Ernest’s Retreat

View prices & book 9.7 170 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.

Campground type

Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 20
Open now
Opens February 6
Please note
  • Under 18s must be accompanied by their parents or legal guardians.
  • The park does not accept breeds/crossbreeds listed in the Breed-specific legislation (i.e. Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, and Fila Brasileiro).

Languages spoken

English

Open from Fri, Feb 6 to

No availability here for your search criteria

Campsite types & availability

Other options

Reviews

  • 81%
    10
  • 7%
    9
  • 9%
    8
  • 0%
    7
  • 0%
    6
  • 0%
    5
  • 0%
    4
  • 0%
    3
  • 0%
    2
  • 0%
    1
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
9
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
9

98% would recommend this campground to a friend

99% would stay here again

What customers say

This is a friendly, clean, and peaceful site with stunning views, ideal for families and couples. Guests praise the well-maintained pods and cabins, excellent facilities including hot showers and communal freezer, and helpful, welcoming staff. The location is highly recommended for exploring the Peak District. Minor points raised include hot shower pressure and mattress comfort, but these did not detract from guests' overall positive experiences.

Summary AI-generated from Pitchup.com customer reviews. Last updated 7/28/2026

Filter by topic

Reviews page 1 of 17
Arrival date (latest first)

Perfect stay

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
1

Camping cabin

Liked As always, our stay was perfect. The views, the staff and the facilities are all top notch and we had an amazing time. The views are spectacular.

Disliked None.

Recommend to friends Visit again

We had a great weekend staying…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
9
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Glamper camping pod

Liked We had a great weekend staying at Ernest Retreat. The pod had stunning views, from which we witnessed beautiful sunsets and toasted marshmallows under a star filled sky. The pod was warm and clean- with the added bonus of a kettle, mugs and teabags, coffee etc. There’s plenty of room for children to play safely around the pods and it’s very dog friendly. Lovely host who met us on arrival and again for us to buy firewood on our second night. Our family would definitely return to Ernest for a weekend break!

Recommend to friends Visit again

The location is perfect and the site is peaceful with everything

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
10
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
8
Helen M. 1 review

Glamper camping pod

Liked The views are amazing! The cabin was clean and comfy with the facilities on site just as we needed. We had a lovely 3 nights and will definitely be back.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Would go again for a chill night

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
8
Facilities / Activities
8
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
No rating
Anonymous

Rambler camping pod

Liked Loved it. Such a nice spot. Was fairly quiet. The staff were lovely. Nice little pod with a really nice view out of the door 👌🏼

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely site. Views. Helpful lady on…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
No rating
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Rambler camping pod

Liked Lovely site. Views. Helpful lady on arrival. Ice cream honesty box. Pod clean, little tea/coffee/hot chocolate basket was a nice touch.

Recommend to friends Visit again

The view was absolutely stunning!! So…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
7
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
7

Glamper camping pod

Liked The view was absolutely stunning!! So peaceful, washrooms were very clean and tidy. Alot of really nice hiking trails nearby too. We did lumsdale waterfalls which was beautiful.
Would definitely stay again.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Het leuke houten huisje, met waterkoker,…

Overall

9 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
7
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
7
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
9
Wifi
5
Anonymous

Camping cabin

Liked Het leuke houten huisje, met waterkoker, bed met matras, prachtig uitzicht en vriendelijke eigenaars.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Clean, quiet site with a beautiful…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
9
Value for money
10
Accommodation
9
Facilities / Activities
9
Customer service
9
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10

Glamper camping pod

Liked Clean, quiet site with a beautiful view. Friendly and helpful staff. Honesty box ice cream is a nice touch as well.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Lovely place, highly recommend: wifi, clarity,…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
No rating
Value for money
No rating
Accommodation
No rating
Facilities / Activities
No rating
Customer service
No rating
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
No rating
Wifi
No rating

Rambler camping pod

Liked Lovely place, highly recommend: wifi, clarity, communication, clean and well looked after. Showers and even a mini kitchen.

Recommend to friends Visit again

Quality of the facilities. Amenities near…

Overall

10 out of 10
Location
10
Value for money
10
Accommodation
10
Facilities / Activities
10
Customer service
10
Child friendliness
No rating
Cleanliness
10
Wifi
10
Anonymous

Glamper camping pod

Liked Quality of the facilities. Amenities near by.
The View from the accommodation was very impressive. So overall a very clean and friendly place would definitely visit again!!

Recommend to friends Visit again


Features

Leisure on park

Bar or club house Cycle hire Evening entertainment Fishing Fitness centre Indoor swimming pool Kids' club On-site restaurant/cafe Outdoor swimming pool Playground Recreation room/arcade TV room Takeout Tennis Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available Composting toilet Dog park Drying room Free wifi Grocery store Ice pack freezing Internet access Laundromat Parent & baby washroom Payphone Pick-up from public transport Portable toilet Pub toilets Restrooms Shower available Washing-up area Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly Motorcycle friendly Rallies welcome Scouts welcome Single-sex groups welcome Student groups welcome

Rules

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

Themes

Hikers’ paradise Peaceful Remote location Spectacular scenery

Utilities

Charging facilities Communal freezer Dump station Electric car charging point(s) Propane/gas cylinders available Recycling available Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby Convenience store nearby Dog walk nearby Public transportation nearby

Type

Farm Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby Cycling nearby Fishing nearby Golf nearby Horseback 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 +0100 (GMT+01:00)

GPS

53.19417°N
1.48543°W

Nearest transport

Bus
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

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
Camping cabin
  • 15% off

    Min. stay 2 nights
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Rambler camping pod
  • 15% off

    Min. stay 2 nights
Lodge, cabin, pod or hut
Glamper camping pod
  • 15% off

    Min. stay 2 nights

Conditions apply - see campsite type section for details

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-park 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 $74.10 (for 1 night, 4 people) - prices may change depending on your dates and party.