Stately Homes
Diving and snorkeling are available in Rakiraki and Nananu-i-Ra.
BOLSOVER CASTLE
Set on a hilltop overlooking the Vale of Scarsdale, Bolsover Castle enjoys panoramic views over the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.
Be transported back to the golden age of chivalry and romance, children will love the fairy-tale Little Castle, designed as a fantasy entertainment house with magnificent wall paintings.
Visit the indoor Riding House where William, Duke of Newcastle indulged his passion for training horses in balletic movement.
Wander round the beautiful Venus Garden, with its secluded love seats, 23 statues and fountain which plays again for the first time in centuries.
More Information:
- Minimum Age: 8 years
- Half Day Trip
- Available Year-round
CALKE ABBEY
Situated near Melbourne, Calke Abbey tells the story of the dramatic decline of a country house estate. The house where time stopped in the 1920’s – the house which slipped from finery to faded glory has been renovated by The National Trust.
Collections of birds, ornaments, paintings and family photographs captured in time.
See the Chinese Silk bed kept in a box until 1985, explore the three walled gardens with their glasshouses and see the restored orangery.
Enjoy wonderful walks around the renovated lakes & deer park.
CHATSWORTH HOUSE
Home of the Duke & Duchess of Devonshire – Chatsworth House is known by many as the ‘Palace of the Peak’. Largely 17th Century and set in the grandest of landscaped grounds.
Inside are 175 richly furnished and decorated rooms, 26 of which are open to the public and contain one of the finest private art collections in the world.
The garden is celebrated for its fountains and cascades, other notable features include the rockeries, maze, kitchen garden and miles of walks.
In addition there is a farmyard and adventure playground, shops & restaurants.
HADDON HALL
A medieval hunting lodge, owned by the Duke of Rutland, Haddon Hall has changed little since the reign of Henry V111. Described by Simon Jenkins in “1000 Best Houses” as “the most perfect house to survive from the middle ages”.
Set in the heart of the beautiful Peak District National Park, parts of the house date from the 12th Century, sitting like a jewel in its Elizabethan terraced gardens, and overlooking the River Wye. Film-makers flock to Haddon Hall to use it as a location for period dramas.
The gardens are exquisite.
HARDWICK HALL
An Elizabethan masterpiece which survives almost unchanged today. Hardwick Hall contains one of Europe’s best collections of embroideries & tapestries.
Set in 300 acres of country park with an Elizabethan enclosed garden.
Enjoy the Duke & Duchess short walk in the upper park at Hardwick, taking in atmospheric woodland and historic parkland.
SUDBURY HALL
Situated near Uttoxeter, Sudbury Hall, the country home of the Lords Vernon, offers a delight of 17th-century craftsmanship, featuring exquisite plasterwork, wood carvings and classical story-based murals.
The delightful Museum of Childhood allows visitors a glimpse into the past to experience growing up during the last 100 years. Fascinating displays include a wealthy family nursery, Edwardian school room & a Coal Tunnel for adventurous children.
Sudbury Hall has the Betty Cadbury collection of Playthings Past and displays of Victoriana.
Enjoy the formal gardens & meadows which lead dow
KEDLESTON HOUSE
Take a trip back in time to the 1760s at this spectacular Neo-classical mansion framed by historic parkland.
Designed for lavish entertaining and displaying an extensive collection of paintings, sculpture and original furnishings, Kedleston is a stunning example of the work of architect Robert Adam.
The Curzon family have lived here since the 12th-century and continue to live at the Hall. Lord Curzon’s Eastern Museum is a treasure trove of fascinating objects acquired on his travels in Asia and while Viceroy of India (1899 to 1905).
The Hall was used as a key location for ‘The Duchess’, the Hollywood blockbuster staring Keira Knightley
Enjoy the three mile walk created in 1776, explore the park with its lakes and fishing pavilion.