Self catering accommodation for 2 or 3 people, Peak District
| country: | England |
| location: | Buxton, DerbyshireSee map here |
| price: | From £216 - £300 per cottage for 2-3 nights (sleeps 3). From £360 - £500 per cottage per week. Prices depend on season |
| offers: | Fantastic value breaks in the Peak District! 20% off weekend breaks 30% off mid-week breaks Valid Nov 2008 - Feb 2009 (ex Christmas, New Year and half-term) Enjoy our warm and cosy insulated cottages, with central heating and plenty of hot water from our ground source heat pumps. Relax in the comfy leather furniture and catch up on a movie from our video and DVD library. When it’s time for bed, snuggle down under a luxurious duvet on a blissfully comfortable pocket sprung mattress |
 | View availability here |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 1 travellers review
description
Dramatic scenery, historic buildings and cutting-edge sustainability combine to make this farm a memorable year-round holiday destination. Set in a peaceful and secluded location close to Buxton and Bakewell, the farm occupies a stunning position in one of the Peak District’s most breathtaking valleys.
From the outside it looks like a typical Peak District farm, sitting in 12 acres of pastureland at the foot of the National Trust-owned High Wheeldon. But the weathered limestone walls conceal the latest in green building technology, earning the holiday cottages a Peak District Environmental Quality Mark alongside its Green Tourism Business Scheme accreditation. An ambitious scheme agreed with the National Park has transformed the site. Ground floors are now warmed by under floor heating, with radiators upstairs. Kitchens have been updated and new bathrooms installed, along with new furniture and low-energy light-fittings throughout. Walls and roofs and have been fitted with high levels of insulation, but the most radical transformation lies under the adjacent field. Ground Source Heat Pumps - utilising hundreds of metres of buried pipes to collect solar energy stored in the ground - supply the cottages with domestic hot water and heat.
So while on the surface little has changed, the farm now combines the character of a traditional Peak District property with the comfort of modern building standards – perfect for couples, families and large or small groups seeking lazy summer strolls or bracing winter walks. Join Deborah and Martin for a holiday to remember!National Cycle Network route 68 passes the door The ‘Long Room’ - with table football and pool table, as well as fully fitted kitchen for communal eating Beautiful walks from the doorstep - easy strolls to strenuous hikes Excellent pubs serving great food (and a red-hot chippie!) in nearby villages Quiet lane and bridleway leading to start of High Peak and Tissington Trails – 27 miles of traffic-free cycle ways Organised activities (including indoor and outdoor rock climbing, caving, trekking, canoeing, kayaking, archery, guided walks) arranged in conjunction with local licensed activity centre Alton Towers, Chatsworth House, Gullivers World and Haddon Hall amongst numerous easily accessible attractions
Walking: We hold a Visit Britain ‘Walkers welcome’ award. A separate space is available for drying outdoor clothing and footwear, so clothes can dry overnight. We provide boot scrapes at main doors. Guest have access to facilities with water supply for cleaning boots and outdoor clothing. We lend guests maps and books on walking in the area.
Cycling: We hold a Visit Britain ‘Cyclists welcome award. A separate space is available for drying outdoor clothing and footwear, so clothes can dry overnight. A lockable, undercover area for the safe overnight storage of bicycles and panniers is available. Guests have access to water point for washing bicycles and outdoor clothing. We lend guests maps and books on cycling in the area.
From the outside it looks like a typical Peak District farm, sitting in 12 acres of pastureland at the foot of the National Trust-owned High Wheeldon. But the weathered limestone walls conceal the latest in green building technology, earning the holiday cottages a Peak District Environmental Quality Mark alongside its Green Tourism Business Scheme accreditation. An ambitious scheme agreed with the National Park has transformed the site. Ground floors are now warmed by under floor heating, with radiators upstairs. Kitchens have been updated and new bathrooms installed, along with new furniture and low-energy light-fittings throughout. Walls and roofs and have been fitted with high levels of insulation, but the most radical transformation lies under the adjacent field. Ground Source Heat Pumps - utilising hundreds of metres of buried pipes to collect solar energy stored in the ground - supply the cottages with domestic hot water and heat.
So while on the surface little has changed, the farm now combines the character of a traditional Peak District property with the comfort of modern building standards – perfect for couples, families and large or small groups seeking lazy summer strolls or bracing winter walks. Join Deborah and Martin for a holiday to remember!
special things to do and see here
Walking: We hold a Visit Britain ‘Walkers welcome’ award. A separate space is available for drying outdoor clothing and footwear, so clothes can dry overnight. We provide boot scrapes at main doors. Guest have access to facilities with water supply for cleaning boots and outdoor clothing. We lend guests maps and books on walking in the area.
Cycling: We hold a Visit Britain ‘Cyclists welcome award. A separate space is available for drying outdoor clothing and footwear, so clothes can dry overnight. A lockable, undercover area for the safe overnight storage of bicycles and panniers is available. Guests have access to water point for washing bicycles and outdoor clothing. We lend guests maps and books on cycling in the area.
travellers' tales
The location itself was very quiet and peaceful, but only a short journey to the facilities of the nearest town. It was amusing to be greeted by the free range chickens each time we went out. (more)
rooms, food and facilities
Priestley CottagePriestley Cottage accommodates three people in one twin and one single bedroom. The cottage is furnished with contemporary oak dining furniture & leather settees and has a modern, well equipped kitchen with oven, fridge-freezer, microwave, coffee machine and Denby china. It has a colour television, video and DVD player, and CD player with IPOD docking. Linen and towels are provided. On arrival guests will also find tea, coffee, sugar and a jug of milk, toiletries, cling film, silver foil, kitchen & toilet paper. Breakfast boxes are available on request, along with other local produce. 
Mycock & Critchlow Cottage each sleep three people in one double and one single room. Both cottages come with a bathroom upstairs, a living area and kitchen downstairs, and a private patio enables you to sit out and enjoy the view at the rear of the cottages. They are is furnished with contemporary oak dining furniture & leather settees and have modern, well equipped kitchens with oven, fridge-freezer, microwave, coffee machine and Denby china. There are colour televisions, videos and DVD players, and CD players with IPOD docking. Linen and towels are provided. On arrival guests will also find tea, coffee, sugar and a jug of milk, toiletries, cling film, silver foil, kitchen & toilet paper. Breakfast boxes are available on request, along with other local produce. Family & baby friendly: Children are very welcome. We have table football and pool is available in our communal games room, and indoor and outdoor games. In our guest information there is a special section on places to visit and things to do especially suitable for children. We have a library of children’s videos and DVDs, while Alton Towers is 40 minutes drive. Babies are very welcome. Cots and high chairs are available on request without charge (parents are requested to bring own cot linen), storage is available for push-chairs, and we have a selection of toys for very young children.
Pet friendly: Dogs are very welcome, we provide: A fenced and gated field for a dog exercising area, blankets, bowls, dog friendly outdoor seating areas, dog friendly places to eat nearby, dog towel/bedding washing and drying facilities, dog walks available from the door (no need to drive), emergency dog food supplies, enclosed patio, a flexible approach to number and size of dogs – please check! We can also provide food/water bowl mats, holiday dog tags, information on suitable dog walks, no extra charge for a dog, off lead walks on site and nearby, an outside tap, spare leads, torches for dog walking, contact details of local vets, and a waste bin for scoop bags.
how to find us
By road: We’re 5 miles south of Buxton, 8 miles west of Bakewell in the Peak District National Park. We can provide directions from the M1 South and North, the M6 South, and from the North and South West. By rail:
Buxton Station has regular connections with Manchester and onwards to Preston and Blackpool. Macclesfield Station is approx 30 min drive by car and has a regular bus service to and from Buxton. Chesterfield Station is approx 40 min drive by car.
By air: Both Manchester and Nottingham East Midlands Airports are approximately 1 hour away by car. There is a direct and frequent bus service between Manchester Airport and Buxton
By bus:
Bowers Bus Service 442 between Ashbourne, Hartington, Longnor and Buxton passes our door, numerous bus services pass through Buxton including Trans-Peak from Derby or Manchester; X18 or 240 from Sheffield or 170 from Chesterfield.
lower carbon travel
We offer guests who arrive using lower carbon transport options, collection from Buxton bus or train station and a complimentary breakfast box containing locally produced bread, butter, milk, honey, jam and yoghurt. We also refund the cost of the local bus for people who arrive from or depart to Buxton. how this holiday makes a difference
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Our ambition is to establish a home and business where we can put into practice some of our ideas for living and working with a minimal negative impact on our surroundings and maximum use of what our local region has to offer. We want our guests to enjoy a fantastic holiday here with us in the Peak District National Park; we also want to look after our environment and support the local economy.
In September 2007, we were delighted to be awarded the Bronze Award for the Green Business Tourist Scheme. The GTBS is the leading sustainable tourism certification scheme in the UK, with over 1400 members. Businesses opting to join are assessed against a rigorous set of criteria, covering a range of areas, like energy and water efficiency, waste management, biodiversity and more. In June 2008, we were awarded the Silver award and over the coming year, we will be working towards the Gold standard. In June 2008, we applied to be accredited with the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark, an award which recognises businesses who have adopted good environmental practices and contribute to the support and conservation of the Peak District National Park. We hope that we will gain accreditation in July 2008. We continue to look at ways to develop our site and business whilst staying true to our ideals, providing our visitors with a great experience, having fun and allowing us to earn a reasonable income. We’ve got a long way to go and much to learn. One of our aims is to achieve a carbon neutral status – we are not sure yet how long this will take, but we are committed to it! We recycle glass, paper, tins, cardboard, milk/fruit juice cartons and plastic. Wherever possible, we use email and telephone, rather than paper. We recycle our used printer cartridges, and we provide our guests with a separate container in which to place all kitchen waste. The contents are ‘fed’ to our on-site green cone food waste digesters. We supply our guests with recycled toilet paper & kitchen paper for use during their stay and we have installed a ground source heat pump. This clever machine converts stored solar energy in the ground to provide central heating and hot water and only uses a small amount of electricity to power the pump. No need for gas or oil! We have insulated the solid stone walls of our cottages with rigid insulation boards behind plasterboard lining and added extra insulation in the loft spaces. We have installed low energy lighting throughout and, wherever possible, we have fitted minimum ‘A’ rated appliances to reduce energy consumption. We make as much use as possible of the sun and wind to dry our laundry. We buy our electricity from Ecotricity – although not the cheapest, we like the fact that they are investing heavily in renewable energy sources. All toilets in all our cottages are dual-flush. All cottages are stocked with non-bleach cleaning products that do not adversely affect the functioning of our septic tanks. Our cleaning staff do not use bleach and make maximum use of e-clothes! We do all our own laundry on-site using short-water cycles at 30 degrees using non-phosphate detergent. Wherever possible, we use local suppliers. Our recent renovations were undertaken by local builders, architects and craftsmen. We offer local suppliers the opportunity to match prices we have received elsewhere. We buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste and supply our guests with complimentary toiletries in refillable plastic bottles for use during their stay. We also offer guests a ‘breakfast box’ with locally produced goods and have a freezer stocked with locally produced ready-made meals, deserts and ice cream for our guests to enjoy. We provide guests with information on cycle hire, local transport, and a place where they can lock bicycles up safely. We have lots of information on “walks from the door” to give guests the choice of a car free break or holiday. We offer a discount for those guests who choose to arrive by public transport or by bike, and can arrange collection from nearby train and bus stations. We refund our guests the cost of local bus journeys during their stay, and we drive a hybrid Toyota Prius! |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |