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Blog 240 - Great Break at the Firs Caravan and Motorhome Club (CAMC) site, Ambergate, Belper, Derbyshire, UK, Motorhome Trip 65
Created by KeefH Web Designs, September 28th, 2026, 10.46 AM
Motorhome trip No65 : 23-27th September 2026 Sandiacre, Derbyshire->Firs Caravan and Motorhome site->Sandiacre, Derbyshire 79 miles
Firs Caravan and Motorhome Club Site - Top Campsite East Midlands.
Introduction
Firs Caravan and Motorhome Club site - What a lovely campsite and so close to home, we will go again, peaceful, adult only and a small site with great views, we were especially lucky as 3 of the days were full sunshine, hey getting a suntan towards the end of September is a real plus!
Slideshow of Images from the Trip
This records our fun times at Firs campsite accompanied (of course) by Close to the Edge by Jon Anderson and the Band Geeks
Panoramas
The Tudor House Bakewell
Based in the museum which is locally sponsored and supported, what a fabulous find, quite a climb up past the old church to get to it but well worth the climb. Next time we go , the modest £7.50 admission charge entitles you to unlimited returns free for 12 months, we will use the car and blue badge, there is probably space for 3 cars with adequate turning space, would save our legs. The video introduction by a relative of the original tax collector owner Mr. Christopher Plant is a lady called Sophie Plant. Here is a quick extract.
The Tudor house started with Henry VIII. We had a great time there, the warden was extremely helpful, a purchased ticket enables you to 5% discount on many other Peak district tourist visits, why not use it. Just so interesting. We climbed via the road past the church but a better route is thru the church and up the side alley which is how we descended on advice from the warden, much better on our aging legs and knees! Here is a little historical summary of said Tudor house.
Currently however there is renovation work underway (grant funded) so the front is a little obscured by scaffolding and canvas coverings (what a shame!) but worth it for the house's longevity.
A visit to Bakewell’s Old House Museum is, above all, a journey deep into Tudor domestic life, preserved within one of Derbyshire’s oldest surviving homes. Built in 1534 during the reign of Henry VIII as a tithe collector’s cottage, the house still carries the unmistakable fingerprints of its Tudor origins — thick stone walls, timber beams, wattle‑and‑daub panels, and the vast hearth that once served as the beating heart of everyday life.
What makes the Old House Museum so compelling is how authentically it communicates the lived experience of the Tudor period. This was no grand aristocratic hall but a working yeoman’s house, built for Christopher Plant, steward to Ralph Gell, who oversaw the collection of tithes — the mandatory tenth of local produce owed to the church. The building’s earliest rooms, still intact, speak to this practical purpose: modest spaces for accounting, storage, and daily domestic routines.
During the reign of Elizabeth I, the house was expanded into a more refined gentleman’s residence, and these enhancements remain visible today. The most evocative feature is the garderobe, a rare surviving Tudor internal toilet — a luxury at the time — discovered during 20th‑century restoration and now open to view. Nearby, the magnificent Tudor fireplace dominates the central room, its scale revealing how essential fire was for cooking, heating, and social life. Standing before it, you can almost imagine the bustle of Tudor servants preparing meals or families gathering for warmth.
The museum’s layout across ten period rooms allows visitors to trace the building’s evolution, but the Tudor sections remain its soul. The 16th‑century parlour, with its exposed beams and original stonework, is a highlight — a room that feels frozen in time. Artefacts discovered within the walls, including Tudor domestic items, deepen the sense of authenticity and connection to the people who lived and worked here five centuries ago.
Beyond architecture, the museum excels at storytelling. Exhibits explain how the house later became workers’ cottages under industrial pioneer Richard Arkwright, yet the Tudor fabric survived. This layered history enriches the experience, but it’s the Tudor era that leaves the strongest impression: a rare glimpse into everyday life at the dawn of modern England.
Visiting the Old House Museum feels intimate, atmospheric, and wonderfully immersive. Its quiet location behind Bakewell’s parish church adds to the sense of discovery — a hidden gem that rewards curiosity. For anyone fascinated by Tudor history, domestic architecture, or the evolution of English life, this museum offers one of the most authentic and engaging Tudor experiences in the Peak District. It is not simply a museum; it is a 500‑year‑old time capsule, lovingly preserved and rich with stories waiting to be explored.
If you want to lean more they have a website, at The Old House Museum, Bakewell
Overview of the Trip
We packed the final bits and pieces on Wednesday morning, there was a small shower but since we were not travelling far (still my desire to get my new knees used to the motorhome driving...I think I'm now almost there after 3 relatively short trips in Wendy House in 2026 i.e. Blogs 240 (this!) , 238 & 237.) we chose to leave at 1pm. The journey was roughly 30 mins from home so mega local. Its a good idea not to arrive at Caravan and Motorhome sites at 1pm which is when everyone is arriving nowadays. Our Sat Nav took us mostly via Motorway.
We chose pitch 31 and what a great choice that was, Peter and Sally the wardens know our pals Lawrence & Yvonne so suggested it was a good sunny spot, how kind of them, as they say its "not what you know but who you know" #smile
After setting up got the chairs and table out in the sun and settled in for a relaxing afternoon. Port and lemon at the ready. Had a chat with near neighbour Philip from pitch 30, a lovely chap who had lost his dear wife to a brain hemorrhage soon after completing the NC500 in their caravan. He was clearly lonely and asked to join us, which we said yes and welcomed him. Lots of fun discussions and shared beers. By about 6pm the temperature was dropping so we all called it a day.
Keef cooked lasagna and garlic bread, rapidly becoming our go-to campsite first meal. It was early to bed that night.
Next day (Thursday) the sun was ever so warming so table and chairs out again. Philip was going home and had got his mini caravan stuck in the hard standing pebbles so we gave him a push and said our goodbyes. Nice chap!
We then went for a bit of a walk around the site and visited the purpose built brick information "shed" , the best on any campsite so far. We got a few books to read. I started the last Jimmy Perez in Shetland one (called Wild Fire) before he moved to Orkney (and I've read that one as well by Anne Cleeve called The Killing Stones). The Orkneys and Shetlands are dear to us having been to both twice, our most recent trip in the motorhome can be read up on via Blog 206 Orkneys and Shetland trip.
We then went along to the site viewing spot with picnic benches and some rest chairs, what fabulous views across the undulating countryside. Not surprisingly I snapped a few pix. After that is was back to chill, crochet, reading and snacking.
Friday was very overcast with predicted showers and as we had read up the forecast in advanced decided it was a day to take the motorhome out. The bus service to Belper and or Crich / Matlock whilst very convenient to the site has a very sparse timetable meaning being stuck in say Belper for over 4 hours so that was a no no for us and we know Belper quite well as friends lived there for quite a few years. So we visited Heage windmill, sadly closed for maintenance, then Belper itself, note most car parks have a height barrier which makes it difficult to park and then onto Bakewell where we were determined to visit the Old house museum which in all our years in Derbyshire we had never done. We drove up there ,very steep but all parking permit areas so after a protracted n point turn we descended to the flat and the main car park across the old bridge by the River Wye. Boy that goes along way! The park guy was amazingly helpful, found us a slot, had a chat and helped me car the van. He was a volunteer who obviously enjoyed his job. We then walked back to the museum, which you can read all about above.
We walked back down via the easiest route after probably spending over 2 hours in the museum, it was fascinating. We had lunch of fish and chips in the splendidly ornate Rutland Arms Hotel, yummy but very filling. It was then back to the car park and slowly wending our way back to the campsite, a fab day all in all!
Saturday was again very sunny so table and chairs out and a day of relaxation.
Sunday up fairly early, washed dressed breakfasted and ready to break camp. It was showering on and off which hindered us a little but definitely confirmed it was time to leave. The Sat Nav took us via smaller roads thru Derbyshire, lovely scenery. Once home we unpacked bringing everything in from the van, as we have family visiting in October and most sites ae closed in November we have taken the decision tis will be out last trip of 2026 in Wendy House. More next year, roll-on.
Summary
If you ever needed proof that Derbyshire can deliver both tranquility and a suntan in late September, Blog 240 has you covered. Trip 65 sees us (subtitled - our intrepid duo) boldly travelling a whopping 79 miles — practically an expedition by local‑holiday standards — from Sandiacre to The Firs Caravan and Motorhome Club site in Ambergate near Belper.
The Firs, an adult‑only CAMC hideaway, is described as “lovely,” “peaceful,” and “small,” which is code for: no screaming toddlers, no inflatable unicorns, and no one reversing a caravan for 45 minutes while shouting instructions that defy physics. Instead, you get great views, sunshine, and the rare opportunity to top up your tan in late September without boarding a plane or pretending you enjoy airport security.
Three days of full sunshine apparently blessed the trip — a meteorological miracle so profound it should probably be documented in the Derbyshire Archives under “Unexplained Phenomena.” The blog even includes panoramas and a slideshow, because nothing says “we had good weather” like photographic evidence to taunt your rain‑soaked friends.
The site’s location gets a glowing review: close to home, easy to reach, and scenic enough to make you forget that you packed four different coats “just in case.” Being adult‑only, it’s the perfect retreat for anyone who enjoys quiet mornings, gentle birdsong, and not stepping on Lego. The blog hints we will definitely return — which is the motorhome‑traveller equivalent of Michelin awarding a star.
Tags on the page proudly list everything from “Top Campsites East Midlands” to “4K UHD,” suggesting that even if you didn’t go on the trip, you should at least feel guilty for not appreciating Derbyshire in ultra‑high definition. Watch the video why don't you?
In short: Blog 240 is a celebration of sunshine, serenity, and staying close enough to home that you can still nip back if you forget your slippers. A cracking little break, a cracking little site, and a cracking reminder that sometimes the best adventures are only 79 miles away.
Thanks for spending time reading, the author truly appreciates it.
Documents
Here are some of the documents associated with both the site and the environs for safe keeping
Wi-Fi heat map 2.4 Wi-Fi heat map 5.0
close near by if you are a petrol head
Campsite Advice Leaflet with Local Visits High Lighted
Feel free to download this PDF it will give you some great ideas for visits in the local area
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