Ashbourne

Royal Shrovetide Football turns this Georgian market town into absolute chaos every Shrove Tuesday - and it's brilliant. For two days, the entire place becomes a football pitch as hundreds of players battle through streets, across car parks, and into the River Henmore. The rest of the year, Ashbourne settles back into its role as one of Derbyshire's most handsome market towns.

Cobbled streets wind past honey-coloured limestone buildings that wouldn't look out of place in the Cotswolds. The town sits bang on the edge of the Peak District, making it a proper gateway to some of England's finest walking country. From here, you're twenty minutes from Dove Dale's famous stepping stones and the dramatic limestone gorges that draw thousands each summer.

St Oswald's Church dominates the skyline with its 212-foot spire - locals call it the 'Pride of the Peak'. Worth popping in to see the medieval carvings, though the real treat is climbing up for views across the Dove Valley. The Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football Goal marks where this mad medieval game ends each year, while Old Clifton Mill offers a quieter slice of history along the river.

Getting here's straightforward enough. The A515 runs straight through from the M6, while regular buses connect to Derby (15 miles northeast). No railway station these days - Beeching saw to that - but the road links are decent.

Staying at one of the nearby parks like Sandybrook Lodges or Ashbourne Heights makes perfect sense. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies or a pint, yet positioned to tackle the Peak District's southern reaches. The Manifold Trail starts practically on your doorstep, while Alton Towers lurks just over the Staffordshire border for those traveling with thrill-seeking kids.