A UK Staycation venue for 2022

Choose Derbyshire and the Peak District

Each year surveys are published about the places best known as staycation destinations for a holiday in England. The top five nearly always include Cornwall, Devon, the Lake District and North Yorkshire. The fifth space is often occupied by different locations. Now we have to declare a bias, but we want to pitch for Derbyshire and the Peak District. With its central location in England and the oldest National Park in the UK, it has a lot to offer.

It feels like much of the last two years has focused on COVID. However, the news is now looking more positive and if seems we can start to look forward with more confidence to booking a staycation in England and exploring some of the wonderful counties of England.

Why choose a staycation in Derbyshire and the Peak District?

Firstly, the landscape must be high on the list of reasons. From stunning hills and edges to long rambling walks. There are also some wonderful villages and market towns to explore. One of our favourite villages not too far from Glendon is Ashbourne in the Water. A wonderful mix of quaint cottages, green spaces and as you would expect from the name Water. If you enjoy photography, there are some great opportunities in these locations.

What attractions does Derbyshire have?

There are historic houses, cable cars and trams, local art and much more. Many of our guests enjoy a visit to Chatsworth House, a gem of the Peak District. One of the newer venues to open is the Great British Car Journey. This offers the opportunity for a nostalgic look back at British cars.

Where can you walk and cycle in Derbyshire and the Peak District?

There are walks and cycling for all abilities. You can find out about some of the great cycling opportunities here. If you do decide to bring your bike we also have secure cycle storage facilities. For walks, there are valleys, trails and peaks. At Glendon, we have a range of walking books for guests to use. There are also many walks you can download from the internet. A great resource is Walking the Peaks, which offer a selection of free downloadable tried and tested walks with clear guidance.

When are the Derbyshire well-dressings?

A historic tradition in Derbyshire and Peak District are well dressings. This involves creating designs from flower petals and historically was to give thanks for the water supply. The well dressings take place between May and September in many of the villages across Derbyshire. Each year the scenes are different and often represent topical and current events. This year there are likely to be a range of interpretations linked to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Over the past two years, there has been some disruption to these from the impact of Covid, but we remain optimistic that this will be much better in 2022.

You can find out more about the history and how well-dressings are linked to Derbyshire in one of our past blogs.

Where can you eat and drink in Matlock?

After a busy day exploring there are plenty of places for refreshments. Matlock has a range of venues to eat and drink.  For a special occasion, a visit to Stones is highly recommended. You will have to book early for this venue though, particularly for weekend evenings. There are plans too for additional eating and drinking venues in Matlock. In February BOD café is due to open on Dale road. It will offer a welcoming space for food and drink in an informal atmosphere. And later in the year, we are expecting more new venues.

Last year we perhaps started to think about eating and drinking outside in a different way. As we head towards the spring and summer months and the opportunities to eat outside increase there are different choices available. You can find out more about places with outside space for eating and drinking here.

At Glendon Bed and Breakfast, each of our rooms has a silent mini-fridge and we are very happy for guests to bring a bottle of wine. We also leave wine glasses and a corkscrew! You can enjoy this in the guest sitting room or weather permitting in the courtyard.

Where can I stay in Derbyshire and the Peak District?

If you have never visited Derbyshire before we hope this will give you an incentive to give it a go. There are all sorts of places to stay, in different locations and for different groups. If you have never stopped in a Bed and Breakfast, there are many reasons to give one a go. Most, including Glendon, are very different to the traditional image from many decades ago. And if you are thinking of visiting Derbyshire with family or friends, we also offer Derwent House, a self-catering holiday home for up to 12 people.

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