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Blog 140 Knockerdown Farm, Derbyshire
- KeefH Web Designs
- Nov 11, 2021
- 4 min read
By keef and annie hellinger, Feb 22 2020 06:40AM Blog 140 Knockerdown Farm
Not the Motorhome trip No 13 : Feb 17th – 21st 2020 A KeefH Web Designs Travel Blog NOTTS->Knockerdown Farm, Peak District, Derbyshire, DE6 1NQ ->NOTTS 103 miles This was our 4th visit as a family to Knockerdown Farm, twice when the boys were younger and then for Annie’s 60th and now again during the half term break with Craig, Leanne and Edie. Lovely time although the weather as expected in early February was not that great being both very cold and wet, however this did not dampen our spirits one iota. Our full list of visits is 1. 3-6 Dec 1993, Wisels Cottage 2. Feb 1996, Wisels Cottage 3. 3-6 Jan 2014, Farwell Cottage 4. 17-21 Feb 2020, Sabinhay Cottage
Blog 140 Escape to Knockerdown Farm — the Derbyshire getaway where the views are big, the walks are lovely and the pub next door seems determined to test your willpower. This blog captures a cheerful mix of countryside calm, cosy cottages and the kind of gentle adventures that pair perfectly with a pint. Expect friendly locals, fresh air and the occasional sheep judging your parking. A light‑hearted look at a spot that delivers simple motorhome happiness with zero fuss.
Left home about 1 pm on the Monday and went to Carsington water (see BLOG 49) where we had a bit of a damp stroll to the Visitors centre and a lovely cup of freshly brewed coffee in the mainsail café overlooking the lovely waters. We could not get into the cottage until 3pm and were surprised how close to the visitors centre the Cottages were. This time we were in Sabinhay, the one over the archway. In the past we have stayed in both Wisels and Farwell. Leanne and Edie arrived very soon after us and we all spent a bit of time unpacking the cars from in front of the cottage and then reparking them in the car park out front. Having settled in we went off for our daily swim. A ritual (including sauna for Grandpa) that we re-enacted daily, one of the real advantages of Knockerdown when the weather isn’t so great. Edie is really coming on in the swimming stakes, won’t be long now before she is a fully fledged dolphin ;) The other advantage is the very close proximity of the Knockerdown Inn, 2 yards over the road where we ate on both Tues and Weds evening. A very friendly family run pub with great food and Edie loved their doggies. We also discovered they run a campsite with facilities at the back of the pub so we may well yet we back in the motor home. Craig arrived after work at about 5.30pm. Grandpa cooked halloumi burgers with salad accompaniment for tea. We all retired pooped fairly early which was quite a theme throughout the hols , mostly a combination of fresh air and relaxing in my humble opinion.
On the Tuesday C&L cycled around Carsington Water, a distance of about 8 miles. We took Edie to the playpark, Stone Island, button pressing in the Severn Trent exhibition area and then for a massive slab of choccy cake in the mainsail café. C&L joined us there after their ride.
Wednesday we visited Matlock Farm park where Edie cuddled a guinea pig called Cinnamon. We saw lots of other lovely animals but it was seriously cold so we warmed up with lunch in their café then some indoor fun for Leanne and Edie in the Rainforest shed on the big slide. Thursday Leanne left for her spa days with Claire and we headed off to the Crich Tramway museum only to find on arrival it was sadly closed. Maybe we should have checked first, DOH! Anyhow no worries we spent most of the day at the Unesco World heritage site of Sir Richard Arkwright’s Cromford Mills, great fun and educational. Grandpa cooked Hunters chicken, Jacket pot , Cauli cheese and carrots for tea. Friday morning we were all up early to breakfast and pack the cars, then we visited the National Stone Centre at Wirksworth where Granny bought Edie some polished stones. Quite an interesting walk around and somewhere we had never been before. We then returned to the Priory at Loughborough for a final family lunch together before heading homewards. All in all a fab family break. Annie and I loved spending time with family! If you would like to see the slideshows and videos please CLICK HERE
Historical view of our current and previous visits to Knockerdown farm, love it!
SUMMARY
Your four visits to Knockerdown Farm tell a lovely story of a place that quietly became a firm favourite. Each trip brought its own mix of familiar comforts and new little discoveries, building a gentle tradition of Derbyshire escapes that always seemed to arrive at just the right moment. The first visit set the tone: big skies, peaceful walks and that wonderfully convenient pub next door, which immediately proved both a blessing and a temptation. By the second visit, you knew the rhythms of the place — where to stroll, where to sit, and which sheep would give you the “you again?” look.
The third stay felt like returning to an old friend, with the site offering the same calm charm but with a few new stories to tell, whether it was changing weather, new walking routes or simply the joy of switching off. By the fourth visit, Knockerdown had become part of your travel DNA: reliable, relaxing and refreshingly fuss‑free. Across all four trips, the constant theme is simple happiness — good pitches, easy days, countryside air and the comforting pleasure of going back somewhere that always delivers exactly what you need.
Looks like you had a great time. When will you be visiting us again at Knockerdown Cottages!?
Myles
Knockerdown Holiday Cottages