Chatsworth/Peak District trip
 

I've been procrastinating from doing schoolwork and instead been reading up on the Peak District of England. I'd love to take a weekend trip in May, June or July and I wanted to get some thoughts.

The trip would probably be Friday-Sunday or Saturday-Monday from Oxford. It would be about 4 hours on the train each way and 3 changes if I did the Saturday, so I'd want to get some good time there.

My thoughts would be something like this:

Day 1: train to Buxton, arrive 11:30 or 12:30 pm depending upon which train.

See Lyme House/Park (can get to via 199 bus) and then back to Buxton to walk around.

Day 2: Chatsworth and maybe Haddon House? It just doesn't seem possible to see both in one day, even though they are so close, since Chatsworth opens at 11 and closes at 6 while Haddon House is 12-5. Could I do both justice in one day?

Day 3: Buxton in the morning and then another 1-2 stately homes before train around 6 back to Oxford.

My big question is just about the homes to visit and how to get there via public transport.

Lyme Park is doable via bus, as is Chatsworth. Chatsworth is a must for me, but other considerations include:

Lyme Park
Haddon House
Hardwick Hall
Burghley House (kind of far)
Kedleston Hall

So, besides Chatsworth, which of these should be visited?

I think I could see what I want of Buxton in the mornings and evenings, since there's not much there that necessitates being there for business hours for. Most of it would be walking around to see the architecture, gardens, etc.

Thanks

Hardwick Hall for sure should be high on the list. It is really amazing.

I personally think you could do both Haddon Hall (not "House") and Chatsworth on the same day. By road they are only about 5 miles apart - but I'm pretty sure there is a foot path - and that is about 3 miles. So you could either call a taxi from Bakewell or you could walk it.

We stayed in the Peak District and visited Chatsworth (an entire day spent here touring the house and walking nearly every foot of the grounds), Lyme Park and Sudbury Hall. We wanted to get to Kedleston Hall and Hardwick Hall but did not have the time.

According to the National Trust website, there is a bus that calls directly at Kedleston Hall on Sunday. Here is the information:

Bus services
Arriva 109 Derby–Ashbourne calls at Hall on Sun, otherwise alight the Smithy, then 1ml

Hardwick Hall is also accessible by public transport.

Bus services
Stagecoach Express 737, 747 Sheffield/Chesterfield–Nottingham, alight Glapwell 'Young Vanish', 1½ml

I'm not sure why you wish to visit this area; we went to view "Pride and Prejudice" filming locations at the request of my mother-in-law and everyone enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed Lyme Park the best. When we were there last fall it was in the midst of renovation which, to me, made the visit much more interesting.

Hopefully the transport information is of use to you. Have a lovely trip!

I toured both Haddon Hall and Chatsworth in one day without problems. The roses in Haddon Hall are simply breathtaking in June. Both places are worth seeing....so completely different. You should see both.

Thanks for the replies. I love stately homes but haven't seen that many in England, so I'm hoping to rectify that a bit with this possible trip. I'd mainly love to visit the P and P places.

How did you get between Chatsworth and Haddon, and in what order did you do them? My thought would be to taxi between them, but the main fear is just how much time I could spend at each place. If I visited Chatsworth and gardens from say 11 - 2:30 and then Haddon and gardens from 3-5, is this doable?

It seems like then on the last day there is really only room for one estate, as it probably isn't possibe to see both Kedleston and Hardwick as they are a bit far. I would love to see Burghley but I don't see how it is possible either.

Chatsworth does take longer than Haddon Hall. What I would do is Haddon Hall from noon to about 1:30 and Chatsworth from 2 pm to closing.

As for Hardwick Hall, Lyme Park or Kedleston Park - Hardwick Hall is just about unique. It is an almost untouched Elizabethan Manor house, built by one of the most fascinating characters in English history. Bess of Hardwick was centuries ahead of her time.

Thanks for your thoughts.

It seems like:

Day 1 - arrive Buxton and bus to Lyme Park/Hall (b/c it's easily accessible).

Day 2 - Buxton in morning and Chatsworth

Day 3 - Buxton in morning and Hardwick.

It stinks to have to leave out Kedleston and especially Burghley, but I just don't see a way of fitting them in (any ideas?) and I may be "stately-homed-out" by then.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but I'm also planning a trip to the Peak District using only public transport. My friend and I will probably do Chatsworth and Haddon Hall on the same day. What is the easiest way to get from one to the other? Is it possible to walk from Bakewell to Haddon Hall? It seems like the bus from Bakewell to Haddon is short so a walk might be doable for 2 23-year-olds. Even with maps, its difficult to tell how far things really are :)

JoeTro: Did you decide to skip Haddon Hall? Please post a trip report when you get back -- I'd like to hear how things turned out.

Sorry. No, I meant to include both Chatsworth and Haddon on the same day.

BTW I have no idea when/if this trip will take place. Hopefully in the next couple of months. But it's more fun to think travel thoughts than schoolwork.

Ah, yes, I was the worst for travel planning when I was supposed to be doing schoolwork.

Perhaps I will add another question (hoping that someone here knows the answer). Is it easy to get to Stanage Edge by bus? If not, what would be the best base (reachable by public transport) for starting a walk out there? I'm hoping we can get there without splurging for a taxi.

Oh, and we will be using Buxton as our base (in September).

Stanage Edge/Hethersage/Castleton is closer to Sheffield than to Buxton. I know there are buses that go there from Sheffield.

But from Buxton - I'm not so sure.

Great, thanks! We'll probably just get there through Sheffield, then, since Sheffield will be easy to reach by bus or train.