We’ve enjoyed numerous lovely weekends away in Derbyshire’s Peak District so for a change we decided to explore South Derbyshire which is noted for its gently rolling countryside and characterful villages. Follow my suggested itinerary for the perfect short break.
Day 1:
Getting to South Derbyshire
We planned to base our trip in the historic village of Repton which is located close to the Staffordshire border in the East Midlands. This part of Derbyshire is easily accessed by leaving the M1 motorway at Junction 24 and then following the A38 towards Derby.
Breakfast in Kings Newton
After our two and a half hour drive from home we were feeling peckish so made our first stop at Toni & Bens Farm Shop in the village of Kings Newton. This award winning farm shop and deli is located just two miles from the farm itself benefitting from a strong farm to fork philosophy.
We’d heard that the farm shop’s breakfast baps were legendary so ordered egg and bacon rolls along with our cups of coffee. We took these out to eat in the courtyard then savoured every mouthful of the delicious dry cured bacon. To walk off our breakfast we then moved the car to the village centre from where we enjoyed a stroll admiring the village’s picture perfect cottages.
Melbourne
It was then just a short hop back in the car to Melbourne, a delightful village noted for its Hall, Pool and Gardens. I was excited to visit Derbyshire’s very own Melbourne as I’d already visited its much larger namesake in Victoria, Australia the previous year. Melbourne Hall was a secondary home of Queen Victoria’s first Prime Minister William Lamb, who as second Viscount Melbourne gave his name to the Australian city of Melbourne in the 1830s.
It’s a very interesting village and it is where in 1808, Thomas Cook, known throughout the world for the international travel company which he founded, spent his early life. The cottage he was born in has been demolished but the almshouses he built in Melbourne remain as a lasting memorial, together with a special garden dedicated to him. As an avid traveller, this was of particular interest to me.
Melbourne today is a foodie hotspot with a superb selection of restaurants, pubs and cafes. We were also impressed with the wide range of independent retailers including galleries, antique, clothes and gift shops.
Continuing on our way, our next stop was at Church Square from where we passed through the stone gateway to Melbourne Pool. The pool was much larger than I’d anticipated and clearly very popular with families and dog walkers as there were plenty of people about enjoying the spring sunshine.
We’d timed our short break one week too early to visit Melbourne Gardens as it opens for the season from early April. Melbourne Hall can also be visited but has more limited opening hours.
Wandering through the grounds of the Hall we spotted the beautiful Melbourne Hall Tearooms so popped inside for some lunch. The tearooms offer light lunches and afternoon teas, all of the food being home made. I opted for a bowl of leek and potato soup and a toasted sandwich, both very tasty and reasonably priced.
Leaving there, we called into the Creative Melbourne Gallery which exhibits work created by Melbourne Festival artists and makers. Melbourne Festival is an annual two-week celebration of arts, crafts, musical performances, recitals and exhibitions that takes place each September. This year the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary and annually attracts over 6,000 visitors coming to view the 150 artists spread across 60 venues around the village.
No visit to a pretty Derbyshire village is complete without a drink in a local pub so we called into The Spirit Vaults before heading back to the car. The pub has its own on-site micro brewery so we both ordered small glasses of their own brewed ales, my Hazy IPA being very refreshing. The pub offers a full menu and although we didn’t sample any, the food looked really good as we noticed dishes passing by.
It was then time to check into our accommodation in the centre of the historic village of Repton. The Boot is a 17th century coaching inn and part of the independent Bespoke Inns group.
We were booked into one of their luxuriously appointed rooms with ours having an Alpine theme. From a pair of traditional wooden skis hanging on a wall, to exposed beams, brickwork and faux-fur rugs, it was very cosy.
That evening we enjoyed a traditional roast in The Boot’s restaurant which tasted delicious and was very reasonably priced at just £34.99 for three courses. The Boot
Day 2
Historic Village of Repton
After a tasty breakfast in the hotel, we set out on foot to explore Repton which was once the Anglo-Saxon capital of Mercia. Village highlights include St Wystan’s church and the remains of Repton Priory, an Augustinian house founded in 1172. After the dissolution of the Monasteries, part of the priory buildings became the home of Repton School. Founded in 1557, today it is one of the world’s top independent schools, with alumni including Roald Dahl.
Calke Abbey – the National Trust’s ‘unstately home’
Around a 20 minute drive from Repton stands Calke Abbey set within a large country estate. After spending some time exploring the grounds and walled gardens we took a self guided tour of the house.
Only a couple of rooms have been restored to their former glory, the remainder have peeling paintwork and abandoned rooms documenting the story of a country house in decline. The family had varied interests and never threw anything away as was evident from the vast collections stored in each room. Definitely worth a visit.
Mercia Marina – one of Europe’s largest inland marinas
Back in the car, it was just another short journey to Mercia Marina which is a large inland marina lined with colourful narrowboats. We enjoyed strolling around the marina and browsing the independent boutiques overlooking the water.
After lunch in the newly opened Compamigos Tapas Bar we took a leisurely canal boat trip with Mercia Swan from the waterfront along the Trent and Mersey Canal.
On offer are 45 minute trips to the nearby village of WIllington or 75 minute trips to Stenson Lock. We opted for the latter and as it was such a lovely, sunny afternoon we were able to sit out on the front deck soaking up the views.
Dinner at The Dragon, Willington
For a change of scene we opted to eat dinner in The Dragon at Willington, a sister inn to The Boot and just a couple of miles from our base in Repton. The Dragon offers an interesting menu with its attractive restaurant and conservatory decorated with indoor trees.
Day 3
Our final morning’s breakfast at The Boot resulted in me opting for Avocado Benedict a second time as it was such a delicious start to the day, accompanied with barista made cappuccinos.
Rosliston Forestry Centre
A short drive to the Rosliston Forestry Centre and an opportunity to walk off our large breakfasts. The forestry centre sits in the oldest community woodland in the National Forest and is free to visit. We picked up a map from the visitor centre and started off by taking the one mile looped Tree Trail.
This would be really nice when the trees are in leaf as all along the way are information boards explaining how to identify different species of trees. Linked to the Tree Trail is the Lake Walk so we also followed that one before leaving. The visitor centre is home to a cafe and small gift shop.
Sharpe’s Pottery Museum
As a contrast to nature, we turned our attention to a more urban environment moving on to the market town of Swadlincote. Of particular interest in the town is Sharpe’s Pottery Museum partially located in a Grade II listed Bottle Kiln. Entrance to this fascinating museum is free of charge and is where we learnt about the Sharpe’s family toilet invention.
Other galleries focus on local ceramics, clay extraction and changes to the local area from 19th century coal mining to a 21st century sustainable landscape led by the creation of the National Forest. We then enjoyed a stroll around Swadlincote before returning to the car.
Derbyshire Wildlife Nature Reserve (Willington Wetlands)
There was then just enough time to fit in another walk, this one at the Willington Wetlands Nature Reserve. This former gravel quarry is home to the first beavers back in Derbyshire after 800 years where they enjoy over 40 hectares of wetland habitat, within a special beaver-proof fence. There is limited parking along a narrow lane by the nature reserve entrance otherwise parking is available in the village centre, a 15 minutes walk away.
We followed a path through the wetlands noticing the metal beaver-proof fence but didn’t see any beavers. We didn’t spot any birdlife either despite hearing much chirping in the trees. An information board stated that the wetlands teem with bird life, dragonflies and damselflies but they were keeping well camouflaged during our walk.
That concluded our three days in South Derbyshire. What a lovely time we’d had from visiting the delightful village of Melbourne to spending a sunny afternoon at Mercia Marina and following walking trails in the National Forest and Willington Wetlands. Staying at The Boot in Repton was very comfortable and made for a very relaxing base to explore this often overlooked but nonetheless beautiful part of Derbyshire. I hope this post has inspired some of you to plan a visit as I’m sure you’ll enjoy the area just as much as we did.
