Ernest’s Retreat

View prices & book 9.6 184 reviews
Visitor image of the views from the cabins
Outside of pod with porch
Cabin with sheltered porch
Outside one of the cabins

  • Glamping site five mins' drive from Peak District National Park
  • Quiet and secluded spot with views over Derbyshire countryside
  • Paradise for ramblers, bikers, climbers and petrolheads
Get ready to fulfil your Jane Austen dreams at Ernest’s Retreat, a family-run site on a working farm 10 minutes’ drive from the town of Chesterfield in Derbyshire, Central England. Pride and Prejudice fans may know that being this close to the Peak District means you’re within easy reach of tons of stately homes: the spectacular Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall and Hardwick Hall are all within 25 minutes of Ernest’s. The site is also in a prime spot for getting back to nature. The site is five minutes from the edge of the Peak District National Park, where there are plenty of trails to follow and loads of walking tours to join. If you’re more of a petrolhead than a rambler, you can tour the Peak District in something a little more your style: a 1929 Model A Ford Phaeton, run by Vintage Adventure Tours. Relax back on site by filling your eyes with views over the Derbyshire countryside before filling your stomach by firing up the barbecue – pile it high with supplies from one of the shops 10 minutes away. Need a break from cooking? Head to Chesterfield to grab a table at one of the restaurants, or try one of the nearby bar-restaurants.

Site type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 20
Open now
Opens 5 February
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The site does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Dangerous Dogs Act (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).
  • Bookings must not be for more than 28 consecutive nights.
  • No cars/motorbikes by the pitch/unit. All cars must be parked in the designated area.
  • No naked flames are allowed inside the hired accommodation units.
  • If reception is closed on arrival: please contact the number provided on your booking confirmation.

Languages spoken

English

Open from Wed, 5 Feb to

Pitch types & availability

Reviews

96%

would recommend this site to a friend

96%

would stay here again

  • 84%
    10
  • 0%
    9
  • 12%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 1%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 1%
    2
  • 0%
    1

Only showing reviews for the last 30 months.

Everything was really nice staff friendly and just a phone call away…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Rambler camping pod

Liked: Everything was really nice staff friendly and just a phone call away if you need anything nice and clean toilets and showers

Very nice view to wake up to

Recommend to friends Visit again

Peaceful safe site, friendly hosts, clean shower and toilet facilities, good location…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Amelie M. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Glamper camping pod

Liked: Peaceful safe site, friendly hosts, clean shower and toilet facilities, good location for visiting the area e.g Matlock farm park, Bakewell and walking routes

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Warm cabin, very well sheltered from the wind & rain. Quiet and clean

Overall 8/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 7
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 9
Wifi 1
Amanda D. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Glamper camping pod

Liked: Surprisingly warm and spacious. There was an oil heater which i was relieved about in case it was quite cold as we went during Whitsun, but we didn’t even need to use it. I would say its warmer than in my own home without the heating on. Had light switch and electric so could plug in anything we needed. There was a kettle provided with some complementary tea/hot chocolate sachets/biscuits etc which was nice. The french doors meant that during times when it was raining we could still sit and look out while keeping warm and dry! Good view for watching the sun rise in the morning! Water in the toilets and dishwashing area was nice and hot! There is a big freezer in the dishwasher area where you can keep your own labelled food and there are also some ice lollies you can buy by using their honesty box. Toilets were clean and always stocked up with sufficient toilet roll and soap. Washing up area clean. Site overall was clean and tidy. Theres a grassed area where kids can play ball games etc. Great location as near the town with shops and also near to the parade which has plenty of ice cream parlours/sweet shops, fish n chip shops, amusement arcades.

Disliked: Was given a wifi password but it wasn’t recognised so didn’t have WiFi for any of our time there.
Different food trucks come on some of the days. It was good to have but they do take a very long time to cook everyone’s food. Its quicker to drive into the town and get a takeaway.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Very clean site, everything you need and attentive hosts. We really enjoyed…

Overall 10/10
Location 8
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Melanie F. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Glamper camping pod

Liked: Very clean site, everything you need and attentive hosts. We really enjoyed our stay and will definitely be back soon

Recommend to friends Visit again

Fab site, would stay again

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 8
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping cabin

Liked: Really lovely site, fabulous glamping huts which were well designed and more spacious than expected. Very clean facilities. We were running later than planned and Laura very kindly waited for us. Very friendly family. Fab views. We would definitely stay again.

Disliked: Dislike is too strong a word but the shower was a tiny bit on the hot side. The two parts to the matresses on the children's beds in the glamping hut could maybe do with some poppers on as they kept slipping off in the night. Neither of these things would stop us staying again though!

Recommend to friends Visit again

A fantastic site with attention to detail making all the difference

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Nicola L. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping cabin

Liked: Kettle with tea coffee and even hot chocolate!!! Double bed was more comfortable than some hotels and heater kept it perfectly warm. Food vans were a huge bonus and well priced and good quality both days. View is spectacular and location ideal for exploring the peaks.A very friendly welcome and a nice couple of walks directly from the site.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Cosy cabin, sunrise and pizza!

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 6
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 8
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 2
Ashley C. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping cabin

Liked: Clean Cabin
Beautiful views
Comfy bed
Heater
Tea coffee and kettle!
Pizza takeaway
Friendly owners (and the gorgeous 2 year old lab!)
Good facilities
Perfect Sunrise spot!

Disliked: WiFi didn't work for us but wasn't needed for 1 night.

Recommend to friends Visit again

A beautiful site with fantastic access to walks

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Anonymous The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping cabin

Liked: This is a lovely family friendly site with beautiful views. The staff are really helpful and kind and the lodge itself was perfectly clean and the area was very lovely and tidy. We’ve been twice and will definitely be back yearly now.

Disliked: Nothing

Recommend to friends Visit again

Cleanest toilets I've ever seen at a site, lovely friendly hosts.…

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 10
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 8
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 10
Scott S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Rambler camping pod

Liked: Cleanest toilets I've ever seen at a site, lovely friendly hosts.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Excellent little get away

Overall 10/10
Location 10
Value for money 10
Accommodation 8
Facilities / Activities 10
Customer service 10
Child friendliness 10
Cleanliness 10
Wifi 6
Frazer S. The reviewer booked through Pitchup.com

Camping cabin

Liked: These huts are amazing, the business is a small family owned place but wow what an amazing family they are

Disliked: Nothing the whole place is amazing

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on site

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Games room Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Play area TV room Take away Tennis Watersports

Amenities on site

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Food shop Free wifi Ice pack freezing Internet access Launderette Parent & baby washroom Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Public telephone Shower available Toilet block Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

D. of E. welcome Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue provided Barbecues allowed Campfires allowed Commercial vehicles allowed Dogs allowed Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery Walkers' paradise

Utilities

Charging facilities Chemical disposal Communal freezer Electric car charging point(s) Gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Dog walk nearby Public transport nearby Shop nearby

Type

Farm Small (11-25 pitches)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horse riding nearby Indoor pool nearby Leisure/theme park nearby Restaurant nearby Sailing nearby Tennis nearby

Location

Ernest’s Retreat

Highashes Lane

Stonedge Ashover

Chesterfield

Derbyshire

England

S45 0LH

Directions

Timezone

Europe/London BST (GMT+01:00)

GPS

53.19417°N
-1.48543°W

Nearest transport

Coach
3.6 mi Coach Station
4.9 mi Railway Station
6.1 mi Fishpond Hotel
Rail
4.1 mi Chesterfield Rail Station
4.9 mi Matlock Rail Station
5.8 mi Matlock Bath Rail Station
Airport
14.6 mi Sheffield City Airport
26.2 mi East Midlands Airport
27.9 mi Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Exploration of the Peak District doesn’t have to mean pulling on those walking boots, slapping on a helmet or doing your best Toad of Toad Hall impressions in a classic car – you can also have an altogether more sedate experience, with fishing and golf five minutes from Ernest’s Retreat or a saunter around the banks of Ladybower Reservoir, 40 minutes away. If you’ve already put the splendour of Chatsworth, Haddon and Hardwick stately manors on your list, now add the 25-minute trip to Bolsover Castle, a fortified retreat with a reputation for revelry. Tread lightly, though – they say it’s haunted, and you don’t want to anger anything lying dormant… If the kids haven’t hit those Jane Austen literary peaks yet, they may need something more than Pride and Prejudice vibes to keep them entertained. Luckily, the kid-friendly Gulliver’s Kingdom theme park is only 15 minutes away and the entire family can head to Alton Towers, just under an hour from Ernest’s, for an adrenaline spike.

Must see

Chatsworth 5.7 mi

Arkwright's Cromford Mills 6.5 mi

Sir Richard Arkwright's Masson Mills 6.5 mi

Haddon Hall 7.2 mi

Hardwick Old Hall 7.5 mi

National Trust

Winster Market House 7.4 mi

Hardwick Hall 7.5 mi

Hardwick Estate: Stainsby Mill 7.5 mi

Kedleston Hall 16.4 mi

Mr Straw's House 17.4 mi

Cycle routes

Find local routes on the National Cycle Network - over 12,000 miles of cycling routes.

Other

Eddlestow - Uppertown - Spitewinter - Kelstedge 2.4 mi

Eddlestow Lot - Milltown - Ashover - Kelstedge loop 2.4 mi

Wadshelf - Linacre - Barlow - Cutthorpe - Wadshelf 2.7 mi

SYDNOPE HALL 3.3 mi

QUEEN'S PARK, CHESTERFIELD 3.4 mi

Local events

  • Download Festival (Friday 13 June 2025 – Friday 13 June 2025)

    Derby, Derbyshire 25.7 mi

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Offers

Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Rambler camping pod
  • 10% off Last Minute Booking
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Camping cabin
  • 10% off Last Minute Booking
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Glamper camping pod
  • 10% off Last Minute Booking

Conditions apply - see pitch type section for details

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

Want to know more about camping in Derbyshire?

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Ernest’s Retreat have a swimming pool? No View all features
  • Is Ernest’s Retreat dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near Ernest’s Retreat? Exploration of the Peak District doesn’t have to mean pulling on those walking boots, slapping on a helmet or doing your best Toad of Toad Hall impressions in a classic car – … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of Ernest’s Retreat?
    On-site accommodation
    Arrive:  3 p.m. –  6 p.m.
    Depart by:  10 a.m.
    Read more
  • How much does it cost to stay at Ernest’s Retreat? From £45 (for 1 night, 2 adults) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.