17 The Lanes

Dogfriendly Magazine Review

Read our comprehensive review of this listing printed in our bi-monthly magazine.

17 The Lanes, Wirksworth
Review by: - Lou Furby

There are plenty of places to walk with your four-legged companion and we are very lucky to have the Peak District on our doorstep where our miniature Schnauzer Laika loves to explore.  So, in November, while the autumn leaves were falling but the Christmas celebrations were starting, we headed to Wirksworth for a two -night stay at 17 The Lanes.

The cottage sleeps four and is a warm and cosy holiday home situated close to the centre of Wirksworth village, so pubs and shops are a stone’s throw away and in easy walking distance – depending on how energetic you are feeling (or how cold it is). The cottage is down some tight lanes but even in our family car it was easy to get to and the private parking space for two cars opposite the house, which is certainly useful with the narrow lane being a little restrictive.

The layout of the cottage is considerate for dog owners. The first thing that stood out was the stable door into the lounge, super useful for keeping your pooch shut away while you empty the car with the front door open. Laika was happy she could see and hear us, and we were happy we knew she was shut in for her own safety. Once the car was unloaded, we went exploring. Upstairs there are two bedrooms – a master and a twin, plus a family bathroom and access stairs to the enclosed garden.  I loved the layout of the cottage.  Whenever we stay away our Schnauzer wakes up at the crack of dawn guaranteed, so the stairs from the first floor to the garden meant there was no trekking downstairs half asleep at 6am on a cold autumn morning.  Not only that, but the garden being so secure and enclosed meant we could open the door, switch the light on and stay inside upstairs to watch her mooch about, also a definite advantage.

The position of this property shouldn’t be underestimated either – Wirksworth is an ideal location to access many points of interest in the Peak District with Black Rock very close by, featuring incredible views across the national park and a number of towns and villages within a 30-minute drive. Our planned list of visits included Carsington Water and a place I have long wanted to go at Christmas, Chatsworth House.

CARSINGTON WATER AND ASHBOURNE

Carsington Water is 3km reservoir operated by Severn Trent Water and ideally located between Wirksworth and Kniveton. It’s great for walking, sailing, bird watching or just enjoying a coffee and taking in the views.

It’s possible to walk the circumference of the reservoir which is around eight miles.  Due to all the wildlife, it’s preferred that dogs remain on lead when traversing the stretch of water, so be sure to bring your extendable lead if your pooch likes to roam.  You can walk close to the water’s edge or go a little off-route and take in some of the local villages that surround the waterway, where you’ll find some quintessential Derbyshire dwellings as well as some warm and welcoming pubs to stop off for a drink and a rest, many of which are dog friendly.  Unfortunately for us, the winds were pretty strong the day we visited so our walk was a short one – much to Laika’s disappointment – but the hot chocolate and bacon buttie from the on-site café was a welcome distraction and certainly hit the spot as we sat enjoying the views.  Next up then was Ashbourne for a wander around the shops.  Ashbourne is a lovely Peak District town where you’ll find cobbled streets and quaint shops – ideal for a spot of window shopping with your dog.  There are a few pubs and cafes to stop for a rest and you’ll find unique, boutique stores as well as some high street favourites. It’s just 10 minutes drive from Wirksworth so if you need some essentials, it’s not far to go.

THE GRANDEUR OF CHATSWORTH

You can’t visit the inside of Chatsworth House with your dog, unfortunately, but you can enjoy the immense 35,000 acre estate.

As we drove towards the estate and the gloriously decadent house rose ahead of us, it’s hard not to catch your breath. The house is so regal sitting atop vast grounds with the river Derwent winding its way in front of the building – just stunning.  Having done a bit of research we’d opted to take advantage of the dry weather to walk the grounds and tire Laika out a bit before heading across to the Christmas market which runs throughout November. The grounds stretch for miles so you can choose to really explore or, like us, take a casual stroll with the house as your backdrop alongside the river to take in and admire the stature and beauty of Chatsworth House. It really is the most serene place, with fields and trees that stretch as far as you can see and endless places to walk and explore. We weren’t too sure what the etiquette was around dogs being off-lead, but we saw plenty of them running free through the grounds so we let Laika roam and she loved every moment of it. If you believe you can see happiness on a dog’s face, then I can tell you the scents and smells she discovered in those grounds made her very happy indeed!

We snapped some photos, sat and watched the river flow with the majestic 300 feet high Chatsworth Emperor fountain flowing in the distance and just took it all in. Even through it’s clearly a very popular destination for dog walkers, the vastness of the grounds means you still feel some privacy during your walk and around every corner, or over every hilltop, the beauty that stretches beyond is breath-taking. Once we were tired out, we headed back towards the house. We’d read a review in the cottage visitors book that morning that recommended the Christmas market late afternoon, just as the Christmas lights begin to twinkle on the market stalls.

The Christmas market was a true delight with plenty of stalls from Christmas candy to local vineyard wines and a few dog-specialist stalls too where Laika was spoiled with healthy treats.  She took a real liking to the stall owner at Marge and Mabel’s homemade dog treats who was very generous sharing their healthy, cheese-flavoured doggie muffins – I’m sure they made a lot of furry friends that day with their yummy treats.  We gave into her puppy-dog eyes and bought a few treats for her to enjoy over the festive period and as the light dropped, we munched on sugary churros, drank hot chocolate and listened to the brass band – it was Christmas with a cherry on top and as the lights sparkled in the lowering light, the Christmas mood was magical. Worn out, we headed back to the cottage to decide where to head for dinner. It was quite chilly and while we knew Wirksworth centre was only a short walk we opted for the car and headed for the Hope and Anchor.

The Hope and Anchor

The Hope and Anchor pub is in a great central location just off the Market Square with parking in front. The staff were incredibly welcoming of us and Laika, allowing her to sit on the chair between us while we scoffed our way through delicious tapas dishes. I just love these kinds of pubs, where dog-friendly really does mean just that. Where your canine is as welcome as their human and other guests are like-minded owners, always happy to chat all-things-dog.  Very full, we headed back to the cottage to settle in for the evening ahead of an early departure the following morning.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

We really liked 17 The Lanes – it’s a fantastic cottage in a great location that offers lots of choice for any kind of visitor. For us, the real standout was the garden for its security, position and views across the village. So often holiday cottages boast enclosed gardens that can be anything but, and in bad or cold weather the reassurance of knowing you can leave your pooch to roam in a garden – confident they can’t escape or wander off – is a huge benefit.

I doubt this will be our last visit to the Peak District and we’ll certainly check out Wirksworth again.

17 The Lanes, Wirksworth, review by Lou Furby and appears in DogFriendly magazine issue 69.  For more information on the DogFriendly magazine visit  https://www.dogfriendly.co.uk/magazine