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.
Exciting news! We are delighted to be selected as one of 70 remarkable people in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Peak District National Park.
#70People70Years celebrates the people at the heart of this stunning protected landscape, so it’s a real honour to be nominated for our passion of the Peak District and our desire to share our special place with all our holiday guests. Right from the start being inclusive and welcoming to all was very important and our local knowledge enhances the visitor experience.
As many of you may know David was born and bred here at Hoe Grange on the southern edge of the Peak District. On leaving school he joined his father and brother milking around 120 Friesian cows on the 250 acre hill farm.
As farming milk prices reduced, and new regulations meant higher costs we looked at various alternatives to provide a second income to support the family.
There was never any doubt that David wanted to stay in the beautiful Peak District, the landscape he grew up with and loved. It was just a question as to how we were going to do it?
We went back to an idea David’s father had over 50 years ago of building a log cabin for holiday guests and so Hoe Grange Holidays was born.
It was a giant leap of faith as neither David nor I had any experience in hospitality or tourism. Market research highlighted the large number of holiday lets in the area, so we quickly realised we had to offer something different! We decided to specialise on two specific niche markets; accessible holidays and bring your own horse holidays.
We have never looked back and love sharing our special landscape - it’s about slowing down, watching wildlife and farm animals, appreciating nature, discovering local history, exploring the countryside and breathing in the fresh air.
Providing guests with the means of accessing and enjoying the National Park and surrounding countryside, from the dark skies at night, free from light pollution to the peace and tranquillity of being away from roads and close neighbours, is all part of the Hoe Grange Holidays experience.
We realise that we are only custodians of the landscape and that we need to leave our farm in better shape for future generations using extensive grazing systems with native breed cattle and minimal artificial inputs. It’s also one of the reasons why we invested in a range of renewable technologies, including a small wind turbine, solar panels, a ground source heat pump, and a biomass boiler.
However we still recognise the importance of the Peak District as a living, working landscape. The delicate balance between the needs of the environment and those of our local community must never be forgotten. Being part of #70People70Years highlights the diversity found throughout the Peak Park.
Guest's reactions constantly remind us how lucky we are to live, work and play in the Peak District - we will never take it for granted.
Hoe Grange Holidays has been awarded the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark, Green Tourism Gold Award and Quality In Tourism Gold Award for our sustainable practices. We are not just a ‘green-wash’ but committed to sustainable practices and are proud to have won the national Visit England Bronze Award for Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism in 2020.
It’s a real honour being chosen to be part of the Peak District National Park’s celebrations. Find out who the other #70People70Years remarkable individuals are who have made a real difference to the region. There is a real diversity of people from park rangers, ecologists, folk artists, poets, accessibility champions, to fell runners, fundraisers, photographers and mountain climbers!
We support the charity Peak District National Park Foundation who aim to maintain and protect the national park for future generations and make it more accessible to everyone. You can help support their work by simply adding a donation to your booking.
Ever since its designation in 1951 as the UK's first national park, the Peak District National Park has been a firm favourite with ramblers, climbers, cavers, cyclists, horse riders and of course photographers.
70 years after its creation, the Peak District National Park now covers 555 square miles and reaches into five counties; Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
Find our more fascinating facts about the Peak District in our previous blog
Felicity