Historical houses and Christmas preparation in rural Derbyshire.
Take the opportunity to enjoy local cuisine, do some Christmas shopping and glimpse into the world of past and present British nobility.
| Date | Length of stay | Group size (min-max) |
|---|---|---|
| 7-10 December 2018 | 4 days/3 nights | 10-12 persons |
We arrive at Manchester airport in the evening and take a private transfer, for approximately an hour, along the scenic Cat and Fiddle Road, crossing the picturesque Peak District National Park. We reach Merrymeet, our accommodation, located in an English hamlet of just a few houses. We take some free time to unpack, have dinner at the nearby Red Lion Inn and spend the rest of the night getting to know each other, preferably in English. :)
Today we take a full-day trip to the grandiose stately home of the Duke of Devonshire. Merry Christmas, your Lordship! First, we admire the magnificent interior of Chatsworth House, including its art galleries. At lunchtime, we dine at the restaurant, converted from the old stables, offering a full range of meals and snacks, from a cup of coffee and homemade cakes to a full lunch. In the afternoon, we take a long stroll and search for the middle of the maze at the impressive English gardens surrounding the house. Our visit culminates in a venison dinner at the Peacock, hoping to see the Chatsworth deer on the grounds.
We take an excursion to Haddon Hall, built on the River Wye, said to be “the most perfect manor house in England to survive from the middle ages”. Its Renaissance gardens, 500-year-old kitchen, the great fires roaring for the holiday season, all recall the Golden Age of England. We explore the house and its rich and varied history before enjoying a three-course Christmas meal offered by the restaurant for the festive season.
In the afternoon we pay a visit to the spa town of Buxton for a short sightseeing tour and some Christmas shopping. The small town has the highest elevation of any market town in England and is also famous for its thermal spring and bottled mineral water, sold internationally. Besides the shops and some tea time accompanied by our costumed guide, we will take our time to see the Opera House and the 19th century park, with its stunning Pavilion.
In the morning we venture into the valley along the River Dove for a 3-mile-long walk, with stunning scenery. We cross the river, using stepping stones, to reach Ilam, an astonishing little town with its fabulous houses and church. After our adventure, we indulge in a typical English Sunday roast, with all its components at a countryside pub. Have you ever tried Yorkshire pudding? In the afternoon we leave the Peak District and depart to Budapest from Manchester airport.
Merrymeet is a traditional stone cottage situated in the beautiful Peak District, in a little hamlet of only a few houses. Therefore, it makes a perfect base for our day trips in the area.
The cottage has 7 bedrooms, a spacious living room where we can all relax, a large dining room, a games room and a pretty garden. The little lane leads to a fantastic country pub, after a 10-minute walk, where we can dine and watch football with the locals.
