Rosie's Guidebook

Rosie
Rosie's Guidebook

Food Scene

Newly renovated in tasteful style, Oak Hill is a must-see: a restaurant and bar in a seventeenth century Arkwright mansion with wonderful grounds. Open daily for food including Sunday lunch, or you can just have a drink and enjoy the views. Described by one Michelin starred chef who visited recently as 'the squirrels nuts', Oak Hill can be reached on foot via the back lanes of Cromford or in summer across the fields.
Oakhill
Intake Lane
Newly renovated in tasteful style, Oak Hill is a must-see: a restaurant and bar in a seventeenth century Arkwright mansion with wonderful grounds. Open daily for food including Sunday lunch, or you can just have a drink and enjoy the views. Described by one Michelin starred chef who visited recently as 'the squirrels nuts', Oak Hill can be reached on foot via the back lanes of Cromford or in summer across the fields.
Reliably good food down in the village, walking distance from the annexe. Dog-friendly.
10 locals recommend
The Greyhound Hotel , Restaurant & Bar, Cromford, Matlock
Market Place
10 locals recommend
Reliably good food down in the village, walking distance from the annexe. Dog-friendly.
reliably good French menu in a lovrly relaxed atmosphere.
31 locals recommend
Le Mistral Wirksworth - French Restaurant
23 Market Pl
31 locals recommend
reliably good French menu in a lovrly relaxed atmosphere.
Lovely dog friendly pub with a great menu and lots of indoor and outdoor space.Easy walk to the nine ladies stone circle.
7 locals recommend
The Druid Inn
Main Street
7 locals recommend
Lovely dog friendly pub with a great menu and lots of indoor and outdoor space.Easy walk to the nine ladies stone circle.
Old-world charm and a great menu including excellentveggie options. Sunday lunch is one of the best around. Dog friendly.
13 locals recommend
Ye Olde Gate Inn
1874 Well St
13 locals recommend
Old-world charm and a great menu including excellentveggie options. Sunday lunch is one of the best around. Dog friendly.
Probably the best, definitely the classiest restaurant in the area.
43 locals recommend
Stones
1 Dale Rd
43 locals recommend
Probably the best, definitely the classiest restaurant in the area.
Another surprisingly good Indian for Derbyshire.
15 locals recommend
The Balti Restaurant
256 Dale Rd
15 locals recommend
Another surprisingly good Indian for Derbyshire.
Great menu, good for high teas and great breakfasts, although they no longer serve evening meals. Really professionally run.
15 locals recommend
Parkys
11-13 Market Pl
15 locals recommend
Great menu, good for high teas and great breakfasts, although they no longer serve evening meals. Really professionally run.
Good posh breakfasts and lunches at reasonable prices. A lovely longer walk along the canal from Cromford.
7 locals recommend
The Family Tree
Derby Road
7 locals recommend
Good posh breakfasts and lunches at reasonable prices. A lovely longer walk along the canal from Cromford.
Friendly local with excellent food and a great atmosphere... hosts the World Championship Hen Race in August! A short drive or lovely walk from Barnwell Lane (walk via a footpath from Scarthins called Clatterway).
11 locals recommend
Barley Mow Ltd
The Dale
11 locals recommend
Friendly local with excellent food and a great atmosphere... hosts the World Championship Hen Race in August! A short drive or lovely walk from Barnwell Lane (walk via a footpath from Scarthins called Clatterway).
Friendly local with a lovely garden and pub food (post covid we're getting poor reports about the food however). Walking distance and dog friendly.
14 locals recommend
The Boat Inn
Scarthin
14 locals recommend
Friendly local with a lovely garden and pub food (post covid we're getting poor reports about the food however). Walking distance and dog friendly.
Great Indian restaurant, very professionally run, deliver to Cromford too.
24 locals recommend
Maazi Matlock
25 Causeway Ln
24 locals recommend
Great Indian restaurant, very professionally run, deliver to Cromford too.
Stunning stone-flagged 17th century coaching inn deep in the countryside with a range of real ales, a really excellent new menu and Sunday roasts with all trimmings. About a ten minute drive and we'll worth it.
7 locals recommend
The Bear Inn
Pendleton Lane
7 locals recommend
Stunning stone-flagged 17th century coaching inn deep in the countryside with a range of real ales, a really excellent new menu and Sunday roasts with all trimmings. About a ten minute drive and we'll worth it.

Sightseeing

Learn about local history. Also handy for a canalside walk and some waterfront cafes.
67 locals recommend
Cromford Mill
Mill Road
67 locals recommend
Learn about local history. Also handy for a canalside walk and some waterfront cafes.
cable car to great views
160 locals recommend
The Heights of Abraham
Dale Road
160 locals recommend
cable car to great views
Great views, easy climbing
32 locals recommend
Black Rocks Car Park
Brickfields Close
32 locals recommend
Great views, easy climbing
Lovely house, great gardens, and a little farm!
698 locals recommend
Chatsworth House
698 locals recommend
Lovely house, great gardens, and a little farm!
Stunning walk or cycle accessible from the High Peak trail
61 locals recommend
Monsal Head Hotel
Monsal Trail
61 locals recommend
Stunning walk or cycle accessible from the High Peak trail
Fantastic highlyscenic walk with 360 views from the Druids across Stanton Moor.
30 locals recommend
Nine Ladies Stone Circle
Lees Road
30 locals recommend
Fantastic highlyscenic walk with 360 views from the Druids across Stanton Moor.
lovely scenic walk in all seasons. walk to High Peak Junction or Whatstandwell.
41 locals recommend
Cromford Canal
2 Mill Rd
41 locals recommend
lovely scenic walk in all seasons. walk to High Peak Junction or Whatstandwell.
great for kids!
110 locals recommend
Gulliver's Kingdom Resort
Temple Walk
110 locals recommend
great for kids!
Stunning walk along a valley bottom with options for wild swimming, then a climb to Over Haddon for great pub lunches.
44 locals recommend
Lathkill Dale
44 locals recommend
Stunning walk along a valley bottom with options for wild swimming, then a climb to Over Haddon for great pub lunches.
Youlgreave is bes approached along the river from Alport. Plenty of parking and a wild swimming destination. This is only about a 20 minute drive from Cromford and is idyllic.
Youlgrave Village Hall
Youlgreave is bes approached along the river from Alport. Plenty of parking and a wild swimming destination. This is only about a 20 minute drive from Cromford and is idyllic.

Neighbourhoods

Very like a seaside town, but with no sea in sight! Great for a wander and for kids.
155 locals recommend
Matlock Bath
155 locals recommend
Very like a seaside town, but with no sea in sight! Great for a wander and for kids.
Lovely elegant town with a long tradition of catering to tourists.
375 locals recommend
Bakewell
375 locals recommend
Lovely elegant town with a long tradition of catering to tourists.
148 locals recommend
Ashbourne
148 locals recommend
stunning little village, good for a wander.
Winster
stunning little village, good for a wander.
lovely if quite remote village with two great pubs and a walk across the moors to the Nine Ladies stone circle.
Birchover
lovely if quite remote village with two great pubs and a walk across the moors to the Nine Ladies stone circle.
picturesque village with walks along the river to wild swimming venue.
18 locals recommend
Youlgreave
18 locals recommend
picturesque village with walks along the river to wild swimming venue.

Shopping

Nearest place for food shopping and fuel.
6 locals recommend
Co-op Food & Grocery Store, Wirksworth, Derby
Harrison Drive
6 locals recommend
Nearest place for food shopping and fuel.
Food and clothes
17 locals recommend
Sainsbury's
Cawdor Way
17 locals recommend
Food and clothes
World renowned book shop with cafe where you can sit reading!
26 locals recommend
Scarthin Books
The Promenade
26 locals recommend
World renowned book shop with cafe where you can sit reading!
Fine knitwear at factory shop prices
12 locals recommend
John Smedley Mill Shop - The World's Finest Knitwear
12 locals recommend
Fine knitwear at factory shop prices
Denby Factory shop is good for discontinued ranges and factory seconds of high quality tableware.
15 locals recommend
Denby Pottery Village
Derby Road
15 locals recommend
Denby Factory shop is good for discontinued ranges and factory seconds of high quality tableware.
Well-priced factory seconds on fabulous knitwear. bit tricky to find as the road is closed but worth making the detour.
12 locals recommend
John Smedley Mill Shop - The World's Finest Knitwear
12 locals recommend
Well-priced factory seconds on fabulous knitwear. bit tricky to find as the road is closed but worth making the detour.

Activities

Stunning views, great for cycling or walking, dog friendly. You can hire bikes at the Middleton Top visitors' centre. The Blue Lagoon cafe at the Stone Centre off the trail is about half an hour's walk from our place. It's dog friendly, spacious with a big terrace where you can enjoy thrir excellent breakfasts and lunches while admiring the view.
33 locals recommend
High Peak Trail
High Peak Trail
33 locals recommend
Stunning views, great for cycling or walking, dog friendly. You can hire bikes at the Middleton Top visitors' centre. The Blue Lagoon cafe at the Stone Centre off the trail is about half an hour's walk from our place. It's dog friendly, spacious with a big terrace where you can enjoy thrir excellent breakfasts and lunches while admiring the view.
For swimmers: fabulous outdoor pool fed by a thermal (14-19 degrees) spa. Nice cafe, spa needs an upgrade according to our guests.
6 locals recommend
New Bath Hotel and Spa
New Bath Road
6 locals recommend
For swimmers: fabulous outdoor pool fed by a thermal (14-19 degrees) spa. Nice cafe, spa needs an upgrade according to our guests.
Wonderful location for bird watching, walking and cycling, just up the road from Cromford.
163 locals recommend
Carsington Water
163 locals recommend
Wonderful location for bird watching, walking and cycling, just up the road from Cromford.
Canoes, kayaks and paddle boards for hire, as well as a bird sanctuary, cafes and a playground for children.
31 locals recommend
Carsington Water Visitor Centre
Big Lane
31 locals recommend
Canoes, kayaks and paddle boards for hire, as well as a bird sanctuary, cafes and a playground for children.

Pubs

Friendly - and dog-friendly - pub with pool table and lovely garden.
16 locals recommend
Royal Oak
High Street
16 locals recommend
Friendly - and dog-friendly - pub with pool table and lovely garden.
Dog friendly with big outdoor seating area and great international menu from the new restaurant, Umami.
21 locals recommend
The Red Lion
Main Street
21 locals recommend
Dog friendly with big outdoor seating area and great international menu from the new restaurant, Umami.
Cosy little real ale pub 5 minutes walk from us on the Hill. Dogs and walkers welcome.
The Bell Inn
46 North Street
Cosy little real ale pub 5 minutes walk from us on the Hill. Dogs and walkers welcome.

City advice

Getting around

buses...'the sixes'

if you walk down to Matlock there are buses from the bus station and various stops through Matlock Bath that stop at the end of our street, called the sixes. They take cash... Ask for Barnwell Lane, Cromford. Very handy for avoiding the long haul up that hill. They also continue up to Wirksworth.
Book before you go

booking

Restaurants and pub food: book before you arrive as a general rule, (but bizarrely, even when they say on the phone they're full, you sometimes find they have tables if you just turn up!)
Don't miss

scenic walk to the Boat Inn

Scenic walk walk along the path and straight up the slope behind the cottage to Rose End Meadows wildlife sanctuary. Continue along either footpath across three fields and past a bench then through a gate. Here you can go straight ahead through more fields and down an escarpment ro the river or left on a longer walk. instead turn right and walk down the path until you see Cromford Village on your left. a steep path with a railing leads you down to Goulds and Walkers garages. Walk with Scissors hairdressers on your left along Scarthins and you'll reach Scarthins books and Boat pub.