ome ideas for places to stay for Lotus in the Peak (weekend of Friday 10th, Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July 2015)
Some of these places insist on a minimum two night stay at weekends in summer, but that might not be a bad thing as they are so nice you wouldn’t want to stay for just one. I recommend arriving at tea-time on Friday if you can before settling down to a nice meal and one or two glasses of refreshing beer. And then perhaps one or two more. Follow that with a lie-in, a cooked breakfast and a spot of walking/exploring/sightseeing or whatever on the Saturday before showering and changing in to your cravat or high heels (or both) and making your way to our Saturday night do at The Devonshire Arms, Beeley. Does that sound good to you?
The suggestions are:
The Devonshire Arms at Beeley
Inn
www.Devonshirebeeley.co.uk
The likely venue for our Saturday night meet and on the Chatsworth estate The Dev at Beeley is idyllic. An old stone inn, recently tastefully refurbished and with a brook running by, it is a wonderful place to stay although very expensive. Rooms £140 - £210 (suite) per night. An easy drive to the meeting place for the run on Sunday.
The Devonshire at Pilsley
Inn
www.Devonshirepilsley.co.uk
Also on the Chatsworth estate The Dev at Pilsley is again very nice. The rooms are luxurious but not quite as dear as those at The Dev at Beeley. Perhaps two miles to the Saturday night venue and an easy drive to Sunday’s run start.
Alstonefield Manor
B&B
www.Alstonefieldmanor.com
A particularly beautiful old stone house in a fantastic village location. Very, very nice apparently. Rooms £110 - £120 per night. The only downside is that it is a little drive away from both the Saturday night venue (16.3 miles )and the Sunday morning start at Matlock Bath (15.8 miles) – although they are very, very scenic drives!
The Peacock, Rowsley
Hotel
www.Thepeacockatrowsley.com
Another high-end option but perhaps worth it. An old stone built manor house with mullioned windows it is as appealing inside as it is out and has a good restaurant. Very luxurious and stylish, within walking distance (just!) of the Saturday night venue and a dead easy drive to the run start. Rooms £160+ I believe.
The Barley Mow, Kirk Ireton
Inn
No website, tel: 01335 370306
Perhaps a little bit of a gamble this one but a gamble I would happily take. Most reviewers give very high marks but the ones that don’t go to the other extreme. Maybe you just have to “get” this place. It is surely one of the most authentic, unspoilt pubs in the country and has been in constant use as an inn for over 250 years. The present landlady has been so for the last thirty or fifty years depending on who you believe so guests presumably have to understand things aren’t always done in the modern way! Having said that the inn itself is a wonderful 17th century stone building in an out of the way and very pretty village. Google it for some images.
Not sure of prices but likely to be fairly cheap. I haven’t seen the rooms but expect them to be fairly simple and not at all trendy! 12 or 14 miles to the Saturday night venue at a guess and perhaps 6 or 7 to the run meet.
The Royal Oak Hurdlow
Camping and “bunk barn”
www.peakpub.co.uk
A great location in the middle of nowhere but with the Tissington trail adjacent, The Royal Oak is a good pub with a reputation for decent, unpretentious food and well-kept ales. That reputation means it is busy all year round but especially July weekends so book early to avoid disappointment. The campsite is basic but with great views and the bunk barn offers accommodation indoors at a bargain price (£15 per person per night).
I think a couple of nights here could be great fun although I would expect to put on a pound or two! Handy for a look round the spa town of Buxton if you have time, it is 11 scenic miles to the Saturday night venue and 15 to the run meet.
Fold Farm Guest House Beeley
B&B
www.foldfarmbeeley.co.uk
A working farm as well as guest house one of our members stayed here last year and liked it very much. Ideally located within a short walk of the Saturday night venue and an easy few miles of the run meet it is a fair bit cheaper than the two “Devs”, although not exactly cheap at £85 - £115 per night.
Manor Farm Dethick
B&B
www.manorfarmdethick.co.uk
This is another stunning old stone building in an off-the-beaten-track location. I have to confess I haven’t been there for about 35 years since a school trip to see the secret tunnel that begins there (ask the hosts) and the blue Peter dog (Petra, I think, since you ask). Recommended by Sawday’s Guide and reasonably priced, I would be very surprised if it isn’t absolutely charming.
About 11 miles to Beeley for the Saturday night meet and 4 miles to the Sunday run meet with rooms costing £80 -£90. Just don’t ask the host (Simon) what Peter Purves and John Noakes were like!
The Barrell at Bretton
Inn
www.thebarrelinn.co.uk
Claiming to be the highest pub in Derbyshire The Barrel is unspoilt and with an excellent reputation for food – Simon’s dad Mike, MLOCs top-man-on-site at Chatsworth and self-styled “friend of the Duchess” (not a euphemism); a man of some discernment, eats here regularly. Part of the reason for that must be that the meat they serve is exclusively from farms on the hillside below. What the website doesn’t show you, unfortunately, is the magnificent view. It must be one of the very best views from any pub in the country. The landlady is lovely and unpretentious, the rooms are quite small and simple but comfortable and spotless. Bear in mind though it is 10 miles to Beeley (Saturday night), and 19 miles to Matlock Bath (Sunday run meet).
Other places to stay that look as if they might be nice from a few hours trawling the internet include:
The Lodge at Dale End House, Gratton near Rowsley. B&B
The George Hotel at Hathersage
Beechenhill Farm, Ilam, nr Ashbourne. B&B (near Dovedale which is fantastic for a shortish walk although it gets very busy. Everyone loves the stepping stones over the river).
River Cottage, Ashford in the Water. B&B (a picture-postcard-pretty village location with a couple of good pubs handy. Simon knows the landlady of one of them although not in the biblical sense, as far as I know)
Long Valley Yurts at Knotlow Farm, Flagg, nr Buxton. Glamping! (bell tents and yurts, if you like that sort of thing. Pricey for camping in my view but maybe an option for those with kids)
Barn Farm, Birchover. Camping. (likely to be a good few kids here but I have friends without kids who go back again and again. Close to a couple of pubs and right next to the ancient “Nine Ladies” stone circle on Stanton Moor. You might even see some druids)
That’s all I can think of for now folks. I haven’t personally stayed at most of these places but I can say they are all in fantastic locations, none of them are owned by large chains and they all have charm and character. They should all have their own website (save The Barley Mow) and can easily be found on Google. Have a look too on Sawday’s website and the Cool Camping (I Know!) website for more info and opinion.
Hope you find what you are looking for.
Dean, Simon and the Mloc team.