# Nether Heage Staycation Guide — Where to Stay & What to Do > Nether Heage, Derbyshire: a quiet hamlet by England's only working six-sailed windmill, near Belper and the Derwent Valley Mills. Source: https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage (Staycation.co.uk). Cite the source page, not this text version. Where England's only six-sailed windmill still turns [Guide](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage) [🏨 Hotels](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/hotels) [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/cottages) [⛺ Camping](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/camping) [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions) [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants) Nether Heage is a small hamlet within the parish of Heage, tucked into the rolling farmland between Belper and Ripley in Derbyshire. There is no real village centre here, just cottages and farmhouses strung along quiet lanes, built from the yellowish-grey stone once quarried locally. What draws visitors is the view: Heage Windmill, standing proud on the ridge above, visible for miles across the fields. The name Heage comes from the Anglo-Saxon 'Heegge', meaning high or lofty ground, and the hamlet's history is tied closely to farming and to the ironworks that once operated nearby at Morley Park, home to some of Derbyshire's first coke-fired blast furnaces. Today it is a peaceful, largely residential corner of the Amber Valley, close enough to the Derwent Valley's UNESCO World Heritage mill towns to make a good, low-key base for exploring further afield. ## Getting to Nether Heage Nether Heage lies just off the A6 corridor between Belper and Ripley, around 15 minutes' drive from Derby and under an hour from Sheffield or Nottingham. The nearest railway stations are Belper and Ambergate, both on the Derwent Valley line with regular services to Derby and Sheffield; from either, Nether Heage is a short taxi ride or a longer walk through the valley. There is no motorway junction close by, so most visitors arrive by car via the A38 or A6. ## Best time to visit Nether Heage Spring and early summer bring the surrounding farmland and Shining Cliff Woods to life, and Heage Windmill's open days typically run through the warmer months, so this is the easiest time to see the sails turning. Autumn suits the wooded Derwent Valley walks well, with good colour along the river. Winters are quiet and rural, with the windmill often closed, so this is better suited to those wanting a peaceful countryside stay rather than an activity-packed break. ## Where to stay in Nether Heage [All hotels in Nether Heage →](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/hotels) About staying in Nether Heage Nether Heage has no hotels of its own, being a small hamlet rather than a town, but it is well placed for anyone wanting to stay near the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site without booking into a city centre. Belper, a few miles south, has a reasonable choice of pubs with rooms, guesthouses and small independent hotels, many within walking distance of the river and the historic mill buildings. Ripley, to the north, offers a handful of budget-friendly options along the A610 corridor. For a wider range of hotel brands, chain options and larger guesthouses, Derby city centre is around 15 minutes' drive away and gives easy access back out to Nether Heage, Heage Windmill and the wider Amber Valley countryside. Wherever you base yourself, a car is genuinely useful here, since the hamlet and its immediate surroundings are rural and only lightly served by public transport, with the nearest railway stations at Belper and Ambergate rather than in Nether Heage itself. [The Hurt Arms Derby Road, Belper](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/hotels/the-hurt-arms) [The Canal 30 Bullbridge Hill, Belper](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/hotels/the-canal) [Marehay Hall Farm Street Lane, Ripley](https://staycation.co.uk/ripley/hotels/marehay-hall-farm) [The Bulls Head Belper Lane, Belper](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/hotels/the-bulls-head) [The Lion Hotel Bridge Street, Belper](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/hotels/the-lion-hotel) [Park Farm - Bed & Breakfast Park Lane, Alfreton](https://staycation.co.uk/alfreton/hotels/park-farm-bed-breakfast) [Premier Inn Ripley Nottingham Road, Ripley](https://staycation.co.uk/ripley/hotels/premier-inn-ripley) [🏨Guest Accommodation Callwood Farm Annex Guest Room Belper Road, Belper](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/hotels/callwood-farm-annex-guest-room) ## Things to Do in Nether Heage [All attractions in Nether Heage →](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions) Top things to do near Nether Heage Nether Heage itself is small, but it sits within easy reach of some genuinely notable Derbyshire attractions. - **Heage Windmill** — England's only working six-sailed stone tower windmill, first built in 1791 and restored in 2002. Tours run on open days and you can buy flour ground on site. - **Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site** — the string of historic cotton mills along the Derwent, including Cromford Mill and Belper's North Mill, that mark the birthplace of the factory system, a short drive south. - **St Luke's Church, Heage** — an unusual T-shaped parish church, originally built in 1646 and enlarged in 1836, one of the few churches of this shape in Derbyshire. - **Belper River Gardens and Belper Mill** — riverside walks and one of the great mills of the Derwent Valley, a few miles south in Belper. - **Shining Cliff Woods** — ancient woodland above the Derwent near Ambergate, good for walking and popular with families. - **Crich Tramway Village** — a working vintage tram museum a short drive north, set in an old quarry landscape. [Great British Car Journey ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/great-british-car-journey) [Strutts North Mill ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/strutts-north-mill) [Midland Railway-Butterley ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/midland-railway-butterley) [Crich Tramway Village ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/crich-tramway-village) [🎟️Museums & Galleries West Shed Museum](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/west-shed-museum) [Treetops Activity Centre ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/treetops-activity-centre) [The Genesis Family Entertainment Centre ⭐ 3.9](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/the-genesis-family-entertainment-centre) [Lea Green Centre ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions/lea-green-centre) ## Where to Eat in Nether Heage [All restaurants in Nether Heage →](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants) Food and drink near Nether Heage The hamlet itself is largely residential, so most visitors head into Heage or Belper for food and drink. Belper's town centre has a good spread of independent cafes, pubs and restaurants along King Street and the Market Place, and several traditional pubs are dotted around the wider Heage and Ambergate area, worth checking locally for current opening hours as rural pubs can vary seasonally. [Bridge House ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/bridge-house) [Anila ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/anila) [The Moody Cow Cafe ⭐ 5.0](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/the-moody-cow-cafe) [The Briars Catholic Youth Retreat Centre ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/the-briars-catholic-youth-retreat-centre) [Vaillant Industrial Group ⭐ 3.3](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/vaillant-industrial-group) [Great British Car Journey ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/great-british-car-journey) [Tom Yum ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/tom-yum) [Fit Pit And Pit Stop Cafe ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants/fit-pit-and-pit-stop-cafe) ## Attractions Near Nether Heage [All attractions in Nether Heage →](https://staycation.co.uk/attractions) Worth the trip — within 50 miles of Nether Heage. [2 mi Great British Car Journey Amber Valley · ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/attractions/great-british-car-journey) [2 mi Strutts North Mill Belper · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/attractions/strutts-north-mill) [3 mi Midland Railway-Butterley Ripley · ⭐ 4.4](https://staycation.co.uk/ripley/attractions/midland-railway-butterley) [3 mi Crich Tramway Village Crich · ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/crich/attractions/crich-tramway-village) [🎟️Museums & Galleries 3 mi West Shed Museum Ripley](https://staycation.co.uk/ripley/attractions/west-shed-museum) [4 mi Treetops Activity Centre Alfreton · ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/alfreton/attractions/treetops-activity-centre) [4 mi The Genesis Family Entertainment Centre Alfreton · ⭐ 3.9](https://staycation.co.uk/alfreton/attractions/the-genesis-family-entertainment-centre) [5 mi Lea Green Centre Matlock · ⭐ 4.5](https://staycation.co.uk/matlock/attractions/lea-green-centre) ## Camping in Nether Heage(1) [All campsites in Nether Heage →](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/camping) About camping in Nether Heage There are no formal campsites in Nether Heage itself, and wild camping is not legal in England without the landowner's permission, so anyone wanting to camp near the windmill should look to established sites in the wider Amber Valley and Derwent Valley area rather than pitching on farmland or verges around the hamlet. The rolling, wooded terrain around Heage, Belper and Ambergate suits touring caravan and camping parks well, with several sites dotted along the Derwent Valley offering pitches within reach of the mills, the river and Shining Cliff Woods. Glamping options, including pods, shepherd's huts and safari tents, have also become more common across Derbyshire in recent years and are worth seeking out if you want a more comfortable base without a hotel. Spring through early autumn is the most practical camping season here, when the ground is drier and the surrounding woodland and riverside paths are at their best; the Derwent Valley can turn heavy and muddy underfoot in winter, and many smaller sites close outside the main season. Given the hilly, working farmland setting around Nether Heage, a pitch with good drainage and shelter is worth prioritising over one purely for the view. As with anywhere in this part of Derbyshire, book ahead for weekends when Heage Windmill has an open day, as demand for nearby stays rises accordingly. [The Firs Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite ⭐ 4.7 · from £30/night](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/camping/the-firs-caravan-and-motorhome-club-campsite) [Broadholme Lane Caravan Park ⭐ 4.7](https://staycation.co.uk/derbyshire/camping/broadholme-lane-caravan-park) [Sutton Hall Gardens Certificated Location ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/derbyshire/camping/sutton-hall-gardens-certificated-location) [Upper Hartshay Farm Certificated Location ⭐ 4.6](https://staycation.co.uk/derbyshire/camping/upper-hartshay-farm-certificated-location) [Saints Meadow ⭐ 5.0 · from £75/night](https://staycation.co.uk/crich/camping/saints-meadow) [Tannenbaum Campsite ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/derbyshire/camping/tannenbaum-campsite) [Moor Edge Farm Certificated Location ⭐ 4.8](https://staycation.co.uk/derbyshire/camping/moor-edge-farm-certificated-location) [Hankin Farm Campsite ⭐ 4.6 · from £20/night](https://staycation.co.uk/belper/camping/hankin-farm-campsite) ## Self-Catering Cottages in Nether Heage [All cottages in Nether Heage →](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/cottages) [🏡Cottage Juglans Barn 5 bed · sleeps 11 · from £1,542](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/juglans-barn-uk46983) [🏡Cottage The Loft at Amber View 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £286](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/the-loft-at-amber-view-syk1148961) [🏡Cottage Bear Cottage 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £443](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/bear-cottage-syk1089381) [302 Over Lane Cottage 3 bed · sleeps 6 · from £490](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/302-over-lane-cottage-syk11673) [🏡Cottage Clematis Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £480](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/clematis-cottage-syk1130653) [🏡Cottage The Barn at Catacol 1 bed · sleeps 2 · from £629](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/the-barn-at-catacol-syk1135708) [Strelley Court Farm 7 bed · sleeps 16 · from £1,663](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/strelley-court-farm-syk920332) [🏡Cottage Coupling Cottage 2 bed · sleeps 4 · from £616](https://staycation.co.uk/amber-valley/cottages/coupling-cottage-syk1049641) ## Common questions about Nether Heage How many campsites are there in Nether Heage? We list 1 campsites in and around Nether Heage, of which 1 offer glamping. ### 🏨 Find Hotels in Nether Heage Search hotels, B&Bs and self-catering on Booking.com. [Search Accommodation →](https://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-101762279-15734754?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Fsearchresults.en-gb.html%3Fss%3DNether%2BHeage%252C%2BUnited%2BKingdom) Affiliate link ### Explore Nether Heage - [🏨 Hotels & B&Bs](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/hotels) - [🏡 Cottages](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/cottages) - [⛺ Campsites & glamping](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/camping) - [🎟️ Attractions](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/attractions) - [🍽️ Restaurants](https://staycation.co.uk/nether-heage/restaurants) - [🗺️ More in Derbyshire](https://staycation.co.uk/derbyshire) - [🧭 All of the East Midlands](https://staycation.co.uk/regions/east-midlands) ## Staycation ideas for Nether Heage [All staycation ideas →](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas) [The Best Last-Minute UK Staycations Six well-connected UK towns and cities worth booking at short notice, chosen for easy travel and a decent spread of accommodation once the school-holiday crowds have thinned.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-last-minute-staycations) [Rainy Day Staycations: Best UK Breaks for Bad Weather When the forecast turns grim, these UK cities and spa towns keep their appeal indoors, with museums, galleries and grand architecture to fill a wet weekend.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/rainy-day-staycations-uk) [The Best Dog-Friendly Staycations in Britain From Cornish coast paths to Lake District fells, these six British destinations offer the open beaches, moors and forests that make a staycation genuinely enjoyable for dogs and their owners alike.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/dog-friendly-staycations) [The Best UK Staycations for Families with Young Kids From New Forest ponies to Cornish rock pools, these six UK destinations combine easy logistics, safe beaches and family-friendly attractions for a stress-free break with young children.](https://staycation.co.uk/staycation-ideas/best-staycations-for-families)