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Hartington Cottages - One 6 person cottage with inglenook fireplace, original beams exposed and 3 bedrooms each with a spacious en suites. Two smaller 2/3 person cottages, again with considerable character and exposed beams located in my courtyard in the picturesque market square of the popular village of Hartington.. All three cottages are equipped with Wi-Fi and full Sky TV. All three cottages have achieved the maximum 100% from the Tourist Board Inspector for the quality of housekeeping.
In the spacious lounge there is an impressive inglenook fireplace with open grate, bordered by dressed stone lintels. There are also original stone mullion windows and beams. Without doubt this is a most relaxing room. There is a television, video, DVD player, full Sky TV, CD player, and WiFi. The cottage is well heated with fully controllable central heating in addition to the open fire place. Along with an unlimited supply of wood for the fire, all heating is included in the rental.
The specification of this cottage is of the highest quality as is reflected by the Tourist Board grading of 5 Star. There is a fully equipped, custom built kitchen, with gloss work-tops and granite sink, brand new fridge-freezer, dishwasher and washing machine, and also a microwave. The kitchen is adjacent to the open-plan beamed dining room. On the first floor are three large bedrooms, all of which are en-suite, two double rooms and one twin. One of the double rooms has an en-suite with a bath and a shower over, the other two rooms have showers. Again the age of the property is apparent from these rooms. Each bedroom has its own TV.
Despite being in the heart of the village, with the stone walls being well over two feet thick, once inside there is a real feeling of seclusion and peace. The cottage benefits from a telephone for incoming and out-going calls. To the front there is a lovely cottage garden with seating from where you can watch village life, whilst to the rear is a large courtyard with further seating. There is a barbecue in the courtyard, shared with the other two cottages. In during the spring, summer and early autumn months, beans and vegetables are planted for guest to use during their stay.
Behind Knowl Cottage are two further stone cottages, Manifold and Dove Cottages, converted from an old barn. Again they exude character, whilst still offering comfort and convenience.
Dove Cottage is a two person cottage. The living room is downstairs and upstairs is the bedroom, with an en-suite bathroom. Also upstairs is the kitchen with open plan dining area. There are exposes beams in the kitchen and the bedroom.
Manifold Cottage is a two person cottage but also has the option of an extra single bed, giving the option of sleeping three in a room or alternatively, to be used as two singles. This bedroom is open plan, exposing some impressive original beams. Both cottages have TV's in the bedrooms. Although the cottages have different layouts. The overall floor space of the two cottages is roughly the same.
Both Manifold and Dove have log effect stoves in the living areas, again fully controllable central heating throughout, leather settees and leather armchairs, fully equipped modern kitchens, again with gloss work-tops and real granite sinks, fridge-freezers, microwave, ceramic topped electric cookers and plenty of original old beams and other interesting features. Being in the courtyard, they are exceptionally quiet. There is also provision for parking in the courtyard.
My family also has a number of cottages up at our non-working farm a mile up the road, between Hartington and Biggin
In all cottages, here at Hartington and at Cotterill Farm there are seven (!) information packs, which have been highly praised by both the Tourist Board and our guests. In addition to containing the more usual but extensive brochures produced by the various organisers of the tourist attractions, we set out in a very personalised way extensive ideas prepared by ourselves over many pages on what to do in the immediate area, and much other information, as well, is given. All the Tourist Board inspectors visiting (they make annual visits) have indicated they are the best they have ever seen, and immodestly we do claim that they are amongst the best in the country.
those leaflets that are professionally produced by the (mainly) commercial tourist operators are stored in order of proximity to the cottages, so at a glance it can be appreciated how much travelling might possibly be involved in seeing something that has caught our guests' eyes. The advantage of these information packs is that they ensure that our guests have plenty of ideas of what to do, most usually say that they had never appreciated how much there was in the area, (even regular visitors to the Peak have said that), and many of my guests have commented that with the benefit of the information given they have been able to give their cars a holiday too, hardly (if at all) moving them all week. (In addition, weekly events lists are provided between May and the end of October in advance of our guests' arrival to enable our guests to perhaps plan in advance particularly on the first couple of days of their stay with us what they might wish to do)
I like to think that it is the extensive ideas, events lists and information we provide and the quality and attention to detail both in the furnishings and the much praised housekeeping as well as their wonderful location that have ensured that there are a particularly high number of repeat visitors to our cottages
This is an extremely popular village during the day, but reverts to a quiet village in the evening. Many people come just to park up as it is the start of many excellent walks, has three teashops, two pubs, a couple of gift shops, two grocers and newsagents, one with cash and lottery machines.
The village is famous for its duck pond and Cheese factory (and well known cheese shop) where genuine Stilton cheese (it can only be made in certain restricted areas) and other local cheeses are produced and sold. There is also a fine Norman church, and a magnificent Jacobean Youth Hostel.
The Bus Stop, also on the Market Square, serves Buxton and Ashbourne in different directions and surrounding villages. This route is regarded as one of the most beautiful bus routes in the whole country. In recent fuel crises, our guests have thoroughly enjoyed reverting to the use, sometimes for the first time for many years, of our wonderful bus service (with about 10 buses in each direction every day, plus further services offered across country)
For us, however, our favourite feature is the main approach to the village, down a three mile long dale, with limestone cliffs towering above on either side. A really impressive entrance! (On a bicycle it is just the sort of 'swoop' that cyclists are so fond of). The River Dove is only a few hundred yards away and a very popular walk starts in the village, over some lovely meadows to the River, then along the stretch known as Beresford Dale (passing the fishing temple where The Complete Angler was written by Isaac Walton and Charles Cotton) onto Wolfscote Dale.
The walk down this dale beside the River Dove leads you to the most famous dale of the Peak, Dovedale. The Dove and Dovedale are renowned for their beauty. These Dales offer interest and lovely scenery and are just as attractive on a crisp, snow-covered winter day as in summer sunshine.
There are numerous footpaths and bridleways in the immediate vicinity, offering unrivalled walking in the best part of the White Peak. The highly popular Tissington Trail, which runs for 17 miles , is used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and is just 1 mile from Hartington. Two further trails, the High Peak Trail and the Manifold Valley Trail (both of similar distance), are within 3 miles. These three tracks are ideal for family cycling as is the network of quiet minor roads which can be accessed at numerous points along the trails. These former railway lines have much else to offer, not least quality views, but also interesting viaducts, steam beam engines and a small old railway workshop is worth a visit. There are plenty of places to hire cycles, one just 3 miles away is on the Tissington Trail
The cottages are situated in a wonderfully central area in the Peak District, are in fact situated roughly in the middle of that part of the Peak District known as the White Peak. This is the area of rolling countryside, dales, streams and rivers limestone villages and dry-stone walls, which give the area so much character. (The Dark Peak is mainly moorland). Hartington's central position within the White Peak is confirmed by its equal distance, namely 11 miles, from Buxton, Matlock, Bakewell, Ashbourne and Leek, all towns on the perimeter of the White Peak at different points on the compass. Chatsworth House and Haddon Hall are also similar distances from the cottages. Alton Towers is under 30 minutes drive away. The Potteries is within easy reach.
Tel 01298 22287
www.hartingtoncottages.co.uk
Derbyshire self catering holiday cottages