The Peak District National Park is visited more than 20 million times each Year making it the second most popular national park in the World just behind Mount Fuji in Japan. Why is this?

The Peak District has the most varied range of beautiful scenery combined with a wide variety of activities and places to visit. This means it appeals to walkers, cyclists and visitors wishing to view places of interest.

Buxton is the best place to stay in the Peak District as it has the highest number and most varied types of accommodation from small B&B’s through to large Hotels such as The Old Hall and The Palace. It also has the largest number of places to eat from small Bistros to larger restaurants.

Buxton has two Indian Restaurants, two Chinese, two Italian, a Thai and a variety of others, including Hotel restaurants open to the public and pubs offering pub-grub. We provide a list of eating establishments open for food in the evenings (mainly open 7 days a week) with comments. If you are unsure where to go on the first night we recommend the Buckingham Hotel as it has the best stocked bar in Buxton, a good range of bar food or a restaurant offering an a la carte menu all with generous portions.

Probably the most famous historic building that is less than a 30-minute drive from Buxton is Chatsworth House that is open pretty well throughout the Year.

Within Buxton are two main places of interest that are the Opera House where Avril was a volunteer. The programme is variable throughout the Year from Pop to Opera and Plays to Ballet. It is now the home of the annual Gilbert and Sullivan Festival held for 3 weeks at the beginning of August. We also have the annual Buxton Festival and the associated Buxton Fringe in July that is vying for equal recognition with the World famous Edinburgh festival. In fact only a week separates these two major World attraction events.

During 2006 the University College of Buxton opened its doors to the public for both daytime and evening meals. It is worth a visit to see the famous Dome complex that was built originally to accommodate the Duke of Devonshire’s horses. It also offers a spa facility and within the next few years Buxton itself will become a famous Spa town again as it was until the 1960s.

Within the 23 acres of parkland that form the Pavilion Gardens is the complex of buildings of architectural interest included within is the Octagon where various exhibitions antique shows and Classic Auctions take place.

Buxton in spite of a population of less than 30,000 boasts two private golf clubs. The High Peak Golf Course intersected by the A6 as you enter Buxton from the north. The Cavendish Golf Course of which Colin is a member designed by Dr Alister Mckenzie, who also designed the Augusta National in the US. It is in a natural bowl surrounded by hills making it very peaceful with beautiful views from most of the tees.

Within a few minutes walk of Oldfield is one of the most popular visitor attractions in the North West -Pooles Cavern and from its car park you can climb up to Solomans Temple through Corbar Woods.