The wonderfully named Hope lies in Hope Valley, nestled within the greenery of the Peak District National Park. This ancient village in Derbyshire’s Peak District is perfect for an active self-catering break or just relaxing in terrific scenery. Hope Valley attracts walkers and climbers plus mountain bikers who take advantage of the designated biking routes. Although a small village, locals and visitors have a choice of shops, cafes and pubs. With trees, hills and pastures surrounding the village, Hope could be an excellent choice for a country cottage holiday or rural retreat break.
What Hope, Derbyshire offers for Self-Catering Holidays
For anyone wanting to let the train take the strain when holidaying in Hope, the village has a railway station on the Hope Valley line, which runs from Sheffield to Manchester.
Visitors may want to time their cottage holiday so that they get the chance to see the summer well dressings, a Derbyshire tradition involving decorating old wells with natural materials that depict a pleasing picture. Hope residents carry on this tradition on the nearest Saturday to St. Peter’s Day, at the end of June. This also marks the beginning of Hope Wakes Week. The 2012 festivities for this special week included a fancy dress competition, children’s entertainer, fell race, football competition, live music, a quiz and a river race. During this period every year, pubs, shops and homes, in addition to the wells, are decorated according to a theme.
Hope itself is a charming village in which to enjoy a cottage break, whatever the time of year. The present parish church of St. Peter is worth a visit and originated in the 1200s. It is noteworthy because of two ancient crosses located in the churchyard and also because of the carved pulpit made of oak, going back to 1652. Opposite the church, there is the Market Place, where between January and July, a market takes place every other Friday. From July to Christmas, Market Days are Wednesdays and Fridays.
The annual Hope Valley Agricultural Show and Sheep Dog Trials take place on the August Bank Holiday and offer visitors a chance to immerse themselves in local traditions. Animals, including sheep, cattle, alpacas and poultry, are judged plus there are vintage tractors and other vehicles, horticulture displays, stalls and show jumping. It’s a top day out for all the family, with plenty of food and drink available.
Lovers of history holidaying in the village will be interested to know that many peoples settled in Hope Valley in ancient times. Britons, Celts, Anglo-Saxons and Danes all took up residence here. In addition, there is evidence of Roman settlements and the remains of a fort can still be seen at nearby Brough.
For more ideas and inspiration of things to do and see in the Peak District National Park on a cottage holiday we recommend that you visit one of the Tourist Information Offices in the Hope Valley, the nearest of which is at Castleton just up the road. At the Tourist Information Office you can pick up free leaflets and get helpful expert advice from local staff.
Local traditions and culture make staying in Hope on a cottage break a special experience and getting out and about in the Derbyshire countryside brings many rewards. We offer a great choice of rural country cottage retreats and log cabins in Derbyshire and trust that you’ll enjoy browsing through the available choices.
Whether you choose to book a holiday cottage in Hope, an apartment, a lodge or another type of self-catering holiday accommodation, we hope you have your best holiday yet in Derbyshire.
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