Postcard of the Week: Chatsworth House in the Peak District
Here’s a fantastic Art Deco postcard I found at Chatsworth House in the Peak District. It’s an incredible stately home (and oh how I do love snooping round a stately home!) set in a beautiful green valley in one of the most beautiful national parks in England. I spent a bank holiday weekend hiking in the Peak District with my father, and our intention had been to do a solid 5-hour walk on each of the three days. (My father doesn’t do things in halves!) On the Sunday however, a nasty fog descended on us as we were driving towards our Sunday walk, so I was able to convince him to take a detour to nearby Chatsworth instead.
Chatsworth House is home to the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, a family with a fascinating history. Watch the trailer for the film ‘The Duchess‘ with Keira Knightley to see a glimpse of the house and to understand why the family has such a juicy past. Nowadays the house and its gardens are open to visitors, although there is a section in which the family do still live, which you obviously can’t access.
I love to daydream and picture how they would have lived hundreds of years ago, surrounded by enormous teams of staff to keep the house running. It’s a peek into a life where money really was no object.
Its setting, in a peaceful valley with families of sheep as their only neighbours, makes Chatsworth a beautiful place to spend a day with a camera, a picnic and an ice-cream. The day did brighten up later up and allowed me to take the photo below. Some of you may recognise it as Mr Darcy’s Pemberley in the most recent film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
We adored our day at Chatsworth and to fill our walking quota, we even managed to fit in a shortened walk along the river that passes through the estate. The parts of the Peak District that I saw all blew me away and I was so surprised by the landscape – some of appeared quite foreign and I couldn’t believe that these views were right on my doorstep, not even requiring a passport.
Have you ever visited Chatsworth House or the Peak District? Are you as hooked on visiting stately homes as I am? If so then which are your favourites?
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I’m headed to the Peak District in a few weeks! Not sure that we’ll make it to any of the houses, but I’m excited for the scenery and lots of walking!
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You lucky thing, have a brilliant time walking and fingers crossed it’ll be nice weather, but it’s good to have Chatsworth up your sleeve if it rains!
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I’d love to visit Chatsworth House. My sister and I are massive fans of Pride and Prejudice, so it’s on our list to go and visit Pemberley! Those pictures are beautiful, did you take them yourself?
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Thank you so much Amelia and yes I took all the photos myself. Gradually learning how to get the best out of my camera. And you must go to Chatsworth, you’d love it!
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