Day 1: Following pickup from your home you make the journey to Buxton with a comfort break at Lichfield – see Lichfield Cathedral or Erasmus Darwin’s house (inventor and poet and grandfather to Charles Darwin) or explore the independent shops in the city. Other comfort breaks on request. Arrive at hotel with time to settle in before dinner.
Day 2:Today we visit the spectacular Chatsworth House set in the lovely Derbyshire countryside. Christmas at Chatsworth is a delightful event with the house dressed with fabulous Christmas lights and stunning decorations. Take time to visit the Christmas market in the grounds. After we take a scenic drive through the Derbyshire countryside through the dramatic Hope Valley, the start of the Pennine Way, before returning to our hotel.
Day 3: This morning we travel to Bakewell with it’s mellow cottages and a wide variety of shops many set in charming small courtyards. There are plenty of cafes and several places to buy the famous ‘Bakewell pudding’. After, there is free time in Buxton. See the iconic architecture (particularly the well-known Georgian Crescent) and what was the largest unsupported dome in the world (in the 1780s) at the Devonshire Dome. Also see the Opera House and The Pump room (entry fee). There are plenty of independent shops and cafes to explore in the town.
Day 4: After breakfast we are homeward bound stopping at Stratford upon Avon. Other comfort breaks by request. Arrive back in the local area early evening.
