Why we love it
Hillside Croft earns its place for the sense of space it gives a gathering. This is a handsome old Derbyshire cottage set among gardens and pasture, where the mood is less about showiness than settling in properly: long breakfasts around the table, muddy-boot walks in the dales, a soak outside as dusk comes in, then the glow of a fire indoors. It feels private, grounded and deeply suited to the kind of stay where everyone relaxes into the rhythm of the house.
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About the Property
Set just outside Ashbourne on the edge of the Peak District, Hillside Croft is a Grade II listed cottage with the easy, sociable feel that larger houses often miss. The rooms are arranged in a traditional way, with separate spaces for cooking, eating and lingering by the fire, so a weekend here naturally falls into its own rhythm. Outside, landscaped gardens and surrounding pasture bring a welcome sense of seclusion, with wildlife in the fields and enough open space to make the house feel part of the landscape rather than simply placed within it. The hot tub adds another reason to slow down after a day out in the dales, especially when the evenings turn cool.
Location
Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Ashbourne sits at the gentler southern gateway to the Peak District, where market-town character gives way to limestone dales, dry-stone walls and rolling farmland. This part of Derbyshire has a quieter, more pastoral beauty than the national park’s wilder reaches, with old villages, country lanes and a landscape shaped by farming and centuries of local industry. It suits walkers, cyclists and anyone happiest with a pub lunch after a long stretch outdoors. From here, you can dip easily into the Peaks while still enjoying the softer, slower pace of the Derbyshire Dales.
