Last weekend we explored part of the Peak District. It’s a fantastic place to visit with a dog as there’s loads of great places to walk, and lots of towns and villages are dog-friendly. We spent most of our time in and around Bakewell, a beautiful market town situated on the banks of the river Wye. It’s one of the most popular places in the Peak District and so much of it was dog-friendly. Nova got lots of attention as we walked around.
Saturday Morning
We started our trip at Yew Tree Farm campsite in Alfreton. It’s located in a nice quiet area, just a short distance from Matlock and the Peak District National Park. The site is family friendly and has loads of room for dogs to run free. There were a few other dogs around so Nova had some friends to play with.
After setting up at the campsite, we drove into Bakewell and parked in the town centre. It took us about 30 minutes to drive from the campsite but we found parking in Bakewell easily.
Lunch Time
We headed to the Wheatsheaf for some lunch. It’s dog friendly throughout so we could sit inside with Nova. The menu was fantastic and there were lots of options. They even had a canine menu with some goodies for pups.
All the staff loved Nova so our table got a lot of attention. Everyone was so accommodating, this might be the most dog-friendly restaurant we’ve ever been to!
Exploring Bakewell
After enjoying our lunch, we went into the Peak Tourist Centre to see what there was to discover nearby. The tourist centre had an art exhibition on the mezzanine floor so we headed up to take a look. The exhibition had lots of photography of the local area. Nova spent most of the time looking down at the people and dogs below through the glass balcony.
As we explored the town, we found Barks & Co, a pet shop with everything a dog owner could need. We couldn’t resist stopping by and grabbing something. The staff adored Nova, and she got a couple of free treats. We bought Nova some new toys to play with at the campsite.
As we were in Bakewell, we just had to get a classic Bakewell Pudding, so we went to the Bakewell Tart Shop. Nova wasn’t allowed inside, but they had some benches outside for us to sit on as Phil went inside and got us our treats. Most of the shops in town had water bowls outside and outdoor seating.
We headed away from the town centre and enjoyed a short walk along the River Wye to Love Locks Bridge. There were plenty of local shops along the riverfront and some allowed dogs inside, like the Rebel Drinks Shop where we stopped to get a drink.
Heading back into town, we found a hidden gem, Hebden Court, which was a very small but picturesque courtyard with a couple of dog-friendly shops. Many of the shops in town had signs on their doors to show if they were dog friendly, which helped when deciding where to go.
Matlock and Peak Village
We ended our first day by driving to Matlock to visit Peak Village, which is a lovely little dog-friendly shopping village. We wandered around and went inside Garden World and Dr Derbyshire’s.
After some shopping, we drove back to the campsite and enjoyed the rest of the evening soaking up the atmosphere, building a campfire and getting snuggly in the tent. Nova took everything in her stride and enjoyed sleeping in the tent!
Sunday Morning
We packed up the tent early in the morning and drove back into Bakewell for some breakfast. We were so impressed with the town that we had to go back! It was about 9:30 am when we arrived in Bakewell and the car park was empty. About half an hour later, it was packed again. Worth noting for future visits.
We walked to the Gallery Cafe for breakfast. Dogs weren’t allowed inside but there were a few seats outside in the courtyard. The staff were lovely and brought a water bowl out for Nova. The food was stunning, just what we fancied. I had a vegan breakfast and Phil had a bacon and sausage sandwich. They had plenty of options that catered for different dietary requirements and everything was delicious. We sat next to a family with two dogs who had also been camping for the first time with their pups.
There was a bookstore next to the cafe and we’d seen a few dogs go in and out, so after we’d eaten, we popped in to have a look around.
The River Wye
We walked back to the river Wye and followed the river all the way down to The Bakewell Showground. There were a few spots where we could walk down to the river so Phil and Nova could have fun paddling. After some time in the water, we dried off and walked back to the car to start our drive home.
It was a wonderful weekend and we’ll definitely be recommending Bakewell to our dog owner friends. There are a few places we didn’t get the chance to visit so we’ll be planning another trip ourselves soon. Next time we want to visit Thornbridge Brewery, a local brewery that a local told us is dog friendly. There’s also Bakewell Old House Museum, a Tudor house turned museum with a history of the local area.
Bakewell is a fantastic place to visit with your dog! Make sure to visit if you get the chance.
