Chelmorton

Chelmorton itself has no hotels, in keeping with its status as a small, quiet farming village rather than a tourist centre, so most visitors looking for a bed for the night base themselves a short drive away in Buxton or Bakewell. Buxton, the nearest town, has the widest choice, from historic coaching inns in its Georgian centre to smaller guesthouses and budget options, all within about ten to fifteen minutes' drive of Chelmorton. Bakewell, a little further afield, offers a similar spread of country hotels and inns and makes a good alternative base for exploring the wider White Peak, including the Monsal Trail, which passes within a few miles of the village.

For something closer to Chelmorton's own character, keep an eye out for small farmhouse bed and breakfasts and country inns scattered through the surrounding villages, which tend to offer a quieter, more local alternative to staying in a larger town. Wherever you choose to stay, Chelmorton's position just off the A515 and close to the Limestone Way and Monsal Trail makes it an easy stop for a day visit, whether you're based in Buxton, Bakewell, or one of the smaller Peak District villages nearby.

Chelmorton is a place to walk, look and pause rather than a destination with a long list of attractions, and it rewards visitors who come for a slow wander through its fields and lanes rather than a packed itinerary.

• The medieval strip fields — Walk up the footpath behind the church onto Chelmorton Low and look back down over the village to see the thirteen ancient field strips radiating from Main Street, one of the clearest surviving examples of this farming pattern in England.
• St John the Baptist's Church — A part-Norman church with a mid-18th-century gritstone tower and spire, said to be the highest church spire in England, plus a 15th-century weathervane shaped like a locust and a porch built from old coffin lids.
• Five Wells Chambered Cairn — A Neolithic burial chamber on the hillside above the village, reputed to be the highest surviving prehistoric tomb in Britain, with two burial chambers still visible and wide views out across the White Peak.
• Chelmorton Low — The open limestone hill rising behind the village, criss-crossed by footpaths and part of the Limestone Way, and a good spot to get your bearings across the surrounding plateau.
• The Church Inn — The village pub, standing opposite the church on the site of a former blacksmith's, and the natural stopping point for walkers passing through.
• Deep Dale and Horseshoe Dale — A pair of quiet limestone dales just outside the village, less visited than Monsal or Miller's Dale but with the same dramatic White Peak scenery, popular with walkers exploring on foot from Chelmorton.
• The Limestone Way — Chelmorton lies directly on this long-distance trail, which threads across the White Peak plateau and makes the village a natural stop for anyone walking a section of the route.

The Church Inn, standing opposite St John the Baptist's Church, is the village's one pub and its main focus for food and drink, serving cask ales and pub meals to locals and walkers passing through on the Limestone Way. Beyond the pub, Chelmorton has no shops or cafés of its own, so visitors wanting more choice generally head into Buxton, which has a good range of cafés, restaurants and independent food shops just a short drive away.

Chelmorton sits high on the White Peak's limestone plateau, and camping here means exposed, breezy pitches with big skies rather than sheltered woodland. Wild camping is not legal in England without the landowner's permission, so pitching a tent on Chelmorton Low, in the strip fields, or anywhere else around the village without asking first is not allowed, however tempting the views. The good news is that the wider Peak District has a strong tradition of small, farmer-run campsites, and several sit within easy reach of Chelmorton, tucked into the dales around Buxton, Monyash and Taddington, offering grass pitches for tents and campervans with the same limestone scenery on the doorstep.

Because the terrain here is high, open and largely treeless, conditions can change quickly: even in summer, evenings on the plateau can turn cold and windy, so a sturdy tent and warm layers are worth packing whatever the season. Late spring through early autumn is generally the most reliable window for camping, when the strip fields are green, the dales are at their most walkable, and daylight lasts long enough for evening strolls up onto Chelmorton Low. Ground can stay wet after rain given the limestone bedrock and thin soils, so pitches with reasonable drainage are worth seeking out, and it's always worth checking conditions directly with a site before travelling.

For those who would rather not bring their own kit, glamping has taken hold across this part of Derbyshire, with pods, shepherd's huts and yurts on farms within a short drive of the village, offering a warmer and more sheltered alternative to canvas while keeping the same walking country right outside the door. Whichever way you camp, Chelmorton's position on the Limestone Way and close to the Monsal Trail makes it a handy base for multi-day walking trips, with the strip fields and Five Wells cairn easily reached on foot from most nearby sites.