Peppa gets up close and personal with Santa in the Peak District. On a visit to one of the Peak District’s posh houses, I was very happy to meet Santa (well, that’s who he said he was) and hopefully tell him about the things I want for Christmas – treats, cheese, walks, treats and treats. We were at the wonderful Thornbridge Hall just outside a village called Ashford in the Water. Could it get any more Christmassy? Well, yes. It could because Thornbridge is the place to head to on December 5th-7th or December 12th-14th for a delightful Christmas Shopping Village experience.
There are other Christmas markets in the area, including the big one at Chatsworth and another at beautiful Haddon Hall (dogs not allowed), but what makes this great for me is that it is entirely pooch-friendly, which means I can trail my humans around the stalls both inside and outside the venue.
I can also step into the magic of the festive season on a guided tour of the house itself, until December 20th. And what a lovely setting in which to get into the yuletide spirit! When the humans have feasted on the attractions of this grade II listed grand residence as well as mulled wine and mince pie slice, we can go for walkies around the glorious 10 acres of formal gardens. There’s plenty of stuff for children to do too – including meeting Santa in his grotto – and Quackers Café, where you can enjoy lunch, or a delicious Christmas afternoon tea.
Thornbridge is a quirky take on a country house, grand without stuffiness, a place where owners Emma and Jim Harrison don’t mind strangers poking around their kitchens, music room and bar. It’s also home to the love locks, which were removed this year from Bakewell Bridge and a bonkers pond where you can hook a plastic duck.
As well as Quackers Café, there are plenty of places in the neighbourhood to grab lunch or supper. Super dog-friendly is the Stables Bar overlooking the dramatic Monsall Head. This place still looks like somewhere a horse might still feel welcome, complete with stone flooring and stalls. The food here is everything you’d want from a country inn. Freshly made and delicious. The chips are real!
Starters include a Korean fried Squid, which one human declared better than anything he’d eaten by the sea, while grilled Halloumi and pear salad with hazelnuts was another triumph. Wine and beer are excellent thanks to local suppliers Hattersley’s and Thornbridge Brewery.
So doggy friends, I am sure you’d love Thornbridge and the surrounding Peak District countryside. In fact, so much so that I asked Santa to put it on the list for every pet pooch in the land.
Woof woof and happy Christmas to you all!
Peppa was a guest of Thornbridge Hall: www.thornbridgehall.co.uk
By Janet Reeder | Images Paul Morgans
