Wheeldon Trees Cottages — Hotel in Derbyshire Dales

Writer’s block is a terrible curse for any budding author. Words won’t flow and the writer will find anything and everything more interesting or important in order to avoid sitting down and stringing together a few sentences.

When it descended on me, I would often be found vacuuming the carpets, polishing the furniture, or hanging out the washing. My wife has become a big fan of my periods of procrastination as she knows our home will be spotless.

It was during just such a period that I decided drastic action was required if I wanted to ever complete the crime thriller I’ve been working on for more than two years.

I’d read about other authors who had taken themselves away to writing retreats, sometimes with fantastic results. It seems that a change of routine, and perhaps a view of cows and countryside, can unblock the creative flow quicker than Mr Muscle clears sinks.

I guess the fresh air and bucolic bliss combine to act like some sort of Senokot for the brain.

So, I arrived at Wheeldon Trees Cottages, at Earl Sterndale near Buxton, armed with a laptop, a notebook, and great expectations. I was flying solo, with just my four-pawed friend for company, so I had booked a dog-friendly cottage. It was well equipped and had plenty of room for three adults.

After taking a turn off the A515, a pleasant drive through the fields and hills brings you to this little piece of Peak paradise.

As you arrive you at Wheeldon are greeted by husband and wife team Steve and Hazel who have carefully and stylishly crafted this high class rural retreat of nine cosy cottages and a fabulous farmhouse.

A welcome tote bag packed with goodies such as cookies, eggs, locally blended coffee and tea bags, plus a bottle of wine, is a lovely touch. In the fridge you’ll find a slab of butter and some milk for that much-needed cuppa after a long journey.

Wheeldon ushers you in with a wonderfully warm welcome and the views of the surrounding hills and valleys are something to behold, whatever the weather.

Situated at the foot of High Wheeldon, keen walkers are spoilt for choice with plenty of routes direct from your doorstep. You’ll find a collection of recommended walks in the information book supplied, all laminated so you can take them with you in all weathers.

I enjoyed several walks but chose not to wander too far as my furry companion is getting too old for the long treks we used to enjoy. We took a stroll down the road to the centre of Earl Sterndale, coming back uphill along a public footpath across lovely National Trust land.

After working up an appetite we took a short drive to the High Peak Bookstore and Café where I enjoyed a very tasty sandwich and my pedigree chum appreciated the free dog biscuits. The café serves a wide selection of dishes, including plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. But be warned – it is extremely popular even on days when you might expect it to be quiet, so be prepared to queue for a table for a short while. It’s worth the wait.

The next day we walked down the hill and this time took a left turn to Crowdefoot, which sits on the border of Derbyshire and the Staffordshire Moorlands. The views are simply sensational and, in the centre of the small village, the Pack Horse Inn serves hearty food and a selection of real ales.

A little further on you will find the larger village of Longnor, which has three pubs, two cafes, a chip shop and a post office.

Further afield, the rather special thermal spa town of Buxton is just a 10 minute drive away, while the pretty town of Bakewell, situated on the banks of the River Wye, is a 20 minute drive. Fifteen minutes along the road to Ashbourne you’ll find picturebook pretty Tissington, where you can join the famous trail.

This is a magical location that provides a huge portion of food for the soul. It turns out it can also inspire authors suffering a bad case of writer’s block. I left for home with an even deeper love of the Peak District and 10,000 words closer to completing my...

Wheeldon Trees Cottages is a cute little place on the southern outskirts of Buxton. The Mycock Cottage which we stayed in was very cosy, homely, clean and quiet with 2 bedrooms (1 double, 1 single). What was even better than the cottage itself was Hazel who I communicated with prior to our arrival via email and text message. She really knows what she's doing to make guests feel welcome and goes the extra mile in so many ways. The first positive from Hazel was a message letting us know that fortunately the cottage was available earlier than the regular check-in time. Upon arrival at the cottage, it was perfect - we just had to go inside (no faffing trying to pick up a key and checking in). Hazel had turned the lamp and sconces on in the living area which was a nice touch rather than arriving in the dark, fumbling to find the light switch. She had also put Classic FM on the Alexa, the heating was on, there was a pint of local semi-skimmed milk, fresh local butter and a bottle of white wine in the fridge. Even though we booked super last minute (late night prior to arrival), Hazel still contacted us to ask if we would prefer a bottle of white wine, red wine or soft drink and was able to fulfill our request. It could have been so easy for her to have not bothered and simply said that because we booked so last minute, we couldn't choose and just put a bottle of whatever she had to hand in the fridge - I understand she lives off-site so she either had someone do it quickly on her behalf or she went there to do it herself. There was also a basket on the dining table which contained 6 local eggs, tea bags, a packet of ground coffee, cookies and jelly beans. Hazel had also left a hand-written card to welcome us. The cottage was very clean and there were helpful signs around the cottage such as one above the thermostat on the upstairs landing with instructions on how to adjust the heating upstairs and downstairs. There was also a folder in the lounge which contained lots of useful information about the cottages and local area. The area near the front door had plenty of hooks for jackets, a rack for muddy, wet walking boots with a tray underneath and 2 headlamps which I thought was a cute touch - definitely handy if you need to walk outside at night to the bin area or laundry area with your hands full as it's VERY dark out there at night! The bathroom was lovely - modern but in keeping with the style of the cottage with nice, citrusy toiletries (liquid hand soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner). The outside patio with seating was lovely although we didn't sit out there as it was too chilly. Having cows as our neighbour in the adjoining field was delightful! I would definitely like to come back again and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Wheeldon Trees Cottages whilst Hazel is in charge! Definitely not a chance in hell that this place would ever be featured on one of those UK TV programs like 'The Hotel Inspector'. Any failing hotels/B&Bs definitely need to be trained by Hazel as other than putting out a red carpet for our arrival (😂) I really can't think of anything else she could have done to make our stay so comfortable...

Wheeldon Trees Cottages is a cute little place on the southern outskirts of Buxton. The Mycock Cottage which we stayed in was very cosy, homely, clean and quiet with 2 bedrooms (1 double, 1 single). What was even better than the cottage itself was Hazel who I communicated with prior to our arrival via email and text message. She really knows what she's doing to make guests feel welcome and goes the extra mile in so many ways. The first positive from Hazel was a message letting us know that fortunately the cottage was available earlier than the regular check-in time. Upon arrival at the cottage, it was perfect - we just had to go inside (no faffing trying to pick up a key and checking in). Hazel had turned the lamp and sconces on in the living area which was a nice touch rather than arriving in the dark, fumbling to find the light switch. She had also put Classic FM on the Alexa, the heating was on, there was a pint of local semi-skimmed milk, fresh local butter and a bottle of white wine in the fridge. Even though we booked super last minute (late night prior to arrival), Hazel still contacted us to ask if we would prefer a bottle of white wine, red wine or soft drink and was able to fulfill our request. It could have been so easy for her to have not bothered and simply said that because we booked so last minute, we couldn't choose and just put a bottle of whatever she had to hand in the fridge - I understand she lives off-site so she either had someone do it quickly on her behalf or she went there to do it herself. There was also a basket on the dining table which contained 6 local eggs, tea bags, a packet of ground coffee, cookies and jelly beans. Hazel had also left a hand-written card to welcome us. The cottage was very clean and there were helpful signs around the cottage such as one above the thermostat on the upstairs landing with instructions on how to adjust the heating upstairs and downstairs. There was also a folder in the lounge which contained lots of useful information about the cottages and local area. The area near the front door had plenty of hooks for jackets, a rack for muddy, wet walking boots with a tray underneath and 2 headlamps which I thought was a cute touch - definitely handy if you need to walk outside at night to the bin area or laundry area with your hands full as it's VERY dark out there at night! The bathroom was lovely - modern but in keeping with the style of the cottage with nice, citrusy toiletries (liquid hand soap, body wash, shampoo and conditioner). The outside patio with seating was lovely although we didn't sit out there as it was too chilly. Having cows as our neighbour in the adjoining field was delightful! I would definitely like to come back again and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Wheeldon Trees Cottages whilst Hazel is in charge! Definitely not a chance in hell that this place would ever be featured on one of those UK TV programs like 'The Hotel Inspector'. Any failing hotels/B&Bs definitely need to be trained by Hazel as other than putting out a red carpet for our arrival (😂) I really can't think of anything else she could have done to make our stay so comfortable...