The diverse nature of the Derbyshire Peak District landscape is handsomely blessed with an equal abundance of wonderfully diverse cottages in a whole range of styles and sizes to suit almost any taste or preference, with many set in spectacular countryside locations, and an equal number available in almost every beautiful historic village or town.
The number of available derbyshire cottages has tripled in the last five years owing mainly to farmers diversifying from agriculture to tourism, and the Derbyshire Peak District has become one of the most popular areas in England for cottage holidays and Derbyshire Holiday Accommodation – as evidenced by the latest figures from the English Tourist Board, with around 25 million visits per year!
The rural landscape is rich in variety and design with cottages both ancient and modern available from a wide selection – from short-stay holiday lets to long term accommodation for those who prefer to sojourn awhile in one of England’s most beautifully diverse counties.
Whether the preference is for a relatively isolated cosy cottage amongst the heather moorland of the upland peak, or perhaps something more luxurious and sedate nestling beside one of Derbyshire’s captivating rivers – and there are many of them like the Wye, Derwent, Bradford, Lathkill, Etherow, Goyt, Manifold or Amber – or even a lakeside haunt bordering the famous Ladybower, Derwent or Carsington Water reservoirs, there is a suitable cottage in Derbyshire for every taste and occasion.
In the north of the county the main building material is gritstone, whilst in the White-Peak area of mid-Derbyshire, which is famous for producing the best and purest limestone in the world used in the construction of the Houses of Parliament and the Tower of London – the white limestone-built cottages which bedeck the beautiful dales range from the traditional small lead-miner’s cottage to the larger and more resplendent farm cottage, with many purpose-built holiday cottages adding to the comprehensive mix of accommodation styles available.
Students of architecture will know that Derbyshire was the birthplace of England’s first `Architectors’ – the Smythson’s of Bolsover, who designed and built palaces for the rich and famous during Tudor times, and the county is perhaps the richest in England for the sheer variety of architectural styles.
There is, of course, the well known Derbyshire vernacular style of twin-gabled limestone rubble Manor House evidenced in almost every Peak village, mainly populated by a host of humble lead-miners cottages and farm cottages, many of which have been sympathetically restored to cater for modern living.
Elton is a wonderful example of available building materials being used for the construction of dwellings, for the village sits squarely on the dividing line between the underlying limestone bedrock to the south, and the gritstone bedrock to the north; thus all the houses on the south side of Main Street are limestone built, whilst those on the north side are of gritstone.
Nearby, Winster is a classic example of early Georgian splendour, whilst just over the hill, Bonsall has a fabulous mix of different styles from the sixteenth century onwards, manor houses and lead miners cottages alike.
Purpose-built Cottage Holiday Homes can be found throughout the county, with a range of splendid new-build farm cottages at Wardlow, Tideswell and Hartington, whilst even stately homes have luxury holiday cottages to let in spacious grounds as at Hopton Hall, on the shores of Carsington Water.
With the decline in farming and the advent of tourism as a major industry, almost every village in the Peak District can boast a number of Derbyshire holiday cottages, many of them upgraded, charming farm cottages and luxurious, well equipped barn conversions – and there are over one hundred villages, towns and hamlets to choose from; so, whatever your requirements, Derbyshire’s Peak District is sure to have the ideal holiday cottage or holiday accommodation to suit your every desire!