This week we have been visiting the very beautiful county of Derbyshire in North West England.
Every time we visit we are captivated with just how impressive the scenery is from the rolling hills, the stone walls, cows and sheep grazing in fields to the traditional towns and villages that exude English countryside charm.
We started the day with a meeting at the Blue John Caverns that are an iconic Derbyshire attraction. We met the team and had a tour of the underground caverns that are deemed to be the finest in Great Britain. They show how the caverns are formed in the limestone strata and how the limestone itself had much earlier been formed by the great oceans with marine fossils evident on the walls of the tunnels. We walked to depths of up to 65 metres below the surface and saw the most amazing scenes. Highly recommended!
The caverns are very well known for their Blue John stone that is still mined today and the nearby village of Castleton with it’s association was next on our daily agenda.
On arrival we were instantly awe inspired with the location of this village nestled in the Derbyshire countryside. We were met with a valley of undulating hills on the Winnat’s Pass that we drove through that were just spectacular.
The village has a depth of history attached. It was founded after Peverel Castle was built in 1086 by William Peverel, the son of William the Conqueror. There are the lovely stone buildings to take in, independent shops, the Blue John Cavern Craft shop, quaint and lovely country inn’s to have some lunch.
We then continued onto taking in the most stunning scenery as we navigated the weaving countryside roads as we gazed into the fields and surrounding vista.
The town of Bakewell was our next stop where we visited the famous Bakewell Pudding Shop that is famous as being the place where the Bakewell Pudding, a local delicacy, was first sold on the 1800s. There are lovely cobbled streets to wander, the country town atmosphere and tradition to absorb.
Chatsworth House was our final destination that we visited, this is an iconic Stately home that sits in the Derbyshire countryside. Here you can explore centuries of art and history as you wander through opulent rooms. Beyond the house you can walk the expansive award winning gardens featuring cascading water features and serene landscapes.
A truly beautiful day in the Derbyshire countryside.
