In this blog I am going to go into detail what we got up to while we were staying at Peake's Retreats in Staffordshire, on a girls weekend getaway. I have included other places nearby you can visit, that I have visited before when I used to live in Nottinghamshire, including some great hikes in The Peak District.
Below is a list of places to visit, things to see and do in Staffordshire and hikes in The Peak District.
Visit the Historical Village of Tutbury
Tutbury lies on the border of Derbyshire and Staffordshire on the banks of the River Dove and is 9 minute drive from Peake's Retreats, where we were staying the weekend we visited.
Tutbury has many fine Tudor, Georgian and Regency houses in it's charming wide main street, with beautiful side streets with plenty of independent shops and antique stores, cafes, pubs and restaurants. It is a great place to have a slow Saturday or Sunday afternoon. When we visited we had a lovely wander around the village, had a mooch in the shops and had a yummy lunch in one of the cafes on the main street.
Tutbury is village is overlooked by the ruins of Tutbury Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned three times! The castle offers new and exciting attractions each year; visitors are able to see The Great Hall representing a 1570's State Room. A Tudor garden and herbery have been recreated and you can enjoy Falcons, Peacocks and Birds of Prey displays.
Please note during the winter months the castle is mostly closed unless there is an event on, so unfortunately as we visited mid November 2023 it was closed.
If you love Castles and History make sure you visit during the Spring and Summer months when the castle is open. Unfortunately due to lack of staff a lot of historical places in England seem to close during the winter months, which is such a shame as to us outdoor hiking folk it is the best time to visit!
Tutbury also has Peacocks that just wander freely and they are fantastic to see, but remember to respect these animals, do not get too close and do not let your children chase them!
If you are looking for a place to stay in Tutbury then make sure you check out Castle View Cottage .
Branston Water Park
Branston Water Park located just outside of Burton Upon Trent off the A38.
The site is a Local Natural Reserve that has won the Green Flag award for recognition of the quality, cleanliness, safety and wildlife value of the site.
There is a small visitors centre and ample parking. There is a level path running around the entire site giving excellent disabled access, a children's play area, toilets and information on the types of birds and habitats that are found at Branston Water Park.
The unmanned visitor centre is open all week during summer months and at weekends only in winter.
As well as a cafe at Branston Water Park there are ample picnic areas with tables around the lake.
There is a small play area for children up to 8 years of age.
It is a fantastic place for nature lovers and for the whole family.
Barton Marina
Barton Marina is a superb waterside destination with a pub, 13 retail shops, lakes, fishery, nature walk, garden centre and boat marina. The Waterfront Pub and restaurant is open every day including Christmas Day. Shops open every day except Christmas Day.
A beautiful place to explore and a 14 minute drive from Peake's Retreats
National Trust Sudbury Hall
Children's Country House Sudbury Hall
Main Road, Sudbury, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 5HT
Is free to National Trust Members, but tickets cost £24 for an adult and £12 for children for non members to access the Hall, museums and gardens. If you often visit National Trust properties or use any of their car parks for hikes, I highly recommend becoming a member to save you money.
Sudbury Hall is a 15 minute drive from Peake's Retreats and again for us when we visited Staffordshire in November 2023 it was closed for maintenance work, this is common for National Trust properties during the winter months, so I highly recommend checking their opening times before visiting during this period. Open throughout school holidays and peak season, spring, summer and autumn and usually around Christmas.
There is plenty to do as an adult or for children at Sudbury Hall, explore the Hall itself the historic home of the Vernon Family, with beautiful plasterwork, carvings and the Grand Staircase all to see.
The gardens are great to explore with plenty of picnic and play areas.
Why not try out the Mystery Room Experience based during World War 2, and perfect for children aged 10 and over.
There is so much more to see and do at Sudbury Hall, I highly recommend a visit... if it is open.
Ashbourne
The Gateway to Dovedale
With winding cobbled streets, a delightful market place with Tudor and Georgian heritage, with more than 200 listed buildings this quaint English Town is a must see if you are staying in and around Staffordshire. In fact it is a great place to stay in it's own right, with plenty of independent shops, pubs, restaurants and cafes, it is a fantastic place to explore.
For more information please head to the Discover Ashbourne Website.
Asbourne is roughly 30-35 minutes from Peake's Retreats
Hikes in The Peak District
If like me you love nothing more than getting out on a good old stomp and turning your weekend into an adventure, then there are so many great hikes in The Peak District, in or near Staffordshire.
The Dragons Back - Chrome and Parkhouse Hill
One of my all time favourite places in The Peak District, and a hike you must do!
Starts in the lovely hamlet of Hollinsclough and the beginning of the walk will take you through country lanes and footpaths with views of the stunning Staffordshire Hills.
There are several hikes you can do here, you could start with Chrome Hill first and then onto Parkhouse hill or the other way around, if you don't fancy an incline to can go round one or both of these hills. Please note, Parkhouse hill is particularly steep on the ascent and descent and in places it is a bit of a scramble, so make sure you are wearing appropriate footwear.
For a lovely 3.9mile hike of the area here is a link to a route by Lets Go Peak District
Though I have hiked this several times, I haven't been since August 2020 (when this photo was taken) so I did not plot the route I did, nor make a note of it, as I never thought I'd have my own website one day!
Thors Cave and the Manifold Valley
Now as much as I love this place, Thors Cave has been trashed in recent years and it is extremely rare to find this place not packed with people and rubbish! If you want to go when it is quieter, mid week in winter is the time to go.
The walk starts in the small village of Wetton, which has a very small car park considering how many people visit this area, so please bare in mind if it is full don't be a selfish and block driveways and road access for emergency services, drive on to find somewhere else to park, there are a few car parking spaces down in the Manifold valley by the Wetton Mill Cafe. And ALWAYS TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME WITH YOU! I have had confrontations with groups of people in Thor's cave dropping rubbish, don't be a tosser and make sure you respect the environment, if you brought it with you, you can most certainly take it back with you. Rant over, back to the actual walking route.
There are several routes you can do but one I know like the back of my hand starts in Wetton and takes in Thor's Cave, down into the Manifold Valley, past Wetton Mill cafe (don't forget to stop for cake) and up to Ecton Hill taking in the old copper mines and back to the start. It is about a 6-7 mile hike and this is the one I found to follow by
Ilam, Dovedale & Thorpe Cloud
A super popular place in The Peak District but there is no doubting why!
You can park at Ilam Hall free for National Trust Members (which is where I always park) and you can start your hike in their beautiful gardens and head past the stunning Church on the grounds, past the quaint chocolate box houses in Ilam, before heading across the fields to Dovedale.
There is also a large car park in Dovedale itself, but bare in mind this place can get really busy, so get there early or again go midweek during winter months when possible, or spring summer evenings.
You can then cross the famous stepping stones (if the river is low enough) or there is a bridge you can cross closer to Dovedale car park.
Then why not take up the short but steep hike up to the top of Thorpe cloud, the views are stunning, but make sure you check the windspeed levels as it can get very windy on the top.
Head back down and follow the foot path along the River Dove, explore the caves in the area and head to the picturesque village of Milldale, get a hot drink and snack from the hole in the wall cafe and head back the way you came.
For a slightly different route to the one I've described (again I don't plot my routes, I will start doing now though, but I definitely didn't when I used to go to The Peak District a lot, I now live in The Lake District) then check out this route by Living With The Wolf
Hartington & Wolfscote Dale
Oh I absolutely adore Wolfscote Dale, a Peak District Hidden Gem, and walking down in the valley sure feels like you have stepped into an another world.
This walk starts and ends in the lovely village of Hartington, with shops, pubs and cafes and plenty of parking, it has everything you could hope for from a Peak District Village.
From the village the walk takes you through fields, to woodland into Beresford Dale and then onwards to Wolfscote Dale (please note it can become rather boggy and flooded in parts after heavy rain) the footpath takes you along the River Dove, you can either come back on yourself or head through Biggin Dale (don't forget to look out for the caves!) and back into Hartington. If you are feeling brave enough there are some lovely wild swimming spots on route, but please note this is a river, so never get in after heavy rainfall as the undercurrents can be dangerous and always respect the environment and leave no trace.
For more details on a hiking route in this area then follow this link here
Without a doubt there are plenty of things to do and see when staying in Staffordshire, and this is just a snippet. So next time you are thinking of a break away in the UK then don't overlook this charming county.
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