Chesterfield

Chesterfield makes a sensible, well-connected base for a Derbyshire break, whether you are here for the town itself or using it as a springboard into the Peak District. Its position just off the M1 and on the Midland Main Line means hotels here are usually cheaper than equivalent options inside the national park, without adding much to your journey time to the Dales, Chatsworth or Bakewell. Budget and mid-range chain hotels cluster around the railway station and the main road junctions on the edge of town, offering straightforward parking and easy access for an early start into the hills. In the town centre itself, a smaller number of independent hotels and guesthouses put the Crooked Spire, the Market Place and the Vicar Lane shops within easy walking distance, which suits visitors who want to explore Chesterfield on foot before heading further afield. Just outside town, villages such as Ashover, Old Whittington and Wingerworth offer quieter, more rural accommodation, often in converted farmhouses or country inns, while still keeping Chesterfield's shops, restaurants and railway station within a short drive. Families exploring Hardwick Hall, Bolsover Castle or the southern Peak District often find Chesterfield a practical, central hub, cutting down on driving time between attractions that can otherwise feel spread out. Whatever your budget, booking ahead is worthwhile during the summer months and around any of the town's markets and events, when demand for rooms rises noticeably.

Chesterfield rewards a slow wander, and its handful of genuinely distinctive sights are easily combined with a day trip into the surrounding countryside.

• The Crooked Spire (Church of St Mary and All Saints) — Chesterfield's defining landmark, this 14th-century parish church has a lead-covered wooden spire that twists 45 degrees and leans around 9 feet 6 inches off true, most likely the result of unseasoned timber warping over the centuries. It is the largest parish church in Derbyshire, and guided tower tours climb up towards the base of the spire on selected days.
• Queen's Park — a proper Victorian park with a boating lake, a miniature railway, play areas and open lawns, laid out around the site of Chesterfield's former football and cricket grounds. It is a popular spot for families and for a gentle stroll away from the town centre traffic.
• Chesterfield Canal — opened in 1777 and engineered in part by James Brindley, the canal's Chesterfield section can be explored on foot or by trip boat from the Tapton Lock visitor centre, with the Chesterfield Canal Trust running the John Varley passenger boat and a small museum and cafe at the basin.
• Chesterfield Market — one of the largest and oldest open-air markets in the country, trading in the Market Place since the town's 1204 charter, with a mix of fresh produce, flowers and general stalls alongside the adjoining indoor Market Hall.
• Peak District gateway — Chesterfield sits right on the edge of the Peak District National Park, with Bakewell, Chatsworth House and the Derbyshire Dales all within a short drive, making the town a practical, cheaper alternative to staying inside the park itself.
• Hardwick Hall — a few miles south-east, this Elizabethan prodigy house built for Bess of Hardwick is one of the National Trust's grandest properties, famous for its vast expanses of glass and its long gallery, and set in extensive parkland.
• Bolsover Castle — an English Heritage site a short drive from Chesterfield, this 17th-century "little castle" was built as a romantic retreat rather than a defensive fortress, with striking painted interiors and views across the Vale of Scarsdale.

The town centre's dining scene has grown well beyond the traditional market-town pub in recent years, with an increasing number of independent restaurants, cafes and coffee shops earning recognition alongside the established favourites. The Market Pub, overlooking New Square, is a good example of the classic Chesterfield boozer, with a strong range of real ales, whiskies and regular tasting nights. Vicar Lane and the Shambles area combine high street names with independent cafes and tea rooms, while the twice-weekly market itself remains one of the best places to pick up fresh, local produce. For a wider choice, the Destination Chesterfield tourism team maintains an up-to-date guide to the town's restaurants, gastro pubs and coffee shops.

Camping around Chesterfield means trading the town's Georgian streets for the gentler countryside of the Derbyshire coalfield and, a little further west, the fringes of the Peak District National Park. As with anywhere in England, wild camping is not legally permitted without the landowner's permission, so pitching up on open moorland or in a farmer's field without asking first is best avoided; instead, the area has a good spread of licensed campsites, caravan parks and glamping sites happy to welcome tents, campervans and motorhomes. Many of these sites sit in villages just outside Chesterfield itself, such as Ashover, Wingerworth and the countryside around Bolsover, giving easy access to the town's Crooked Spire and market as well as to Hardwick Hall and the Peak District beyond. Terrain here is generally gentler than deeper into the Peak District, rolling farmland and wooded valleys rather than exposed moor, which makes it a comfortable option for first-time campers or families, while still being within easy striking distance of the more dramatic scenery around Chatsworth and the Derbyshire Dales. The camping season runs broadly from Easter through to late September, with the driest and warmest weather typically arriving in July and August, though many local sites now stay open into autumn for visitors chasing the changing colours of the nearby woodland and hills. Spring and early summer bring their own rewards, with long daylight hours for exploring the Chesterfield Canal towpath or Queen's Park before pitching camp for the evening. For those who would rather skip the tent pegs altogether, glamping has taken hold across the area, with pods, shepherd's huts and safari tents offering a more comfortable night's stay while keeping the same rural, on-the-doorstep-of-the-Peaks appeal. Whichever way you choose to stay, booking ahead is sensible during school holidays and the height of summer, when sites within easy reach of both Chesterfield and the national park fill up quickly.