Vernons Folly

You'll spot Vernons Folly from certain angles around Ashbourne, and that's rather the point of it. Built as a Victorian folly rather than a functional fortress, this peculiar structure is exactly what it sounds like - a whimsical bit of architectural showing off from an era when the gentry could afford such frivolities.

It's not a castle you can wander through for hours. This is more of a walk-up-and-stare sort of place, the kind of thing that makes you cock your head and wonder what on earth the original owner was thinking. The structure itself has that delightfully daft Victorian energy - all theatrical and rather pleased with itself. Worth photographing if you're into odd architecture or local curiosities.

Getting close enough for proper pictures can be tricky depending on private land access, so do check locally before setting out. It's the sort of detour that takes twenty minutes maximum, which makes it decent company if you're based at one of the nearby parks like Ashbourne Holidays or Peakes Retreats and fancy a bit of Derbyshire eccentricity between proper walks.

Really though, you're doing this for the story rather than spending a day here. It's the kind of thing that sits perfectly in a broader Ashbourne itinerary - pop by, raise an eyebrow at Victorian excess, then crack on with the actual Peak District exploring. History enthusiasts and architecture obsessives will find it more satisfying than casual day-trippers, if only because you'll actually understand what made someone build such a daft thing in the first place.