A wide range of opportunities exist for shopping just a short drive or bus ride from both our cottages: We still have some availability during December so if you have a few days holiday to take before the year end, why not visit the Peak District and go Christmas shopping, at one of our great shopping centres.

The Peak Village Outlet is close by and being only small does have individual shops where you can choose gifts with a difference. Alternatively, you can shop at the Chatsworth Farm Shop where the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire have a Christmas Marquee all through December which sells everything from

smoked salmon and homemade Christmas puddings to decorative biscuits and children's novelty chocolates:- the marquee is filled with delightful and unique gifts. The farm shop itself has a bakery, butchery, dairy, delicatessen, green grocers and store cupboard, with most of the items for sale produced locally on their own estate.

Chatsworth House, also has an ever growing range of shops set in an idyllic location. The Orangery, the Carriage House shop, the Garden shop, the Interiors shop and the Farmyard shop all filled with Christmas gifts and ideas and admission is free to the shops in the courtyard, so even if you don't want to go around the house its still worth a visit. There is a lovely Christmas atmosphere with live music every weekend.

The Masson Mills shopping centre in Matlock Bath, is an old mill built by Sir

Richard Arkwright in 1783 and converted into a three storey shopping centre. When you need a well earned break from the shopping, you can enjoy a cup of coffee in the restaurant or go downstairs to explore the working textiles exhibition. For the non shoppers, Chatsworth House has been fully decorated for Christmas with the Duke and Duchess and their grandchildren, having added to the displays by each

personally decorating their own tree.

Slightly less well known is Haddon Hall which is opening at Christmas for the second time, from 5th to 13th December. All of the principal rooms, including the 17th

the medieval Century Long Gallery,Banqueting Hall and the very atmospheric Tudor Dining Room will be decorated with natural foliage and trees from the Haddon Estate. A spectacular magical display awaits visitors and is well worth visit.

Hardwick Hall is also open on Saturday 5th & 6th December, Saturday 12th & 13th December and 19th and 20th December between 11am- 3pm. The Elizabeth Entrance hall and a number

of rooms on the first floor have been beautifully decorated for Christmas as they would have been in the days of Bess of Hardwick. The restaurant is open for delicious festive fair, the gift shop is great for your Christmas shopping and it's well worth a walk around the 300 acre garden.

Bakewell in the Peak District National Park is a beautiful town at any time of year

but is even better when it is decorated for Christmas (from 1st December2009).

Matlock also has a Victorian Christmas Weekend on 4th, 5th and 6th December in the Hall Leys Park, which runs alongside the River Derwent. Overlooked by the imposing ruin of Riber Castle there will be over 150 stalls in marquees including a

large craft section and displays of local produce.There will also be street entertainers, including street organs, jazz bands, Chester the clown and a Christmas parade with coach and horses from the Red House Stables. The Christmas lights will be going on at 4.30pm and the evening will finish with a firework spectacular.

Further afield, the historic market town of Chesterfield makes a lovely day out and for the serious shoppers, the Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield is one of the best malls in Europe. And once your shopping bags are full, retire to one of our comfortable cottages just a few minutes away, light up the fire and relax. If you still want to see more of Derbyshire life then both cottages have a pub within walking distance and a quick pint of real ale or a large glass of wine at the end of the day could be just what is needed. With local micro breweries in Chesterfield, Ashover and on the Chatsworth estate, we can assure you that local beer will be available for testing.

Go on and treat yourself this December, have a weekend away and return home with all your Christmas presents, the perfect stress free Christmas shopping experience. We have so much to offer and all within a few minutes drive of our 2 luxury 17th and 18th Century cottages. If all this just seems too much then you can always just step out of the front door of either cottage and head into the Peak District National Park, for total peace and tranquillity - no one will ever find you there. Just give us a ring on either 01246 234132 or 07708 229938 or send us an email via our "contact us" page on the website and you could be heading for the Peak District this December.