we will arrange a holiday tour customised especially for you.
~ Bakewell
No visit to the Peak District would be complete without a tour of Bakewell. Known as the ‘capital’ of the Peak District and home of the
first and largest National Park in Britain. Bakewell remains a thriving agricultural town, with two livestock markets every week.
Stroll along the river Wye and enjoy the antics of the host of duck, coots, swans and geese. Narrow streets and courtyards a museum, shops and cafes. Don't forget to try the famous Bakewell pudding (never a tart) from 'one' of the original pudding shops.
~ Castleton
This tour takes us to Castleton a unique village in the Peak District and England, steeped in tradition. Home of the famous Blue John and Peveril Castle. A quaint village to wander round with show caverns and a variety of shops and cafes.
~ Ladybower and Derwent
A visit to the superb Peak District reservoirs and a chance to take in the inspirational views of Ladybower, Derwent and Howden.
Tour this Peak District valley steeped in history, here about the workers who lived and worked here to create these huge dams, the village that disappeared and the world famous Dambusters. Listen to the sad story of the faithful Tip, the border collie who who stayed with his dead master throughout weeks of freezing weather.
~ Carsington
A pleasant drive through the rolling hills and greenery of the Peak District countryside to peaceful Carsington Water. Your customised tour can take you to this beautiful peacefull area.
Here you can enjoy a leisurely stroll alongside this lovely reservoir. Superb for seeing waterfowl, bird watching, enjoying beautiful scenery, cycle hire and water sports.
 ~ Chatsworth House
An essential part of any tour of this area, Chatsworth House in the Peak District is the magnificent home of the 12th Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.
Chatsworth is one of the grandest houses in the Peak District and one of the most well known in England. It 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, a maze, glasshouses, vegetable garden and forest walks to 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 displayof a traditional walled garden. Leaving the house you  are met by a heady scent of flowers as you enter a walled garden where abundant perennial borders and roses are a wonderful sight. Our tour means 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. The Peak District was used as setting for Jane Eyre and the recent Oscar nominated film Pride and Prejudice. Both Haddon Hall and Chatsworth have been used to recreate the atmosphere that inspired both Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte on their visits.
 ~ Eyam
A tour of the pretty village of Eyam. In 1665 the ‘Black Death’ was raging in London. From ‘nowhere’ the plague appeared to erupt in a tiny village in Derbyshire. Discover how it came and the story of the bravery that makes Eyam famous throughout the Peak District and England.
Our customised escorted tour will allow you an insight into the real history of the area and you will be able to share our local knowledge. 
~ 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. On the edge of the Peak District this is a beautiful area that many people do not see when on a tour of England.
~ Buxton
Buxton, standing at a height of 1,000ft (305m) above sea level, is the highest town in England and well worth a tour.
Famous since Roman times for its warm springs (28°C) and health giving waters Buxton was named ‘Aquae 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 must on a tour of the Peak District.
~ 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 it remains an interesting place to visit.
~ Whaley Bridge
Enjoy lunch in one of the many eateries. A quaint village with a pretty centre and an eclectic collection of shops. Wander along the canal and see the decorated barges.
 
~ Monsal Head Monsal Dale
A drive to absorb the wonderful panoramic views offered by Monsal Head and Monsal Dale. Said to be one of the best views in England and a must for your guided tour in the Peak District National Park.
~ 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.
  ~ Freshfields - Donkey Sanctuary
A visit is to the wonderful Michael Elliott Trust Donkey Sanctuary deep in the heart of the Peak District country. Meet the donkeys in their own surroundings and wander through the meadows. Your customised tour will give you as much time as you like to enjoy this fantastic project.
~ 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 and 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.
 ~ Heage Windmill
The only working stone tower, 6 sail windmill in the Bristish Isles, overlooks the village of Nether Heage on the edge of the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site. With the first recorded reference in 1791, this ancient lady (all windmills are deemed to be female) has been renovated by a group of enthusiastic volunteers to the working flour mill we see today. this windmill makes a fascinating insight into the past and is an interesting place to visit.
Experience this working windmill on one of Tailor Made Stays customised escorted tours.
~ Dovedale
Your customised tour takes you on a beautiful ride through exquisite scenery to Dovedale, often called the most beautiful dale in the Peak District.
Wander at your leisure along easy walking paths to see the extraordinary and beautiful scenery in this lovely area of England.
~ 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. See the unique Scarthin bookshop
~ Chesterfield
A town on the edge of the Peak and easily recognised by it famous crooked spire. When the church was built the spire constructed of ‘green’ wood and as it dried it contorted into the shape we see today. What was considered a disaster when the church was built has now become the landmark of the town.
 ~ Matlock
Originally a collection of small villages until the discovery of warm springs in 1698. Pioneer of hydrotherapy John Smedley built the huge hydro 1853 and soon another 20 hydros were in operation. Smedley’s Hydro continued as a bathhouse until the 1950s when it became the home to Derbyshire County Council.
Matlock is the county town of Derbyshire.
~ Rowsley and Cauldwell’s Mill
Rowsley a small village standing where the rivers Wye and Derwent converge. The Peacock Hotel built in 1652 is owned by the Manner family of Haddon Hall and bears their emblem. Cauldwell’s Mill, built in 1874, is the last remaining water turbine-powered flourmill in the country. The mill was closed for a period in 1978 but was soon re-opened and visitors can enjoy the site of a working mill.
~ Matlock Bath
Further down a wooded valley is Matlock Bath.
Sitting on the banks of the River Derwent and dubbed ‘little Switzerland’ by Lord Byron Matlock Bath has a holiday air.
Via cable car you can be transported to the Heights of Abraham at  the top of the vale where you will have a breathtaking view of the surrounding countryside.
Sir Richard Arkwright, famous for the ‘Spinning Jenny’ built Masson Mills the finest surviving example of a cotton mill. Part of the building is now a shopping area but part of the mill still retains working textile machines. On an August evening the annual Illuminations and Venetian Night is held with decorated boats, illuminated cliffs and cliff top fireworks.
~ 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.
If you have any questions please contact us.
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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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