Holiday rentals and lettings in Ashbourne

Table of contents

• At a glance: what should you know about renting a holiday letting in Ashbourne?
• Holiday rentals and lettings in Ashbourne: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Ashbourne: our top recommendations
• Activities: what are the top things to do and see in Ashbourne?

• Cottages and country houses: Traditional stone cottages fill Ashbourne's town centre, ideal for couples and small groups, whilst detached lettings with 3 or 4 bedrooms just outside town suit larger families.
• Best areas to stay: The town centre puts shops and pubs on your doorstep, whilst Dovedale, Tissington and Carsington Water place you amid the Peak District's finest scenery.
• What guests say: Reviews consistently praise welcoming hosts, characterful interiors and well-kept gardens, with Wi-Fi throughout and plenty of pet-friendly cottages for those travelling with a dog.
• Best time to visit: May to September offers the finest walking and cycling weather; February brings the famous Royal Shrovetide Football match, whilst autumn colours the dales beautifully.
• Top activities: Cross the Dovedale Stepping Stones, cycle the Tissington Trail, brave the coasters at Alton Towers or browse the antique shops along Church Street.

Ashbourne's holiday lettings centre on traditional stone cottages, many tucked along the town's cobbled streets. Outside the town, rustic cabins let you get back to nature. Most lettings in and around Ashbourne come well equipped for a countryside break, with amenities such as:

• Gardens or patios
• Reliable Wi-Fi
• Wood burners
• Pet-friendly options
• Private parking

Check each listing's amenity details before booking to make sure your chosen cottage matches your plans.

What are the best areas to stay in Ashbourne?

For first-time visitors, Ashbourne town centre is the best base, putting shops, traditional pubs and the bus routes into the Peak District within easy walking distance. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in and around Ashbourne consistently rate their holiday lettings highly, with hosts earning particular praise for warm welcomes and generous local knowledge, from tips on the best pub lunches to quieter alternatives to the busiest Dovedale car parks.

Ashbourne sits in the Derbyshire Dales in England's East Midlands, on the southern edge of the Peak District National Park, roughly 13 miles north-west of Derby.

✈️What is the best way to get to Ashbourne?

Driving is the most convenient way to reach Ashbourne, as the town no longer has a railway station of its own. Here are the most common ways to get to the town:

• Car: From the south, leave the M1 and follow the A50 towards Uttoxeter, joining the A515 north into Ashbourne; from Derby, the A52 runs directly into town in around 40 minutes. Arriving from Manchester or Buxton, the A515 carries you south through the heart of the Peak District. Several central car parks serve the town, including Shawcroft and Cokayne Avenue.
• Train and coach: The nearest mainline stations are Derby and Uttoxeter, with direct trains from London, Birmingham and Sheffield. From Derby bus station, the regular Swift bus completes the journey to Ashbourne in around 50 minutes, whilst National Express coaches serve Derby from most major UK cities, making a car-free break entirely manageable.

🥗Where to eat in Ashbourne?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, The Two Pigs is the best-rated restaurant in Ashbourne. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers Emma and James recommend The Machine Inn in Ashbourne: an enjoyable, affordable menu with a fine-dining feel, friendly service and a calmer atmosphere than the town-centre pubs, ideal after a long day walking in the dales.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

May to September is the best time to visit Ashbourne, when long, mild days make the most of the surrounding dales for walking and cycling and the town's outdoor markets are in full swing. For a uniquely local spectacle, come in February for the Royal Shrovetide Football match, whilst October brings glorious autumn colour to Dovedale with far fewer visitors.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers who want wildflower-carpeted dales and lambing season in the surrounding farmland.
• Weather: Cool and changeable, gradually warming through May, so pack layers and waterproofs.
• Atmosphere: Quiet and unhurried, with trails and tearooms pleasantly free of summer crowds.

Summer

• Best for: Families combining Alton Towers days out with picnics and paddling at Dovedale.
• Weather: The warmest and driest months, typically reaching a comfortable 18-22°C.
• Atmosphere: Lively markets and busy beauty spots, so arrive early at the popular car parks.

Autumn

• Best for: Photographers and couples seeking golden woodland, misty mornings and cosy pub evenings.
• Weather: Mild in September, turning crisp and damp towards November.
• Atmosphere: Calm and colourful, with wood burners lit and the high street back to its local rhythm.

⭐Our hosts' recommendation: Our local hosts in Ashbourne almost always point guests towards Chatsworth House, around 40 minutes' drive north. Arrive early to explore the Painted Hall and the 105-acre garden with its famous water cascade, then let the children loose in the farmyard and adventure playground before heading back through the dales.

1. Cross the Dovedale Stepping Stones
2. Cycle the Tissington Trail
3. Brave the rides at Alton Towers
4. Watch the Royal Shrovetide Football
5. Hunt for antiques on Church Street

1. Cross the Dovedale Stepping Stones

   Just a short drive north of Ashbourne, Dovedale is one of the Peak District's most celebrated beauty spots. Cross the famous stepping stones over the River Dove, framed by sheer limestone walls, then climb Thorpe Cloud for sweeping views down the gorge. The valley path continues past ancient ash woodland and dramatic rock spires such as Ilam Rock, and in summer the grasslands are carpeted with wildflowers.

2. Cycle the Tissington Trail

   This much-loved, traffic-free route follows a former railway line for 13 miles from Ashbourne up to Parsley Hay, where it joins the High Peak Trail. Hire bikes near the old station in town, then pedal gently uphill through cuttings and over embankments with far-reaching views of the dales.

3. Brave the rides at Alton Towers

   Barely 20 minutes' drive from Ashbourne, Alton Towers is Britain's best-known theme park and home to its most hair-raising rides. Thrill-seekers queue for Nemesis Reborn and The Smiler, which holds the world record for the most inversions on a single roller coaster, whilst younger children are well looked after in CBeebies Land.

4. Watch the Royal Shrovetide Football

   Every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, Ashbourne stages one of England's oldest and most eccentric sporting traditions. The Royal Shrovetide Football match pits the Up'Ards against the Down'Ards, with the entire town as the pitch, goals set three miles apart and virtually no limit on player numbers. Shopfronts are boarded up, the ball is turned up from a plinth in the town centre, and play surges through streets, fields and even the Henmore Brook.

5. Hunt for antiques on Church Street

   Often described as one of Derbyshire's finest streetscapes, Church Street is lined with handsome Georgian and Tudor townhouses, among them the elegant Old Grammar School of 1602. Antique hunters can browse a procession of wonderful shops offering sculptures, furniture and paintings, with treasures regularly spilling out onto the pavement.