Things To Do

There are many wonderful things to do in the area.  Some of the ones I have found interesting are listed below.

The Monsal Trail - the old railway line from Buxton to Bakewell that has been converted into a walking/running/bike trail.  This runs along the side of the valley to the west of the Mill.  

Chatsworth House - a magnificent stately home just down the road towards Baslow.  It is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire and is truly a wonderful example of a British Stately Home.

Bakewell - the nearest significant town with a beautiful church, some reasonable shops, and the beautiful River Wye.

Edensor Village and Church - the village of Edensor (pronounced Ensor, the "de" is silent), near to Chatsworth House and its church are well worth a visit.  For the Americans it contains the grave of JFK's sister, Kathleen.

Haddon Hall - another stately home just outside Bakewell on the road to Matlock.  Not as splendid as Chatsworth but still inhabited by the family and still worth a visit.

Cromford Mill - the world's first water powered cotton spinning mill, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  This was built by RIchard Arkwright, the same person that later built the Cressbrook/Bobbin Mill complex.

Buxton - the first significant town to the west of Cressbrook has a lot to offer.  There is a wonderful Georgian Crescent, the Pavillion Gardens, an Opera House as well as many more shops.

The Yorkshire Sculpture Park - a little further away to the North West, this park is a beautiful setting for some amazing sculptures.  There are many Andy Goldsworthy pieces (my favorites) as well as pieces by Henry More, Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst, Ai Wei Wei, and many more.

Hardwick Hall - another stately home, the Elizabethan home of Bess of Hardwick.   No longer occupied but it has lovely gardens and a stunning collection of old tapestries inside.  

Bolsover Castle - an impressive 17th Century castle overlooking the valley below with some impressive wall paintings and a riding room so you could ride your horse in bad weather.

Magpie Mine - a fairly well preserved lead mine just south of Cressbrook.  One of the best examples of what was once a major industry in the Peak District.

The Northern Cities - many of the large northern cities of England are within a days drive of Cressbrook - Manchester (1 hr 5 min away), Birmingham (1hr 40 mins), Liverpool (1 hr 30 mins) , Sheffield (40 mins), Leeds (1 hr 25 mins).  London however is 3hr 15mins away and not really suitable for a day trip.

Scenic beauty - the Peak District is quite a beautiful part of the world.  There are many places to walk, hike, run and bike.  The millstone edges are a wonder to behold (Curbar Edge, Froggat Edge, etc), there are remote and barren moorland (Kinder Scout, the Dark Peak), the Derbyshire Dales of which Wye Vale, in which Cressbrook is situated, are great for walking/hiking.