Updates from Hall Farm, Wetton

20 things to do in the Summer Holidays from Hall Farm

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 20:40:44 GMT

20 things to do from Hall Farm this summer.

�� Local Walks & Outdoor Adventures

Thor’s Cave – ~15 min walk
Epic limestone cave scramble, just a short stroll from Hall Farm
Wetton Hill – ~5 min drive
Short climb with 360 views over Manifold Valley and surrounds.
Wetton Mill – ~2 min drive / ~30 min walk
On the Manifold trail with parking, riverside paddling, and a cosy tea room.
Manifold Valley Trail – ~2 min drive / ~15 min walk
Traffic‑free tarmac perfect for walking, cycling, and scooting. Near Wetton Mill.
Ilam Park – ~7 min drive (~3 miles)
National Trust gardens, riverside picnic spots, and tearooms.
Dovedale, Stepping Stones & Thorpe Cloud – ~10 min drive (~5 miles)
Family favourite with iconic river crossings and riverside climbing if feeling adventurous.
Ecton Hill – ~10 min drive / ~ 45 min walk
Explore historic copper mines and open farmland.
Wolfscote Dale/Beresford Dale – ~10 min drive
Scenic riverside stroll with limestone cliffs and wildflowers.
Alstonefield Playground & Village Green – ~5 min drive
Ideal for a relaxed picnic and toddler playtime. Pub and tea room nearby.
Tissington Trail – ~10 min drive to Hartington (~6 miles)
Gentle 13 mile former railway—great for bikes and families.

�� Attractions & Animal Encounters

Matlock Farm Park – ~20 min drive (~12 miles)
Petting zoo, tractor rides, indoor play—the perfect rainy-day destination.
Peak Wildlife Park (Winkhill) – ~25 min drive (~14 miles)
Encounter polar bears lemurs, wallabies, penguins, and more; superb family facilities.
Crich Tramway Village – ~30 min drive (~18 miles)
Vintage tram rides, Edwardian village scenes, indoor & outdoor fun.
Heights of Abraham – ~25 min drive (~14 miles)
Cable car, showcaves, fossil hunting and hillside playground.
Poole’s Cavern & Buxton Country Park – ~35 min drive (~20 miles)
Underground cave tour + scenic country park walk to Solomon’s Temple.
Chatsworth House & Farmyard – ~35 min drive (~20 miles)
Grand estate, adventure playground, farm animals, gardens, and cafés.
Alton Towers Resort – ~20 min drive (~12 miles)
Thrill rides, CBeebies Land, Waterpark, hotels—something for all ages.
Ashbourne Play Village – ~20 min drive (~8 miles)
Interactive role-play pods (police station, supermarket, etc.), café, baby zone.
Carsington Water – ~25 min drive (~10 miles)
Waterside walks, cycling, birdwatching, play areas and water sports.
Bakewell & Monsal Trail – ~30 min drive (~17 miles)
Visit Bakewell (don’t miss the pudding!), then explore the traffic‑free Monsal Trail and tunnels.

�� Distance Summary (by car)

Under 5 min : Thor’s Cave (walk), Wetton Mill, Manifold Trail, Wetton Hill
5–10 min : Wetton Hill, Ilam Park, Alstonefield, Ecton Hill, Wolfscote Dale,
15–30 min : Matlock Farm Park, Peak Wildlife Park, Heights of Abraham, Alton Towers, Carsington Water, Ashbourne Play Village
30–40 min : Crich Tramway Village, Poole’s Cavern, Chatsworth, Bakewell

A Family Friendly Holiday in the Peak District

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 10:46:53 GMT

Onsite Facilities

Heated playbarn
Table tennis table
Pool table
Board games
Pretend kitchen and work station
Drawing and stationary area
Dressing up and role play box
Outdoor play area
Large lawn
Football goals
Ride on toys
Traversing wall

At Hall Farm we pride ourselves on being a great place for families to stay. We think our onsite facilities mean there is plenty to keep the children occupied, allowing parents to relax. We also provide a variety of equipment for children, we know how much "stuff" is needed when you go on holiday, we hope by providing items such as travel cots, high chairs etc... means packing is less of a chore, a full list of items we can provide can be found further on in the blog,. Our position in the Peak District means we are a great place to explore the White Peak, whilst also being within a short drive of Alton Towers, Peak Wildlife, Matlock Farm Park, Heights of Abraham and many other major tourist attractions.

Toddler/Baby Equipment available onsite

With two small children ourselves we know how difficult it is to fit everything you need into the car so we try and provide everything you need all set up for your arrival to make your trip as stress free as possible. We offer the following in all our cottages, just let us know what you need and we will have it set up for you:

Travel cot (with airflow mattress and fitted sheet - you just need to bring bedding).
Bed guard.
Highchair.
Booster seat (for dining chair).
Stairgates.
Toddler step.
Potty.
Changing mat.
Baby bath.
Child crockery and cutlery.

Local Attractions

Please find below a few of the family friendly destinations in the Peak District. There are many more than this though, a list of 100 tourist attractions can be found in our cottages...

Alton Towers and CBeebies land - A thrilling UK theme park with exhilarating rides, while CBeebies Land offers a family-friendly experience with kid-friendly attractions based on beloved BBC children's shows. Fun for all ages! Alton Towers Resort: UK Short Breaks, Theme Park & Waterpark

Peak Wildlife Park: A family-friendly haven where kids can marvel at and interact with a variety of animals including polar bears, penguins, tapirs, lemurs, wallabies, Arctic foxes and many more. There is also a fantastic outdoor play area, a small indoor soft play and a cafe serving a variety of food and drink - we recommend the pizza... Peak Wildlife Park

Chatsworth House: A grand estate with enchanting gardens and family-friendly activities, Chatsworth House offers a splendid backdrop for exploring nature, art, and history together. There is a play area, farm, farmshop and cafe serving delicious food. Chatsworth House

Heights of Abraham: Elevate family fun with stunning views and thrilling attractions, creating unforgettable moments for both adults and children amidst the scenic beauty of the Heights of Abraham. There are a number of play areas on site, caves to visit and the cable car which takes you up to the site from Matlock Bath, giving amazing views of the Derwent Valley. The Heights of Abraham - Peak District and Derbyshire

Matlock Farm Park: Tailored for family enjoyment, Matlock Farm Park provides a hands-on farm experience for children, with opportunities to pet animals, play outdoors, and embrace the joys of the countryside. There are a couple of great options to eat here as well. Matlock Farm Park

Ashbourne Play Village: A spacious and engaging play area, Ashbourne Play Village sparks children's imaginations, offering a delightful space for creative play and joyful exploration in a safe and colourful environment. A great place to visit on a rainy day. The Play Village Ashbourne | Ashbourne Childs Play Centre | Ashbourne Childrens Activity Centre (theplay-village.com)

Ilam Park: Set in a picturesque landscape, Ilam Hall invites families to explore its historic beauty, providing a tranquil setting for leisurely strolls and a touch of heritage amidst nature's embrace. This is just a short drive from Hall Farm and has a cafe serving a variety of food. Ilam Park | Derbyshire | National Trust

Top 3 walks from Hall Farm, Wetton

tom.heaney@hotmail.com — Tue, 16 Feb 2021 15:32:05 GMT

Thor's Cave, Wetton Mill, Wetton Hill and The Manifold Trail are all short walks from the door.

Below are our favourite three walks from the doorstep at Hall Farm, ranging from 2.5km to 6km. Easy to moderate walking, simple to navigate and therefore family-friendly (and dog-friendly, though leads will be required through some livestock fields). All the walks involve climbing stiles or squeezing through gates but we can suggest more accessible alternatives that are buggy-friendly and wheelchair-friendly. There are lots of notable landmarks and points of interest along the way including Thor's Cave, Wetton Hill, Wetton Low, Manifold Valley, Manifold Trail, Wetton and Wetton Mill. Links to the routes can be found in this blog and our guests can borrow OS maps from us.

Thor's Cave walk

This short loop is only 2.5km and well suited to families and people with dogs. The walk takes you through sweeping fields through a gate into a small, wooded glade, before ascending a steep valley slope; made "easier" by the 198 steps up to Thor's cave. The climb is rewarded by wonderful views of the Manifold Valley from the mouth of Thor's Cave. The cave itself can be explored quite far back, but can be slippy at the entrance, so a torch is recommended for those who want to go deeper in. You can then follow a concession track back to Wetton, taking a detour to the top of Thor's cave on the way for breathtaking views of the White Peak. Boots are required as the route is well trodden and gets very muddy following heavy rain.

Link to route map - https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/7502066/Thors-Cave-loop

Wetton Hill and Wetton Mill

A slightly longer walk at just over 5km, taking you through Wetton, past the lovely tea room situated in the village hall, and well worth stopping off for a tea, coffee or slice of cake. Follow a farm track north out of the village, onto Wetton Hill, an area of access land with handsome Suffolk sheep, and fantastic views of the surrounding countryside. The walk then loops round behind Wetton Hill and into a quiet, steep-sided valley that in in wetter months has a little brook running through it. Walking up a small hill you come out above the picturesque Wetton Mill with its delightful tea room on the RIver Manifold, selling cakes, hot and cold drinks and light bites. There is also a small cave above the mill which is fantastic for some family safe exploring. After stopping off for refreshments you can wind your way back through the Manifold Valley along the Manifold trail before crossing over a bridge below Thor's Cave and heading back up the hill towards Wetton. Hall Farm will be visible on your return across the fields.

Link to route map - https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/7502047/Wetton-Hill-and-Wetton-Mill-loop

Wetton Low and Manifold Valley

This quieter walk is a little over 6km but is fairly flat throughout with just a few small inclines. The route takes you to the west of the village of Wetton before climbing over a style and walking through fields, past a beautiful ruined barn. Some beautiful beef cattle are reared in these fields, always a lovely site when cows have calves at foot. After crossing the road the path takes you above the Manifold Valley offering stunning views of the surrounding countryside. There is much less foot traffic on this walk and is therefore very dog friendly. The route continues along the top of the valley before reaching Castern Woods Nature Reserve before looping back to Wetton along a quiet farm track. The track takes you into the village, passing the playing fields on the way should anyone fancy a go on the zipwire or swings. Once back to Wetton you can head back to Hall Farm or pop into the Royal Oak or the Village Hall tea rooms for some refreshments.

Link to route map - https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/7502088/Wetton-Low-and-Manifold-Valley

Our 2020

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 17:17:52 GMT

2020 - Our first year as small business owners...

So this time last year we had just completed our first Christmas booking, were checking in our New Years guests and were looking forward to our first full year at Hall Farm, excited for the challenges that 2020 may bring. We set ourselves targets, personal ones, business targets, financial targets etc... and were excited about the year. Who could've predicted what lay ahead? Like everyone we have been hugely affected by coronavirus. Through it all we have tried to stay positive, tried not to worry about the lost bookings or the financial impact. We've used the vacant site to renovate our cottages and playbarn - more on that later - and enjoyed getting to know our beautiful local area better with our little girls and Twiggy the dog.

As the rollercoaster year draws to a close we thought it fitting to bring together a little timeline of our activities, as follows:

January and February

I'd imagine you could call these normal months. January was quiet - though busier than forecast, and February got busier, with the half-term holidays blocked out with happy families. We had a check in pretty much everyday over the week which meant we couldn't enjoy much time together as a family which was challenging with L off school and ready to blow off steam. We made the decision that we would limit our check-in days over school holidays in future, to strike a happier work - family balance. Bookings were starting to pile in for March, April and May, surpassing our expectations and keeping us motivated on dark nights. Oh, and there was a strange virus that had been discovered on the other side of the world, nothing to worry about I'm sure...

March

March started off well but it was becoming increasingly likely that Covid 19 could cause us a problem. The thought of having to close down for a few weeks or even a month was unsettling; little did we know that midway through the month we would be shutdown, completely, with no property income at all for the best part of three and a half months. The next week was spent moving bookings or refunding cancellations and desperately trying to think of ways to keep afloat over the next few months. Fortunately our guests were incredibly understanding and were very flexible with moving their dates which soothed the initial sting.

April

We are very fortunate that Tom was still working full time as a teacher, which added to a bit of relief support from the government enabled us to pay the bills, albeit a fraction of what we would've earned which is hard to forget! Insurance companies weren't paying out but we had enough to get by so we spent the majority of April enjoying the incredible weather and extra time together as a family... walking in the local area, jumping on the lockdown bandwagon with Joe Wicks, zoom calls, homeschooling, and a lot of gardening when the girls afforded us the time.

May and June

By this point it had become quite clear that we weren't going to have guests for quite some time so we decided to dig deep and embark on some renovations. We upgraded some bedroom decor and furniture, but wanted a bigger project so we decided on a complete overhaul of our playbarn and outside spaces. With Ryan (Tom's friend) as our project manager we completely remodelled our indoor playspace with new heating, lights, flooring, plastering, windows, doors and paint. Tom helped around his work - where he could while homeschooling continued in the house. Once it was decorated we sourced some accessories second hand and new - table tennis table, pool table, toys and games. The feedback from our guests since has been fantastic, making all the juggling and hard work so worthwhile.

We pulled down the old play area and built a brand new one at top of the garden after excavating and levelling part of the lawn. Where the old climbing frame was we put in a traversing wall [a lot harder than it looks] and a nice challenge to occupy our family too! We updated the signage around the property, keeping the colours of the previous signs. Some new garden furniture followed for outside our cottages and a new barbecue area for our guests to enjoy the sun - fingers were crossed we would have chance for guests to christen them in what was left of the summer.

The final weeks of June were spent frantically painting walls, several of which needed replastering after wallpaper was removed, and sanding floorboards, an onerous task to put it politely. With the grand opening just around the corner we had managed to upgrade both bedrooms in Manifold and update some of the soft furnishings and art work.

July-October

It seems strange to bunch all these months together but they literally flew by. We were fully booked from the moment we were allowed to open (July 4th, our very own Independence Day!) to the moment we were once again instructed to close. Amidst a few longer bookings we managed to escape to Wales for a few nights at the end of August to recharge our batteries; sorely needed after the year we've had.

During our months of business-as-usual we welcomed some wonderful guests, many of whom have already booked again for next year. We received lots of compliments and even won a regional hospitality award. We continued to listen to feedback from our guests and planned some improvements if another national lockdown came into force...

We finished this period by building a new enclosure for our new permanent guests. Eight rescue hens, with more to come once we get another coop organised. We love our little hens (Gina, Mini, Rebel, Lacey, Rosie, Linda, Bunty and Fifi) and our young guests have enjoyed meeting them too. We now gratefully gather fresh eggs everyday for own and guests consumption!

November -December

Another lockdown you say? Oh well, what's four more weeks...? We were a little resigned to our fate and had already made the decision that we would make some further improvements to the cottages if we were to close. The list of next steps was long,

New heating in all the cottages to replace the old night storage heaters.
New flooring in Manifold and Thor's
New kitchens in Manifold and Thor's
Paint all three cottages
Install new fuse boards and upgrade the electrics
Update Thor's master bedroom

After much debate, in the end we couldn't decide a logical order so we just went for an "all of the above" approach. The craziest of crazy months ensued, with different tradesmen on site everyday (hugest of thanks to Ash, Leon, Paul, Ryan x2, Salva and Steve). They went out of their way to get us finished for Christmas, arriving at 5am on some days and not leaving till almost midnight on others. *If anyone needs new carpets, flooring, electrics, kitchens, painting etc... we can't recommend them enough, just ask for details!*

We helped out (and hopefully didn't hinder!) where we could, taking it in turns to work into the early hours. One night in particular stands out where we didn't finish varnishing, cleaning, sanding, filling and painting until 2am. Not a typical run up to Christmas amidst planning the perfect farewell to 2020 for our own family, and EVERYTHING that goes with end of term at school.... which makes the fruits of our labour so much juicier! We are really pleased with the end results

We were grateful to be able to squeeze in our Christmas booking in line with the governments ever-changing guidance. Fortunately our guests were very understanding and changed their length of stay accordingly. The final night before their arrival was spent cleaning up all the debris from the work, dusting off new surfaces and putting up the Christmas decorations, We cranked the Hall Farm Christmas experience up a notch this year, reorganising the playbarn into a cosy and festive setting for guests to spend a special day together, complete with a 7ft Chrustmas tree, lights, a fully set table and lots of special, locally sourced treats. Our guests were blown away and had enjoyed a very memorable Christmas Day.

We couldn't be prouder of our partnership navigating all this together, and remain ever grateful for family and friends for listening to, supporting, bolstering, and cheering us along the way.

And now it's over to you, 2021!

Who knows what next year has in store. We look forward to meeting our guests, new and old, when we can open again. In the meantime we will stay busy and keep to our New Year's resolution (regularly updating our blog). Wishing everyone good health and fortune in 2021. Tom, Em, Libby, Jess and Twiggy.

2020 - what a start !

tom.heaney@hotmail.com — Mon, 11 May 2020 20:26:24 GMT

We picked a good year to enter the tourist industry...

Somehow we are now into our 8th week of lockdown, I think? Eight weeks of "homeschooling", eight weeks of working from home, eight weeks of exploring our local area and eight weeks without any guests.

The bookings calendar for April and May was the busiest since our "launch", and the months were set to whizz by with us manically spinning all the plates for work and home; cleaning, washing and prepping for all our guests around Tom's teaching, childcare, school runs, book-keeping, marketing (the list goes on...) Unfortunately that hasn't been the case, but we continue to count our blessings and remain pragmatic about our situation. For a start, Emily has been able to experience the phenomenon known as "relaxing on the sofa" and, more significantly, we have been granted precious time to make some plans for the future, as follows:

1 - Our play barn is set to be completely refurbished. Our aim is to make it a warmer, cleaner and smarter space. Some structural work, updating electrics, fresh paint and upgrading a lot of the toys will hopefully bring the best out of this invaluable facility for poor weather and relaxing evenings.

2 - Hens - The exciting arrival of a flock of feathered friends. Once fencing is secured and the space cleared, a number of lovely ladies (a mix of ex-battery rescue birds and a few other breeds for interest) will be housed in a sheltered spot behind the play barn. Here they can scratch, dust bathe and peck their way around a large - and currently underutilised - area of coppice. To enable guests to make the most of their clucking good company, we will be providing pathways around their enclosure and a secluded natural seating area for kids or adults to escape and enjoy the amazing views down to Thor's cave. Guests will also benefit from the freshest and the free-est of free-range eggs in their welcome hampers. We are also sure that, as a poultry enthusiast since she could walk, our eldest daughter will be more than happy to give passionate demonstrations of the inner workings of the hen house! She's asked for a cockerel too, but I'm not sure guests will be too grateful for the 4am wake up calls; watch this space though as she can be very persuasive...

3 - Play area - As the henhouse will be taking over the barked outdoor play space, we will be building a new play area for with climbing frame for older kids or those missing the gym, stepping stones and an outdoor eating area in a different part of the guest gardens.

4 - Garden furniture - Some of our current plastic furniture didn't make it through the worst of the storms earlier this year (lesson learned as to just how much weighing down is required up here!). In their wake, we are going to add some reclaimed wooden furniture for Manifold and Thor's and couples seating area outside Dovedale. Perfect for watching the sun go down (or up if we lose the cockerel argument...)

We will update you with our progress on our Instagram and Facebook pages so please keep an eye out and let us know your thoughts! Hopefully when this all goes away and we get back to our 'new' normal we'll have an even better Hall Farm to share with our guests. Until then we remain alert, but closed.

Stay safe and stay home!

Keeping busy

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 20:42:16 GMT

Isolation...

Hello! I thought it was time for a little update on how we've been occupying ourselves during lockdown. April was set to be a very busy month, with the cottages all but booked up. Unfortunately that wasn't to be, so turning negative to positive we've used the empty calendar to get to know the local area better, and make the most of the gained time with our two wonderful daughters. We've been (at times precariously!) balancing parenting with me (Tom) working remotely, and both of us carrying out maintenance and improvements to the cottages and site. The weather has been such a gift at this testing time, and we've certainly made the most of it, with as much time as possible spent mixing work with play outside. As yet, therefore, we haven't started on some of the jobs waiting inside the cottages, but there's still three more weeks for that it seems (and the rest?) ....

In no particular order, our goings-on can be summarised as follows:

1 - We've walked, cycled - carried / pushed- and run. We are so incredibly fortunate to have been able to spend our daily exercise walking and running various scenic routes in the locality; helping us be a bit more recommendation ready for when guests return. We've also tried to do our bit in the local area by going on litter picks along the most commonly trodden pathways. L&J have really enjoyed it, so we are going to make it a weekly thing. See below some snaps from our recent walks.

2 - Gardening. One of the many features that attracted us to Hall Farm was the amazing garden. We were fortunate that the previous owners had worked so hard to establish such a wonderful outside space, which has really come into its own with the blooms and blossom of spring. We've been planting, weeding, digging, strimming, trimming, edging and mowing... lots and lots of mowing! We've built a den for our young guests and we plan on updating the cottages' outdoor dining space to better enable guests to relax and take in the beautiful views over dinner. The girls have been occupied drawing rainbows for passersby and making the most of all the outdoor play equipment, which has given us a few minutes freedom to work here and there.

3 - Meeting the local wildlife and livestock. We've immersed ourselves in what the countryside has to offer, befriending lambs, ponies and hens in the village, and enjoying daily sightings of buzzards, pheasants, this year's leverets, owls, bats and hundreds of our (lovingly fed) garden birds. We even spotted a red kite when walking along the Manifold Trail which was a very impressive sight. I've managed to locate my old Lumix so I'm aiming to hone my wildlife photography skills ahead of our next post!

So, what's next?

We've decided that over the next two weeks we are going to embark on a Hall Farm Holiday experience, staying as a family for a night in each of our cottages. We figured what better way to understand our customers' experiences than by becoming our own guests - though as our own toughest critics, I hope we don't create too much work in the process! We'll share our reviews once we've done - and caught up on the sleep that is likely to be lost in the excitement of it all.

Aside from that... more fresh air, more gardening and when it eventually rains, some D.I.Y.

Stay Safe,

Weathering the storm(s)

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 19:56:23 GMT

And looking forward to sunnier skies ...

This afternoon we were blessed with a glimpse of sunshine - having almost forgotten its existence after a month of very challenging weather. We've endured storms, blizzards, 60mph winds and very low temperatures - the upside this week being the breathtaking scenery, blanketed in snow. O ur guests (and our girls) have enjoyed making snowmen and sledging on the lawn, which has certainly sprinkled some magic on their holiday stays.

We are certainly looking forward to shedding some layers and gaining some daylight hours as spring approaches. It will be nice to restore the balance between time consumed getting dressed to venture outside with the actual time spent out there! With the minutes no longer disappearing wriggling small fingers into gloves, pulling on boots and zipping up multiple coats, we will be allocating time to setting up a nice home in the coppice behind the playbarn for a flock of feathered friends. We also have plans to make some improvements to the play areas and summer dining spaces.

Despite the weather doing its best to spoil play, we have received lots of great and heartwarming feedback from our guests; helping to make all the late nights and early mornings prepping for their arrival worthwhile. The words cosy, warm and comfortable (and "playbarn was a Godsend", or similar!) are cropping up frequently, reassuring us that Hall Farm is the year-round retreat we hoped it could be! The most rewarding experience this month has been securing bookings from our first repeat customers, not bad after only 6 months on the job.

Friends and family have been very surprised with every "it's snowing again" message... so here's a few snaps as proof!

Time for an update...

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 23:27:28 GMT

It's been a busy week...

Making the most of a brief spell of dry weather, we have been busy de-wintering the outside of the property; sweeping, tidying up, clearing borders and adding a bit of colour to pots. Our beautiful snowdrops are out in full force, (always a beacon of hope to help conquer January blues) and green shoots emerging en masse, promising more colour soon. With some more mild(er) weather ahead of us over the weekend, we are hoping to carry on planting in the cottage borders, ready for what looks like a very busy February for bookings.

Not only the garden has had a face lift, for we also used this last week to update some of the furniture in the cottages. Renting a Luton, Tom spent the majority of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday toing and froing around Staffordshire and Derbyshire (almost straying into Yorkshire at one point) to pick up - as good as -new, and drop off the old, furniture. With a little extra muscle in the form of a friend (thanks Tom J) and Nanny Sally, we managed to get the job done. The cottages have certainly benefited from our efforts, and we hope you and our guests agree!

Complimenting the furniture are our new Roman blinds, which we think look super smart and have allowed more light into the rooms. These were made to measure by the excellent Claire Hardwick who runs her own company "Curtains Up" based a few miles down the road. It felt great to support a local tradeswoman, and I couldn't recommend her more highly. Interior design is not really on my list of natural talents, and she was very helpful and patient with my endless questions! Here are a few shots of the new additions - albeit in the dark - before we add some proper pics to the website next week.

Emily

New Year, New Toys

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 22:06:08 GMT

A few new additions ...

We've kick started 2020 with a few new toys and gadgets to benefit guests of all ages.

We now have a Jumperoo in our baby and toddler section; perfect for containing bouncy little ones, and giving achy arms a little rest, the chance to have a game of pool or table tennis, or, if not partaking in dry January, to enjoy a well earned glass of wine!

The play barn is now organised such that it is suitable for children of all ages, teenagers and adults alike, and we enjoy seeing our guests (and Libby and Jess) making the most of this great space. Guests have been commenting on just how valuable it is, particularly when the weather is poor or a young child is napping and elder sibling needs something to do!

The cottages themselves now boast some new tech gadgets for all to enjoy.

Our smart TVs have access to Netflix, perfect for relaxing with your favourite boxset after a long day walking and exploring. Alexa is also on hand to answer all your questions and play your music requests via Amazon music thanks to our new Echo Dots. She's also providng an excellent Au Pair service, helping keep little Jess occupied with favourite songs on repeat while Emily cleans!

Last but not least - certainly for your caffeine dependent hosts (!) - we've added Nespresso coffee machines to each cottage. We provide you with compostable coffee pods in your welcome pack - just pop them in the brown bin when you are done with them - and more are available to purchase should you need an extra boost!

That's your mornings and evenings catered for - the rest of the day is yours to design!

Christmas 2019

Wed, 25 Dec 2019 22:30:20 GMT

Welcome to our blog...

Our first Christmas at Hall Farm has been a total whirlwind (or should that be snowstorm, though we are yet to have more than a dusting <drums fingers>) We have really enjoyed making the place look festive for our first Christmas. The fairy lights and decorations have been gratefully received by all our December guests which makes the hours up a ladder securing lights to the gutters (Tom), and decorating throughout the cottages (Emily), completely worthwhile. We had a few glitches along the way, none more agonising than Tom snipping through his carefully strung Christmas lights whilst trimming a rose bush; fortunately an easy fix. I'm very glad there were no guests in earshot at the time!

We are looking forward to bringing in 2020, and already have plans in place to continue improving the cottage interiors and wider site. Coffee machines and Alexas are being installed over the holidays, a local haberdasher is delivering new blinds and curtains at the end of January and we have some new additions for the play barn on order.

Bigger plans lie ahead, but for now i t’s time for some fresh air, festive fun and games by the fire with our little girls.

Merry Christmas all! EH

Going green

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Going Green

We are working hard to reduce our impact on the environment at Hall Farm. The previous owners installed solar panels and we use a 100% renewable energy supplier to provide our electricity. With the cottages being heated by storage heaters you can be 100% carbon neutral on your stay if you wish. We are currently in the process of having a electric vehicle charging system installed on our property - this will be available for guests to use at a small cost.

Our cleaning and laundry products (mainly Ecover and Method which are brilliant brands) are plant-based, non-animal tested and refillable. We've had positive feedback from guests regarding the washing up liquid, surface spray and hand wash in the cottages and detergent and softener in our utility barn.

Items in our welcome hamper are sourced locally wherever possible. Fresh milk is provided for all guests from a local dairy farm in Cheadle (Wheat Brothers) and we use local suppliers and stores from Ashbourne, Bakewell, Leek and Hartington.

Our fantastic location in the White Peak means you can walk and cycle from the doorstep, we also have lots of maps available for people to borrow should they wish. Whilst we aren't blessed with the best public transport links on our doorstep we can give guidance on train and bus routes. Sheffield, Manchester and Derby trains are all within 30 minutes of our doorstep should you wish to venture into the city.

Welcome to our blog

Mon, 09 Dec 2019 22:30:18 GMT

Since before we were married, Tom and I (Emily) - both Geography teachers - had shared dreams of running a campsite, B&B or outdoor education centre in the Peak District; somewhere we could combine our knowledge of the local landscape and love of people to earn a living, whilst enabling a rural upbringing for our (then future!) children. When Hall Farm appeared for sale in March 2019, we took one look at it and decided to rip life up and start again. We risked a lot, slept very little and sprouted lots of grey hairs, but were determined to give it a go!

After 6 months rather tense months, on 2nd September, Hall Farm became our family home and exciting new business venture. Tom has been busy juggling a full time teaching job and me charged with the day-to-day running of the business around the wide-ranging and never-ending demands of two young children.

A midst carnage of the actual move, starting our eldest at school, celebrating birthdays, extensive clear outs across the site, new purchases, making some initial updates to the cottages and learning our new trade on the job, we have welcomed our first series of lovely - and thankfully satisfied - guests.

Bookings came in thick and fast, many with only a days notice, so with feet hardly touching the ground, there hasn’t been a spare moment to sort our website and our blog. But here it finally is, so please read on...

*Edit* I have shamefully omitted a HUGE thank you to our incredible family and friends - old and new - who have made this process possible with two young children at foot! I think you all know who you are! ��