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 and rent bikes on the monsall trail, they rent baby trailers

Few ideas off the top of my head - presuming you have access to a car and these are mostly South Yorkshire side so may have a little bit of a drive depending on where the air bnb is…

Pretty sure Peak Cavern/Speedwell Cavern will be open and Castleton’s a nice place for a walk/to stop for lunch (there’s lovely views from the castle itself). Bolsover Castle is open weekends in Feb (not sure if you’re only around Mon-Friday). Wentworth Castle Gardens are open from the 6th. Cusworth Hall and park should be open. Monsal trail or Ladybower for easy walks. Cannon Hall Farm. National Coal Mining Museum. Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Ilam Park.

You’re close to Sheffield - look at the emergency services museum, Kelham island museum, galleries, plenty of restaurants, parks etc.

Could you do a trip to Gullivers Kingdom?

History trail in eyam, plague village.

Peveril castle in castleton may be open.

Bakewell (Monday is market day) and Buxton are good.

Matlock has a fun little aquarium.

Heights of Abraham is also a goody.

For children, The Churnet Valley Railway is open on Sundays from 5th Feb.

Good suggestions regarding Sheffield, I'd like to do those!

If you like the idea of Nottingham, there's a direct train from Matlock.

Spa treatment, The Three Horseshoes in Leek...

www.3shoesinn.co.uk/spa-facilities/

A lot of great ideas have been mentioned, but just to echo Matlock Farm Park. Wrap up warm as it's baltic up there but it's a really lovely place. Loads of animals to feed, plus undercover outdoor play areas and an indoor one too. Carsington Water is a good place for a walk and Stand Woods at Chatsworth are also lovely (although a shame the farmyard and playground are closed). The cafe is still open for a warm up afterwards! There's a good soft play and pub at Darwin Forest too.

Another NT which is good for children is The Children's Country House at Sudbury - looks like it might only be open at the weekend that week though

There's a good park and play area at Carsington Water. A little walk out to an island too, which is perfect for little legs.

I came on to suggest this - we’ve never used the spa but been for food there a few times and it’s always been nice. Although it’s a few years since we last went!

Derby is just under an hour by car and there is also a train from Matlock. The Museum of Making opened a couple of years ago and is great. The new swimming pool at Moorways has slides etc. There is Crazy Golf and bowling in the Derbion shopping centre and lots of family restaurants.

Cutlery/design museum in Hathersage. Very small but nice cafe on site.

David Mellor museum

Check out the National Trust properties in the area, especially Hardwick, Keddleston and the Children’s Country House at Sudbury. Look at the website as opening times vary at this time of year.

Speedwell cavern is well worth a visit. The crescent spa in buxton will be open, it's all just been refurbished and is fab. There might be something on at the opera house your 11yr old might enjoy. Buxton is nice for a walk round, esp the park and gardens. Monsal trail or Tissington trail are great for a walk or bike ride. Three horseshoes spa is also nice, and if weather is good a walk up the roaches is great, amazing views! Carsington water is also nearby and a lovely walk. Take a sledge though, if it snows (quite possible in Feb!) There's some amazing sledging to be had!

What about the National Space Centre?

spacecentre.co.uk/

We visited on our way back from Chatsworth. It's about an hour's drive and a fantastic day out. Great for a rainy day, but check to see if you need to book tickets in advance.

We had a lovely few days in the Peak District a year or so back. Eyam plague village was fascinating and there's a lovely lovely artist's garden there (www.hannahbennett.co.uk/). Thornbridge (www.thornbridgehall.co.uk/) is a lot smaller than Chatsworth but they had a big garden with loads of play things out for younger kids, and it's free in January. We had a lovely day pottering round Buxton, and Mam Tor is a reasonably easy walk up with amazing views - we spent ages up there watching people paragliding. Peak Cavern (aka the Devil's Arse) also looks great - we couldn't do it because we had our dog with us, but we really wanted to!

The spa at Alton towers is surprisingly nice for adults, and the waterpark there for kids and husbands . The mini golf at Alton towers is really good too.

Monkey forest is great for kids and adults and my boys really liked Dovedale stepping stones

The Monsal Trail is mostly in tunnels so even if it's cold could be a good day out with electric bikes and a nice cafe at either end.

When we went in the summer the people who went to chatsworth said it was very expensive and overrated so you've not missed much.

The Peak View tea rooms are excellent with a lovely view. You can walk from Matlock to Matlock Bath have fish and chips and get the train back.

Our nephew gave us covid mid holiday so we didn't do much else.

We went in a Feb half term and just followed a trail around the village. It’s a beautiful part of the country lots of things to see and do.

May already have been suggested but Blue John cavern is nice and also the heights of Abraham although I couldn't comment on their opening availability.

Hathersage (heated!) outdoor pool?

Oooh yes, I love it there.

It's a bit of a drive but William's Den is amazing
York and Harrogate are lovely.

The spa at Buxton crescent hotel is lovely and they do day / afternoon tea passes
www.ensanahotels.com/buxton/en/health-spa/day-spa