We have a small wood and just 12 acres of pasture land. On two of the fields our two ponesand a few sheep graze. Our nine hens also have the run of a three acre field! A third field is for hay, and the fourth is a wild flower meadow. These four fields are almost totally surrounded by Biggin Dale which is a nature reserve managed by English Nature. A footpath runs through the reserve and after just over a mile it reaches the famous River Dove at Wolfscote Dale.

One of several good views from Cotterill Farm

Dovedale View

You can turn left down Wolfscote Dale, taking an excellent riverside path beside the River Dove past towering cliffs on either side; the path eventually leads you to the most famous dale of the Peak, Dovedale. The Dove and Dovedale are renowned for their beauty. You will discover sheer pinnacles of rock, lions heads, caves and more. Alternatively you can turn right, walking most of the length of Wofscote Dale before coming to the pastures and further towering cliffs of Beresford Dale before reaching after an hour's walking the honeypot village of Hartington, where teas, snacks and drinks can be enjoyed, before a 30 minute walk back over a really impresssive bridleway back to Cotterill farm. The walk downstream to Dovedale and upstream through Wolfscote and Beresford dale to Hartington are equally attractive and popular. Or with the advent of 'Open Access' you can now walk all these dales from up above, offering great scenic views, and away from 'the strollers' down below. (Routes for this are given to our guests) Incidentally Bereford Dale is famous for its fishing temple where Isaac Walton and Charles Cotton whiled away their time and wrote the famous 17th century fishing 'bible'  - the Complete Angler

The Dales offer interest and lovely scenery in all seasons and are just as attractive on a crisp, snow-covered winter's day as in summer sunshine. Each season reveals new beauties and features. By way of explanation, a Dale is a valley through which rivers flow or in the pasts have flowed. In the latter case, the rivers have seeped underground through the limestone base  and run underneath the ground, bubbling up during wet winters. The Manifold Valeey is a great example of a river that half way along its length, suddenly vanishes undeground, re-appearing some four miles later at Ilam Hall. the point at which it vanishes varies as the flow of water decreases during the summer months.

The cottages are situated amongst gloriously rolling countryside with attractive views down various dales. We are located between the highly popular village of Hartington and its smaller, quieter neighbour, Biggin. Hartington's popularity as one of the foremost of Peak District villages is attributable to its superb location in the Dove valle , making the village a good start for a number of walks of varying lengths, and also with the village having considerable charachter, not least with its.duck pond and superb Jacobean Hall. Many visitors travel quite some distance just to visit 'The Old Cheese Shop' which sells the village creamery's produce

Chatsworth
House

We are within easy reach of many splendid historic houses. Chatsworth House is the spectacular home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire set in a magnificent deer park and boasting activities for all the family. Haddon Hall is a Jacobean mansion that has been scarcely altered since its building. Calke Abbey houses the collected paraphernalia of centuries of hoarding and is preserved in its unique 'as found' state by the National Trust.

You may also choose to visit Hardwick Hall , Lyme Hall or Kedleston - all within easy reach.

Ashbourne

We are centrally located to visit the market towns of Ashbourne, Leek, Buxton, Ashbourne, Bakewell and Matlock - each having something special to offer. These towns, all situated on the edge of te 'White Peak' area of the Peak District are all about 10 to 11 miles away, at different points of the compass, justifying our claim to be very much in the heart of the White Peak area of the Peak District (The White Peak is the area of drystone walls, rolling hills dales - valleys - and villages which give the area so much charachter, the other area of the Peaks the Dark Peak is mainly moorland)

Ashbourne is a lovely market town with a good range of shops, art shops, antique shops etc. Buxton has fine Victorian and Edwardian buildings, a fine park and a range of collectors fairs in the Pavilion Gardens or entertainment in the newly restored Opera House. Bakewell. well located on the River Wye, is, of course, home of the Bakewell Pudding and worth exploring.

The former spa town of Matlock has a lot to offer and the spectacular location of Matlock Bath is the setting for a mining museum, cablecar rides, showcaves etc.

Nestling in the hollows of the Peak Park are numerous villages, which whilst not necessarily capable of being sescribed as beautiful, are ore often than not fascinating and more than worthy of an exploration..

High Peak
Trail

The varied landscape of the Peak District makes it ideal for the walker , the cyclist or for those seeking more adventurous pursuits. There are opportunities for climbing , caving , watersports, hangliding , mountain biking etc.

Numerous footpaths and bridle ways are on our doorstep and offer 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 less than 1 mile from us.

Two further trails, the High Peak Trail and the Manifold Valley Trail (both of similar distance), are within 3 miles. These three former railway lines, offering excellent views, are ideal for family cycling as is the network of quiet minor roads leading off at various places from the trails.

We are generally considered to be in the best area for walking in the Peak District. Footpaths and bridleways abound, quite a few just from the end of our drive.. Sufficient are in the immediate neighbourhood to be able to offer a folder of 20 walks to our guests, all either starting and ending at our farm (crcular walks) or others involving catching our ecellent and scenic  and punctual bus service from 80 yards from our drive, and then walk back to the farm (linear walks). We are between the three most famous Dales, Dovedale, Lathkill Dale and the Manifold Valley offering unlimited scenic walks involving very little travelling. Despite constant exploration, we are still finding footpaths we have not previously trodden close to our cottages.

Family attractions that you might consider are the theme parks of Alton Towers , the National Tramway Museum at Crich, The National Stone Museum (which is suprisingly interesting for visitors of all ages), Arkwright Mill at Cromford and the adventure playground at Chastworth- so many things to list that you will appreciate the range of information we provide in our cottages to help you make the most of your visit to this wonderful area! That's why so many of our guests choose to return year after year, with their being so much to explore.