FAMILY HOLIDAYS UK STAYCATION DESTINATIONS is clear


Lee Hayhurst rediscovers the joy of family holidays at home with a coast and countryside combo in the north


@leehayhurst T


he term staycation was coined after the 2008 financial crash, when holidaymakers reined in their spending as household budgets were squeezed. But with this summer’s heatwave seeing the UK clocking up the hottest weather on record, when better to discover parts of the country you’ve never visited before? That’s what took us – mum, dad and three kids aged 10 to 13 – to Yorkshire this August for a visit that combined some of the most stunning countryside scenery the UK has to offer with some equally amazing coastline.


The coast


w PEAK SALES On our way to the Yorkshire coast, we took a detour to explore the Peak District in neighbouring Derbyshire. Within minutes of leaving our lodgings in the ‘Steel City’ of Sheffield, we found ourselves in wild but beautiful upland Peak District countryside. En route to the village


of Castleton, we passed the awesome Ladybower Dam – which holds back an enormous 27 million cubic metres of water in the Y-shaped Ladybower Reservoir – and the village of Bamford, before


turning into the Hope Valley in Derbyshire.


As the name suggests,


Castleton is situated in the shadow of the imposing ruins of a Norman castle, today managed by English Heritage. Peveril Castle is accessed through a visitor centre just off a cute village green; entry costs £6.50 for adults, £3.90 for children, and a family ticket for five is £16.90. The walk up to the castle is short but fairly steep, although the winding path means it is accessible to most visitors, regardless of their physical


ability. The ruins sit atop a rocky outcrop and, although there’s not much left of the castle buildings, the main keep remains largely intact. As well as learning about the


history of one of the UK’s earliest Norman fortresses, the castle’s position means it is a superb spot to take in the majesty of the surrounding countryside. To the left, looking back


over Castleton, is the imposing 517m-high Mam Tor at the head of Hope Valley, and the ridge of high ground that separates Castleton and Hope Valley from Edale.


11 October 2018 travelweekly.co.uk 61


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