Travelling to Derbyshire
Your Guide to getting to and around Derbyshire
All of our holiday cottages in Derbyshire have detailed information about how to access them, via car or public transport, but we at Original Cottages know how important it is to be fully informed of how to get to your travel destination. For this reason, we have created this guide that should outline all the basic information you need to make it to Derbyshire quickly and smoothly. We strongly recommend bringing a SatNav or map with you on your car journey or to plan out your public transport route well in advance of setting off.
By Car
As Derbyshire and the Peak District national park are fairly central in England, we advise that wherever you are travelling from (North or South), you follow the M1. You can follow the M56 and the M6 if you are travelling from the North West or North Wales. There are also a number of A-roads that connect the towns and villages of Derbyshire, all of which are clearly signposted. The A50 and A52 take you to Derby; the A6 goes into Matlock; the A515 takes you through Bakewell and the A57 is the route to Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
By Train
East Midlands Railway (EMR) is the main train route provider for lines towards the Peak District from elsewhere in the country. There are multiple routes from London, Liverpool, Norwich and other major cities that stop in Derby, Sheffield or Nottingham, from where trains to other parts of the Peaks are easily accessible.
The Derwent Valley Line runs between Derby and Matlock and from Matlock you can also get connecting buses to various Derbyshire villages, including Bakewell. The Hope Valley Line is run by Northern Rail and travels from Manchester to Sheffield, stopping in Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford and Hope and Edale. We strongly recommend that you use the EMR website, or National Rail or Trainline to plan your journey well in advance.
Interesting and Fun Ways to see the Peak District
Vintage Adventure Tours are a local business that offers guided tours for small groups of various iconic Peak District locations in vintage Ford cars. Tours include ‘Mr Darcy’s Dales’, a tour of the Chatsworth Estate and the ‘Staffordshire Stunner’, which takes you to see the iconic Roaches. A great one for car enthusiasts!
You can also see the Peaks via helicopter if you’re feeling brave! There are various companies who run these sky-high tours across the region and they make for a fabulous gift for someone, or just to make your holiday that bit much more special.
