Chatsworth and the River Derwent, watercolour sketch 20 inches by 10.

In Derbyshire lies the English Peak district.
An area of great classical English country beauty with rolling hills, interesting towns, famous historical Country Houses and , in the High Peak some really spectacular scenery.

So for a few  days we stayed in a great Hotel, The Cavendish  Hotel at Baslow,  It is very close to Chatsworth House and whilst based there we toured around this fine part of Central England.

Good and generous food portions and really delightful scenery abound and so it was a nice opportunity to do some sketching and painting of the area.

As we were so close to Chatsworth we spent some time there both inside this extravagant home of one of England’s historically richest families and  in the countryside of the Derbyshire Dales.

If you haven’t visited this area it is very well worth doing so.

A more formal watercolour of the River Derwent as it passes by Chatsworth. Watercolour on Arches 300gsm paper. 14 iches by 10. For sale on Artfinder.

Derbyshire and the Paek District has some wonderful Pack horse bridges and waterfalls. Here are Sketches of two of them to give you some idea of the great scenery to be seen in the area.

A bridge over the River Wye near Bakewell

A Derbyshire Pack Horse bridge

Whilst in the Peak District one the best places to visit  is the Hope Valley and Castleton. Castleton is a nice small town nesting below Winnats Pass with lots of pubs and coffee shops. It is also the home of Blue John Jewellery which is mined just outside the Town.

From Castleton the drive over Winnats Pass is amazing and for those with better walking capabilities than I it is  a wonderful hiking area. At the top of Winnats Pass the scenery is really lovely with Mam Tor and the high peak area really delightful.

This sketch tries to capture that panorama there but you reall have to go there to experience the spectacular nature if the area.

On the top of Winnats Pass. A watercolour sketch 21 by 10

We visited the very interesting village of Eyam. There in 1665 plague struck and the villagers virtually sealed themselves off to await their fate, and thus not infect others. Many died  both there and right across the UK and Eur0pe. In Eyam there is an excellent museum with great details of the history of that time and a lot of very interesting information about the village and the plague.

Quite close to the M1  in this area you will also find Hardwick House, the former home of Bess of Hardwick and the creator of Chatsworth. Another great house to visit and get the feel of Elizabethan 17th Century England.

We enjoyed our time in The Peak District a  great deal and will return there again to explore more of the scenery,  towns and villages of the area.

Happy travelling

Brian

Don’t forget you can see many of my watercolours at http://www.artfinder.com/brianswatercolours where they are for sale.And also on http://www.artgallery.co.uk