Award Winning Self Catering Holidays In the Derbyshire Peak District
Browse through our blog posts to find out what life is like at Hoe Grange Holidays along with some great ideas for days out in the Peak District.
We would love to go out to the shops, but this year we’ve stayed at home and shopped online instead. We’ve supported local makers and artisans, and have handpicked a selection of 12 gifts of Christmas inspired by the Peak District, just for you.
We’ve always supported #LoveLocal but spreading some festive love to small independent businesses is more important than ever this year. The dedicated people behind the products, services, stories & magic that make life special have had a tough time and need our backing. As it's Small Business Saturday today we thought we would inspire you to shop local.
Get your walking boots on and enjoy all the Peak District countryside has to offer by taking a guided walk with Paul Smith of My Guided Walks whose local knowledge and fascinating facts will bring the experience to life. Don't worry you won't get lost as Paul does the navigation so you don't have to!
An ideal way to make the most of your holiday while staying at Hoe Grange as Paul caters for couples, friends, families, and small groups. Paul is as passionate about caring for our special landscape as we are and can show you the best views. He also knows where the elusive Mountain Hares might be hiding. Having personal experience of his aviation walk on Bleaklow Moor we can thoroughly recommend him as a guide.
If walking is not your thing, then take a tour with a difference. Steve White offers tours of the Peak District in a vintage 1929 Ford model A. The only vintage car registered as a taxi in the UK.
Steve (dressed up not unlike Mr Toad, with a larger than life personality) is geared up to guide you through the landscape in style. You can take in the scenery when stopping off for a picnic or a cream tea, or even a local ale or two if that is what you fancy. Our suggested tour is Train Tracks and Troglodytes as it covers our very local area. Book now for tours from April 2021.
Make the most of your walk and take home some special memories captured on camera. Guy Badham offers personalised training days to de-mystify your camera, giving you the confidence to use it more creatively.
Whether you’re a complete beginner keen to learn the basics, or a more experienced photographer, Guy can help you capture our stunning Peak District landscape and wildlife as you walk and talk. At just £100 per day for a single adult or £150 for up to three adults, it makes the perfect Christmas gift.
We are excited to announce that this is a special discounted rate for Hoe Grange Holidays!
As you trek through the countryside you might see a hare or a deer? Lucy creates unique and beautiful jewellery inspired by the Peak District landscape and wildlife, myths and folktales. In her Lucy Palmer Jewellery collection you will find a magical world of enchanted forests, mysterious creatures, and far away places.
Her beautifully intricate designs are cut in precious metals and often layered to give a three dimensional, miniature stage set effect. Decorative techniques embellish the surface, including ‘Keum Boo’, an ancient Korean technique of fusing 24ct (pure) gold foil to silver. My favourite is of course the beautiful horse pendent. If you're looking for that extra special sparkle Lucy also takes on commission work.
After your wonderful walks why not give your dog a tasty treat and pamper your pooch with Marge and Mabel's homemade dog treats? These healthy treats are created using fine human-grade ingredients (no added salt, sugar, preservatives, colourings or flavourings) and are a firm favourite with our chocolate Labradors Twix and Crunchy!
The range of delicious doggy treats include a selection of sweet and savoury muffins, biscuits and cakes and all of which come presented in beautiful packaging, an ideal Christmas present for your four-legged best friend!
We love the fact that wherever possible ingredients are sourced locally, eg meat from the local butcher, flour from Caldwell’s Mill and organic fruit and vegetables from the local grocer. Treats can also be baked to order depending on any specific nutritional or health needs your dog may have.
After romping through the Derbyshire hills you can then put your feet up with a cup of coffee from one of Peak Bean's tasty blends. Coffee brings happiness and there's nothing better than enjoying a mug whilst catching up with good friends, not to mention how it can round off that great meal perfectly.
Read more about how we worked with Deidra and Andrew at Peak Bean to produce the perfect ground coffee blend for our welcome packs. Our Rich Rainster Roast is popular with guests, who often take some home with them - here's what they say!
What goes better with coffee than chocolate? David certainly wouldn't let me create a Christmas gift list without including chocolate!
Holdsworth Chocolates made in Bakewell are a delicious treat. In 1988 Barbara Holdsworth started making chocolates to her own unique recipes, and expanded by training her own chocolatiers how to make her tempting treats.
Truly scrumptious is the only way to describe these chocolates, which are created using sweet cream butter and Belgium couverture, before liqueurs, spirits, fruit purees or praline pastes are added to create a delicious flavoured centre. (not that I ever get a taste if there is a box around as David is a chocoholic!)
Now run by Barbara’s daughter Genevieve, Holdsworth Chocolates have become Britain’s best-selling entirely handmade chocolates, and are stocked at fine food halls throughout the country. You can order these delicious chocolates when you have your groceries delivered to your log cabin or glamping pod from Sauced Here.
Perhaps you fancy something a little stronger? What about a zoom whisky tasting hosted by Distillery founder Max Vaughan?
You may not be able to experience the heat and smells of a working distillery at the moment, but White Peak Distillery have adapted in new ways to share their passion and knowledge and guide you through the whisky making process.
Max will chat through the background and set up of the first whisky Distillery in the Peak District region, and what makes their Derbyshire whisky unique.
You’ll receive 3 samples through the post and be guided through the tasting process on zoom, followed by a Q&A session. As well as 3 x 30ml samples, inside your pack you’ll find a tasting card and a Distillery-branded spey whisky glass. Much more exciting than the usual zoom call and all for just £22!
Everyone has a family member that takes control of cooking on Christmas day. Getting the Turkey prepared and perfectly cooked is a right of passage for any Christmas day. Christmas gifts for the foodie in your life are always one of the most important. Brock and Morten supply the finest rapeseed oil made locally in Ashford in the Water. We love the light, deliciously flavoured oils so much they are now part of our guest welcome packs.
Containing the lowest saturated fat content of any oil, less than half that of olive oil and packed with over 10 times more Omega 3,6 and 9 than olive oil, Brock and Morten’s rapeseed oil is a cut above the rest. Ideal for cooking at high temperatures or drizzling on a fresh salad, Brock and Morten also sell locally produced amazing mayonnaise, honey, and Christmas gift hampers. To tempt you further they also have some delicious recipes on their blog
With so many Christmas Gifts available online now we can often get overwhelmed by choice ultimately forgetting to shop and #LoveLocal. One of our previous blogs covered candle makers On A Wick and A Prayer located in Tissington village close to Hoe Grange. We love On A Wick wax hurricane candles, so beautiful when lit up with just a flickering tea light inside.
Owner Annie lights the way for unique and personal Christmas gifts. Annie started her business on the kitchen table over 19 years ago and has never looked back, read Annie's story here. With Christmas coming their build your own Eazicandle kits means you can completely personalise your own candle. From wicks to colours. to scent, your loved ones will love your thoughtful gift this Christmas.
Once you've bought your Christmas presents why not make a little extra effort to wrap them beautifully too?
Lyn at Caltonberry helps you celebrate the little things in life as well as the milestones with a beautiful range of porcelain gift tags, decorations and personalised ribbons with a contemporary look.
As an alternative to the traditional Christmas wreath we love the willow wreath with porcelain snowflakes - simply stunning!
Why not help create memories to treasure for someone you love by buying one of our Gift Cards for a stay at Hoe Grange! With the current uncertainty it's difficult to commit to a date to stay, but with a gift card you have something positive to look forward to. When Covid restrictions are lifted you simply use the unique code to redeem your gift.
If you've already booked a stay for 2021, Gift Cards can also be bought for our extra experiences such as a log-fired hot tub, a pizza oven evening or a firepit experience to add that extra bit of fun.
Derbyshire has a wealth of artisan producers, so for further inspiration you can visit Made in Derbyshire and Peak District Environmental Quality Mark businesses – happy shopping!
For more ideas check out our top tips for a greener Christmas
Felicity
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