Derby: a City with Hidden Charms and Excellent Public Transport

A peregrine falcon soars high above the gothic tower of Derby's 🗝 cathedral while elegant grey wagtails flit across the curving weir. Despite recent rankings, Derby has much to offer as a 🗝 hub for exploring the Peak District and a destination in its own right.

Derbyshire boasts a robust public 🗝 transportation system, with a new unlimited bus ticket (£33 per week) and an increasing number of local attractions offering incentives 🗝 for car-free visitors. Our correspondent spent a week exploring the area, using buses and trains as their primary mode of 🗝 transportation.

Journey to Ashford in the Water

The Transpeak bus journey from Derby to Ashford in the Water takes 90 minutes, passing 🗝 by

que landscapes of yellow buttercup fields, grazing sheep, and steep green dales, all connected by dry-stone walls.

Exploring Ashford and 🗝 the Surrounding Area

In Ashford, our correspondent stayed at the recently refurbished Ashford Arms, a short walk from the bus stop 🗝 and opposite one of the Peak District's open-air sightseeing buses.

Ashford is the starting point for exploring the area's many attractions, 🗝 including Chatsworth, where car-free visitors receive a free guidebook to the painted hall and richly paneled oak room.

The Blue route bus offers stunning views of Winnats Pass, while the Ye Olde Nags Head in Castleton serves 🗝 delicious chunky chips.

Visiting the Longshaw Estate and Castleton

The Longshaw Estate, accessible by bus, features wilder sections with a trout stream 🗝 running through banks of orchids and pale starry camassia. The area is rich in history, as Sheffield-based countryside campaigner Ethel 🗝 Haythornthwaite raised funds to save the estate from development in 1928.

Castleton, described in Ethel Haythornthwaite's poem "The Pride of 🗝 the Peak," is a "little limestone town aside the hills / ... Where white spurs jut and strange enchantment fills 🗝 / The heart delighting..." The area is known for its visitable caves, Blue John jewelery, and the Blue John cavern.

Discovering 🗝 South Derbyshire

The Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket allows for travel on almost any bus in the county, making it easy to explore 🗝 the less-crowded towns and villages of south Derbyshire. The area is home to numerous attractions, including Cromford Mills, White Peak 🗝 distillery, and the Heights of Abraham.

Experiencing Derby's Hidden Charms

Derby, often overlooked as a tourist destination, offers quiet shopping streets, crumbling 🗝 infrastructure, and affordable accommodations. The city serves as a friendly base for visiting the Derbyshire countryside and has its own 🗝 charms, such as the new Museum of Making, Darley Park, and the Exeter Arms.