Tuesday 11 August 2020

Three of the best day trips out in the Midlands

Chatsworth House

If you follow me over on Instagram then you’ll be aware that my new favourite hobby is exploring new places- especially locally. I live in Leicestershire which I do think gives a bit of an advantage as it’s smack bang in the middle and pretty close to a few known popular hotspots: Derbyshire Dales (Matlock, Bakewell), Stratford, Lemmington Spa. 

I really didn’t think many of you would be all that interested in my days out and new finds, and I’d just end up keeping my adventures to myself as it’s so different to what I usually post: cakes, cocktails, outfits. But then I guess just as our hobbies and interests change with age, so will our online content too, and it just so happens that I’ve come to adore new experiences and seeing more of the world (well the U.K. really, let’s be real about the current crisis and my budget). 

So today I thought I’d share with you a quick little snippet of three of my all time favourite places I’ve visited recently, just because I think you’ll be head over heels in love too... 

1.)






Chatsworth Estate: 

Well, Chatsworth has to have a mention first because it’s STUNNING- as I’m sure you can see. Right from the moment I set eyes on the house from a distance I was in complete awe. I visited back in June when tighter lockdown restrictions were still in place which meant that inside of the house wasn’t open, leaving only the grounds and gardens available. But actually that didn’t matter at all because it’s so so easy to spend the afternoon having the best time enjoying the gardens and all they have to offer. 

On arrival there’s sheep roaming around freely everywhere and the views over the dales are breathtaking. One of my personal favourites are the waterfall steps you’re free to paddle in and walk down, if you start from the top you get the best view/look of the entire house. The gardens also make for the best picnic, there is a small shop and fish & chip van on site but I’d advise taking your own food and then buying extras such as ice cream from the shops. 





All in all I couldn’t recommend Chatsworth enough, I honestly had one of the absolute best days, in fact it’s actually one of my standout favourites of 2020 so far. Oh, and one last thing to note, as it’s located in the village Bakewell after your visit to Chatsworth you can then head on to the village centre which is also a popular favourite. 

Warning
...please do be very careful on the waterfall steps, you don’t want to end up falling arse over tit and bruising your bum like I did hahaha...approach with caution! 

2.) 




Stratford Upon Avon: 

I’m sure you’ve all probably heard of Stratford already, but I couldn’t write this post without mentioning as it definitely has a special place in my heart. It was one of the hottest days of the year when I visited, which meant that it was fairly busy but I was still able to take in its beauty all of the same. 

Of course no trip to Stratford would be compelete without a boat ride along the River Avon, so you bet that was first port of call. We opted for a motorboat which is £25 to hire out for 30 minutes, but I’ve got to say it’s worth every penny as it was the standout experience of the day. You get to see all of the swans and different canal boats, and it really does make your day feel that little more special. 







I also really enjoyed strolling through the backstreets and admiring the buildings and all of the cute shops and cafes. This was my first ever visit so I’m desperate to go back and tick everything off the list as it was impossible to get everything done in the one afternoon. 

If you’re visiting I’d 100% recommend hiring out a boat, visiting Shakespeare’s house and testing a few of the lakeside pubs. There’s also the butterfly farm which I’m desperate to visit as I’m a sucker for places like that. 

All in all Stratford is an incrediblely beautiful day out, or it would even be perfect for a nights stay too! 

3.) 






Matlock Bath:

So I’ll keep this one short as I’ve already written and published an entire post dedicated to Matlock which you can read here, but I did think it needed including in the blogpost too as it was also another very special day out. 

Staying brief I will just say that this has the most amazing sea side feel to it. All of the sweet shops and fish & chip shops on offer are countless...which is basically heaven for most of us let’s be honest. Just like Stratford you can also hire a boat, but of the two places I’d definitely recommend opting for River Avon. 





This is one of those little villages that makes the perfect family day out, especially if you have children as I can imagine this would be the most fun day out for them. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to top my love for Matlock, it’ll be hard to top that’s for sure. 

And just like that, my three all time favourite places. I hope this post helps some of you plan the most incredible day out, if you do visit let me know what you think/share your experience as I’d love to know what you think! In the meantime if any of you have any new day trip recommendations for me please send them my way! 

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