Help save our holiday!

[Sunshinesusan33]

I've booked a family holiday in a few weeks time to the Peak District for dh birthday. Staying in a small village right near Chatsworth. Unfortunately all of our plans seem to be falling apart. The pub we wanted to stay at is shut for refurbishment so we've got a last minute air b&b. The salon id booked treatments at for me and SIL has cancelled. And we've just gone to book tickets for Chatsworth house only to find it's closed for the winter. There are lots of lovely walks nearby but we have two dc with us, one of whom is only a year old so we can't do too much hiking etc. So please, if you have any knowledge of the area can you give us some tips of things to do!!! I'm really worried it's going to be a total flop.

Oh beautiful part of the world! Honestly even just having nothing planned and just having a dander round you will have a great time. Couple of questions. Will you have a car? Im assuming yes? How old is the older child? What kind of treatments were you looking for? Does the spa need to be child friendly or is adult only ok?

My dad hails from chesterfield so many fond memories.

Thank you for replying. Yes we do have a car. I've had a look at Bakewell and Matlock but it seems a lot of their tourist attractions such as gullivers kingdom etc are closed too. Older dc is 11 and it'll probably be harder work entertaining them than the baby!!!

The spa treatments aren't really essential, it was just a little treat to fill a morning. I had planned on spending most of the Saturday at Chatsworth house as that would have been suitable for the adults and kids but am gutted to see it's closed until spring, even the gardens :-(

I'd still suggest Chatsworth play area for your kids as it's fantastic. A nice brisk walk around outside and a play, flask of tea and some snacks would be a nice few hours on a dry day

It's all shut. Apparently all that is open is the parkland and woodland (not even sure where this is) and a few of the bits in the courtyard. I get closing the house for winter but I can't believe they'd shut all the other outdoor bits.

The parks in Matlock & Bakewell are both good but obviously very weather dependent (it's freezing here at the moment!) Is the Heights of Abraham (cable cars, great play areas, cafe etc.) closed as well?
I know a pp suggested the play park at Chatsworth but I'm pretty sure that's closed too.
Other than that Bakewell is nice to walk around & there are plenty of shops & cafes. I have to say though it would be a completely different experience in the summer when everything is open & it's hopefully warm enough to do outdoorsy stuff.
Sorry not much help!

When DS was about six months we had a family holiday in the Peak District.

matlockfarmpark.co.uk/

www.heightsofabraham.com/ (Opens 11th Feb, not sure if your holiday is before that or not)

Eyam plague village is well worth a visit

No unfortunately it's the first week of Feb and it seems like the whole Peak District is closed until Feb half term at the earliest. So annoying but at least if we like it we can go back in the summer. It's for dh birthday so can't really rearrange.

Stately homes are shut in winter but the grounds are open still, put baby in a carrier and bring food based bribes for the older one - lambing is happening so plenty to see. Buxton it's self is nice, see what's on at the opera house (don't just do opera) and indoor exhibition space, there's a college there of beauty and I've had treatment's there.

@Sunshinesusan33

Speedwell cavern underground river? Seems to be open!

Peak District is awesome.

Castleton is a beautiful place for a mooch and the caves might be open. If you have baby carrier, the walk up to Mam Tor will be lovely for your older dc.

Buxton is also a lovely town to stroll around.

There is cycle hire place as well with an off road trail.

Chatsworth is still worth a visit for a stroll in the parkland and a visit to the cafe in Edensor. You may see Deer in the park.

We’re visiting at the same time. Such a beautiful part of the country. I know people there though so visiting attractions isn’t the main thing. And I don’t have younger DC
Here is something I looked at:

explorebuxton.co.uk/things-to-do-in-winter-in-the-peak-district-derbyshire/?amp

A few nice things to for DH birthday.

Just buy the 11yo a device... he'll be happy as Larry wherever you go.

Ashbourne is a nice village and go to Tissington amazing sweet shop!

The blue John cavern good

If the plague museum in Eyam is open (IF!) your 11 yo will enjoy.

Is Hardwick Hall (NT) open?

It's not 😂

Bolsover castle and the caverns are options. Plus lots of lovely pub stops. I will need them at this rate....

A few ideas (we used to live near Chatsworth).

The Denby Pottery is interesting, you can do a tour and have a go at decorating some pottery. The cafe used to be lovely too (not been for a while). More here: www.denbypottery.com/denby-pottery-village-craft-studio

You could visit Poole's Cavern, that's open in winter.

Instead of Chatsworth I think Bolsover Castle is open in winter. Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire is also open, as is Wollaton Hall; both are definitely worth a visit. Sherwood forest isn't too far either.

You could go ice skating in Nottingham or Sheffield, both are within reach. Or how about watching ice hockey - the Steelers (Sheffield) or the Panthers (Nottingham)? That's brilliant fun for all ages, our children used to love it.

Have just come across indoor golf here www.lostcityadventuregolf.com/nottingham Not done it, but it looks entertaining, and a bit different.

Hopefully you'll still have a fantastic holiday, will try to think of some more

There’s an arcade in Matlock and a weird museum upstairs which the kids liked, Gullivers world, heights of Abraham which has caving, parks, restaurants and shops you get there by cable car which is fun! Chrich tramway museum is ace, it’s set up like an old fashion village with shops, museum, tram rides, soft play, pub. Matlock farm park is the best park we have been too

Mattock baths and aquarium.

Peak Cavern & Blue John Mine are open. Haddon Hall is nice, but sadly not open til April(!).

Bakewell & Matlock Bath are fab for a wander round. Matlock has a small aquarium & a mining museum that are indoor, as well as plenty of arcades which your 11 year old might like!!

Which village are you staying in? X

Hire bikes and cycle on the tissington trail or the monsal trail? Most hire bike seats or trailers for babies.

Just to save the OP from getting lost, the arcades are in Matlock Bath rather than Matlock. I think a lot of people don't realise that and end up having to go back to the car to drive to Matlock Bath! It's only a few minutes by car, but you wouldn't want to walk it on a winter day.

Unfortunately Gulliver's Kingdom is shut in winter as is Crich Tramway museum.

I don't recommend Bolsover Castle myself. It's very expensive and very poorly presented imo.

I bet your 11yo would like the caverns around Castleton. One's called the Devil's Arse because the river makes a farting sound, and there are bits where you have to bend double to walk through. Then there's one with an underground boat trip, Speedwell cavern. There's Peveril castle there too, which I like much more than Bolsover.

PeakDistrictKids website is good for this stuff. Monsal Trail is excellent and has bike hire if the weather is ok. Thornbridge Hall is nearby which I think is open in some form year round.