Each year I do a solo train/bus trip in Great Britain. Upon arrival at Heathrow I work my way to a train station in London then continue on to a smaller plan for a couple of days to get over jet lag and to be ready for the next few days.as an example over the past few trips I have spent my first couple of nights in: York,Cardiff, Ely, Moreton in Marsh, Wool and well you get my drift. I have not spent time in Derbyshire and am asking opinions for Derby, Duffield, Belper or other places on the rail line.

My choice would probably be Matlock . . . . .

Belper and Derby are horrid. So are most towns around them, though there's splendid countryside closeish to Derby and on the doostep of most other places - but the nice scenery isn't always that handy for the train.

Ambergate's OKish, but suburban. The only places on the lines round Derby that I've been to that hold a candle to Ely or MIM are Matlock and Matlock Bath. Which is not to say one of the other stations I've not been to (like Langley Mill or Whatstandwell), might by fluke actually be in a pretty town.

But most of the pretty towns - like Bakewell - aren't on railway lines, and that's no coincidence (being on the railway attracted the kind of development in the 19th C we rarely find pleasing these days). You've generally got to drive to them or get a bus from Buxton, Matlock or Chesterfield.

Oh - I didn't mean basing in Matlock the whole time -- just for the first day or so to recover from the planes/trains/jetlag. Then get yourself out into the Peak District/Bakewell

PS:

Having said what I said, before cars took over there was a long tradition of mass hiking in the area, with people from Sheffield, Nottingham and Manchester coming in on trains and going home the same day.

It must follow that some of the smaller railway stations in the area should be slap bang in the middle of nice countryside, unless the absurd Dr Beeching (and more importantly the inept politicians who gullibly accepted his bad economics) went out of his way to close the stations people might these days actually want to use.

My own experience of the area is almost entirely car based. If you don't get a Mancunian coming on with better-informed advice, try browsing the Peak District sites like www.peakdistrict.org or www.visitpeakdistrict.com

Here is some information thatI gave yesterday:

You can a Derbyshire Wayfarer Day Rover Ticket that covers buses and trains. It costs £8.30 for a day. See the following for details:

http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/transpo...er/default.asp

This site gives details of scenic bus routes in the Peak District:

http://www.derbyshire-peakdistrict.c...ctransport.htm

This coach company has coach outings from Derby during May:

http://www.hawkestours.co.uk/sb/show...02144131000040


Around Derby are two stately homes that are well worth a visit:

Kedleston Hall (109 bus from Derby)
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...kedlestonhall/

Calke Abbey
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main.../w-calkeabbey/

Slightly further afield is Hardwick Hall, a spectacular tudor mansion:

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main...-hardwickhall/

&quot;<i>Here is some information that I gave yesterday:</i>&quot;

And it screwed up the frame on the thread too

(long URLs don't wrap on fodors, so it is better to either use tinyurl or just link to the main/home page and explain what to click on from there)

It's fine on my screen setting.

Well - on both my mac (safari) and pc (ie), you have to scroll across to see the full frame and read any of the posts. That is why there are complaints about long url's all the time.

What browser are you using??

Thanks for the great information.

If you want somewhere out of the way, how about taking the train to Hope and staying in somewhere like Castleton; it's a pleasant enough small town, and is right in the middle of some great scenery and walking country.

&lt;&lt;It must follow that some of the smaller railway stations in the area should be slap bang in the middle of nice countryside, unless the absurd Dr Beeching (and more importantly the inept politicians who gullibly accepted his bad economics) went out of his way to close the stations people might these days actually want to use.&gt;&gt;

we used to live in a house that Dr. Beeching also lived in [about 30 years before us] so i won't hear a word against him.

from our house, he moved to East Grinstead - which strangely enough is where one of the lines he cut ended. the other part of this line ends at Uckfield - I always assumed that he must have had friends or relations there who wouldn't let him cut them off from civilisation like the poor folks further down the line.

regards, ann

PS - I was joking. I know he was a swine. but if he hadn't done the job, someone else would have done.

Castleton is a good suggestion, it is a pretty (if touristy) village with 4 show caverns, a ruined castle and some good scenery. The train line that stops at nearby Hope, runs from Manchester to Sheffield. This could easily be the gateway for visiting the area by public transport, especially if you don't mind using busses in addition to trains. My experience of public transport in the area are out of date (as we now visit by car) but you should be able to get some information here:

http://www.peak-experience.org.uk/to...cal-transport/

bookmarking - on my way to Derbyshire in June - thanks!

saving for me