Steaming through the Peak District & Chatsworth House

From a morning pickup in your local area, we travel by coach to our hotel.

Steaming through the Peak District & Chatsworth House

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Buxton before we depart in the afternoon for our optional visit to the market town of Ashbourne. Spend time exploring its cobbled streets and elegant Georgian architecture, discovering a mix of independent shops, cafés and traditional inns. Don’t miss the beautiful St Oswald’s Church, its graceful spire visible for miles around – a fitting highlight in this picturesque corner of Derbyshire.

Half Day

Steaming through the Peak District & Chatsworth House

We visit Peak Rail for a scenic journey through the picturesque countryside. The railway runs between Rowsley South and Matlock Midland Railway line, showcasing stunning views of the Peak District National Park, as we experience the charm of vintage rail travel.

This afternoon we spend some time at leisure in the beautiful market town of Bakewell. Best known for its Bakewell Pudding, the town boasts an ancient five-arched bridge, riverside walks and independent shops. Take a stroll and enjoy the views along the River Wye or indulge in some local treats at one of its many cafés.

Full Day

Steaming through the Peak District & Chatsworth House

We head first to Eyam, known as the ‘Plague Village’ due to the events of 1665-66 when the plague was brought from London to this tiny community. The village has craft workshops, a gift shop and tea rooms to enjoy before we move on to Chatsworth House. The magnificent estate is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and has witnessed sixteen generations of the powerful Cavendish family. It boasts grandiose interiors, wonderful grounds and a superlative art collection. Chatsworth also appeared as Pemberley in the 2005 movie adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

Full Day

Steaming through the Peak District & Chatsworth House

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and board the coach for the journey home.

Stroll riverside lanes and stroll over the ancient five-arched bridge into Derbyshire’s best-loved market town. Browse independent shops and galleries, watch ducks on the River Wye, and pause on pretty footbridges for photographs of mellow stone cottages and flowered verges.

Call into a local bakery to sample the original Bakewell Pudding, a 19th-century sweet with buttery pastry, jam and almond-rich filling. Linger in the market square to soak in the riverside atmosphere before continuing your Peak District explorations.

Discover handsome facades and antiques shops in Ashbourne, where St Oswald’s Church soars with a graceful spire above cobbled lanes. Wander Georgian streets and the market place, dipping into tearooms and delis that showcase Derbyshire flavours. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Learn about the town’s spirited Royal Shrovetide Football tradition as you explore. With elegant townhouses, coaching inns and hidden courtyards, Ashbourne rewards unhurried browsing and a keen eye for architectural detail.

Step inside Chatsworth House, the storied seat of the Dukes of Devonshire, to admire gilded ceilings, rich tapestries and the famed Painted Hall and Sculpture Gallery. Gallery guides illuminate masterpieces across centuries while the great staircases and marble-lined corridors reveal the scale of Cavendish ambition.

Outside, wander Capability Brown parkland and the Cascade, with sweeping lawns, water features and long views to heather moors. Film fans may recognise the estate as “Pemberley” from Pride and Prejudice (2005), yet its allure lies in the layered history, curated art and perfectly composed landscapes.

Explore Eyam ‘Plague Village’, where a remote Derbyshire community chose self-imposed quarantine in 1665–66 to prevent the spread of bubonic plague. Walk past the Plague Cottages and churchyard memorials, and see the famed boundary stones where villagers left coins in vinegar for vital supplies.

Hear the story of Reverend William Mompesson and his neighbours’ resolve, then reflect at the windswept Riley Graves. The village’s calm lanes, gritstone cottages and small craft shops add a gentle counterpoint to a moving tale of sacrifice and solidarity.

Ride vintage carriages and join a heritage steam journey on Peak Rail, travelling the preserved line between Rowsley South and Matlock. Watch stone-built stations, dry-stone walls and meadowed valleys roll by as the locomotive works through the Peak District National Park. The rhythmic clatter, coal-scented air and open windows frame classic Derbyshire scenery.

Learn how enthusiasts revived this former Midland route through the Peaks, creating a living museum of rail travel. Gentle gradients, glimpses of the Derwent valley and time at the platforms offer characterful moments for photographs and close-up views of the locomotive.