Planning a Day South of Hartington

Ashbourne, Tissington and Newhaven are close enough together that you can easily combine them.

But that doesn't necessarily mean you should try to see everything in one day.

Driving Routes

The A515 is the main road linking this part of the Peak District and makes travelling between Newhaven, Tissington and Ashbourne relatively straightforward.

In fact, if you're arriving at Hartington Hills from the south, it's the route we recommend.

Rather than travelling through Alstonefield on narrow lanes, we advise guests to follow the A515 north from Ashbourne to Newhaven and then take the B5054 towards Hartington.

Once you're staying with us, that same route gives you easy access back towards the southern White Peak.

As always, remember that Peak District journey times can vary.

A tractor, flock of sheep or particularly enthusiastic group of cyclists can occasionally have other ideas about your schedule.

Choosing a Half-Day or Full-Day Trip

For a half-day outing, we'd choose one main destination.

Spend a few hours shopping and eating in Ashbourne, explore Tissington and take a short walk, or head to the Tissington Trail for a couple of hours of cycling.

For a full day, Ashbourne and Tissington work particularly well together.

You can spend the morning exploring the town before heading to Tissington for the afternoon, or reverse the order if you'd prefer a walk or cycle before lunch.

If walking or cycling is the main purpose of the day, we'd forget sightseeing altogether and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy the trails.

There is absolutely no prize for fitting the most Peak District attractions into eight hours.

Parking

Ashbourne has several public parking options, while there is also parking at the southern end of the Tissington Trail around Mapleton Lane.

Tissington has visitor parking too, although the village can become extremely busy during popular events, particularly the annual Well Dressings.

Wherever you're visiting, use designated parking rather than verges, gateways or residential roads.

And during school holidays and sunny weekends, arriving earlier usually makes life considerably easier.

Things to Do in Ashbourne

Ashbourne is a lovely contrast to the tiny villages surrounding Hartington.

It's big enough to spend several hours exploring but still small enough to feel relaxed and distinctly Peak District.

Historic Centre

Ashbourne has a beautiful historic centre filled with Georgian buildings, old coaching inns, narrow streets and independent businesses.

Rather than arriving with a strict itinerary, we'd simply have a wander.

Explore the streets around the Market Place and Church Street, take a look at some of the town's historic architecture and allow yourself to be distracted by whatever shop, café or pub looks interesting along the way.

St Oswald's Church is another of the town's notable historic landmarks and is well worth seeing if you're exploring on foot.

Ashbourne is also famous for its annual Royal Shrovetide Football match—a wonderfully chaotic tradition that's been part of the town's identity for generations.

Shops, Cafés and Markets

If you fancy a little shopping during your camping holiday, Ashbourne is one of the best places nearby.

The town has a strong collection of independent shops alongside cafés, pubs, restaurants and businesses selling local produce.

It's useful for practical things too.

If you've been camping for several days and need a supermarket, pharmacy or something you can't find in a small village shop, Ashbourne is a good place to stock up.

We'd allow plenty of time for coffee.

Possibly cake.

Almost certainly both.

Ashbourne also has a long history as a market town, so check the current local market calendar if you'd like to combine your visit with one of its markets or special events.

Starting the Tissington Trail

Ashbourne is also the southern gateway to one of the Peak District's best-known traffic-free trails.

The Tissington Trail runs for around 13 miles between Ashbourne and Parsley Hay, following the route of a former railway through the White Peak.

At the Ashbourne end, the cycle-hire centre at Mapleton Lane provides direct access to the route, along with parking, toilets and refreshments.

That makes Ashbourne a particularly good option if you'd like to combine a little town exploring with an afternoon bike ride.

You can read our Camper's Guide to the Tissington Trail for much more detail about planning your route.

Visiting Tissington

Tissington is very different from Ashbourne.

This beautiful estate village is filled with limestone cottages, pretty gardens and traditional buildings, and is one of those places that looks exactly how people imagine a Peak District village should look.

The Village and Hall

At the heart of the village is Tissington Hall, the home of the FitzHerbert family.

The estate has been in the family for centuries, and the Jacobean hall forms an important part of the village's character.

Tissington itself is perfect for a gentle wander.

You don't need to spend an entire day here or rush between attractions. Walk through the village, admire the stone cottages, find somewhere for refreshments and simply enjoy the surroundings.

Tissington Hall has specific public opening periods rather than being open continuously throughout the year, so check the current arrangements before travelling if visiting the hall itself is important to your day.

Well Dressings

Tissington is particularly famous for its Well Dressings.

This Derbyshire tradition sees wells decorated with intricate pictures created from natural materials including flower petals, leaves, seeds and cones pressed into clay.

The wells are traditionally blessed on Ascension Day before remaining on display for visitors.

For 2026, Tissington's published Well Dressing dates were 14–21 May.

If you're planning a future visit specifically for the Well Dressings, always check that year's dates beforehand as they change according to the calendar.

It's a wonderful time to see the village, but it's also one of its busiest.

If you're looking for peaceful Tissington rather than bustling Tissington, choose another week.

Walking and Cycling

Tissington sits beside the Tissington Trail, making it easy to combine the village with walking or cycling.

You could park nearby, explore the village and then join the trail for a gentle out-and-back walk.

Or make Tissington one of the stops during a longer cycle ride.

Because the trail follows an old railway, gradients are generally much gentler than many traditional Peak District routes. It's used by walkers, cyclists and horse riders and provides a particularly good option for families.

If you've already explored the Manifold Track near Hartington Hills, the Tissington Trail gives you a different but equally enjoyable traffic-free day out.

What to See Around Newhaven

Newhaven is slightly different from the other places in this guide.

It's not somewhere we'd suggest spending several hours wandering around shops and attractions.

Instead, think of Newhaven as a useful gateway to the surrounding White Peak countryside.

High Peak and Tissington Trails

Newhaven sits close to the northern sections of both the Tissington and High Peak Trails.

The two former railway routes meet at Parsley Hay, creating more than 30 miles of recreational trails through the surrounding countryside.

For guests staying at Hartington Hills, this makes the Newhaven and Parsley Hay area particularly useful if cycling is part of your holiday.

From Parsley Hay you can hire bikes and choose whether to follow the Tissington Trail south or the High Peak Trail through the White Peak.

You certainly don't need to complete either one.

Pick a direction, cycle until you've had enough and turn around.

Nearby Countryside

The countryside around Newhaven is classic White Peak.

Expect rolling farmland, limestone walls, open views and a huge network of footpaths and quiet lanes.

Because Newhaven sits on the A515, it's easy to drive straight through without giving the surrounding area much thought.

But if you enjoy walking and cycling, it's worth looking beyond the road.

Nearby places including Hartington Station, Parsley Hay and Biggin provide access to some excellent countryside routes, while Hartington itself is only a short journey away.

This is also why we recommend the Newhaven route for guests towing caravans to Hartington Hills: it allows you to stay on the larger A515 before turning onto the B5054 towards Hartington rather than negotiating the narrower lanes further west.

Prehistoric Sites and Attractions

This part of the White Peak has a much longer history than its railway trails.

The landscape around Newhaven and Parsley Hay contains evidence of human activity stretching back thousands of years.

One of the most striking nearby examples is Minninglow, an unmistakable tree-covered hill surrounded by the White Peak countryside.

Hidden among those trees is an important prehistoric chambered tomb, with later Bronze Age burial mounds adding further layers to the site's history.

Minninglow can be seen from the High Peak Trail and makes a fascinating landmark if you're exploring this part of the route.

There are also historic field systems, old tracks and traces of the area's industrial past scattered throughout the surrounding landscape.

Sometimes the most interesting Peak District attractions aren't behind an entrance gate.

They're simply sitting in the countryside waiting for you to notice them.

Suggested Itineraries

The easiest way to explore this area is to decide what sort of day you actually want.

Ashbourne and Tissington

For a classic sightseeing day, start in Ashbourne.

Spend the morning exploring the historic centre, browse the independent shops and stop somewhere for coffee.

Have lunch in town before driving towards Tissington.

Spend the afternoon wandering around the village and, if it's open during your visit, explore Tissington Hall.

If everyone still has some energy left, finish with a short walk along the Tissington Trail before heading back towards Hartington Hills.

During Well Dressing week, we'd probably reverse this.

Get to Tissington early before it becomes too busy, then head into Ashbourne later.

A Trail-Focused Day

If you're more interested in cycling than shopping, make Parsley Hay or the Tissington Trail the focus of your day.

Hire bikes at Parsley Hay and explore the Tissington or High Peak Trail, or drive to Ashbourne and hire from the southern end of the Tissington Trail.

Both trails follow former railway routes and are largely level, although there are steeper sections and dips in places, particularly on the High Peak Trail.

Families can choose a short out-and-back route.

More experienced cyclists can cover considerably greater distances or link sections of the two trails.

Take water, snacks, waterproofs and a basic repair kit if you're bringing your own bikes.

Then find somewhere for cake afterwards.

Cycling is hungry work.

Returning to Hartington Hills

One of the benefits of exploring this part of the Peak District from Hartington Hills is that you're never particularly far from home.

You can spend the morning shopping in Ashbourne, the afternoon wandering around Tissington or several hours cycling the trails, then return to the peace and quiet of the campsite.

Hartington Hills sits between Hulme End and Hartington, with Ashbourne among the four main market towns within roughly 10 miles of us.

Have a look through our Things to Do pages if you're planning the rest of your stay.

And if you're travelling to us from this direction, we'd strongly recommend checking our Find Us information and recommended driving routes before setting off—particularly if you're towing a caravan or driving a large motorhome.

The beauty of this southern corner of the White Peak is its variety.

Spend one day browsing Ashbourne's shops.

Spend another wandering through Tissington.

Bring the bikes and disappear down an old railway line.

Or simply choose a footpath near Newhaven and see where it goes.

Then come back to Hartington Hills, put your feet up and start deciding which direction you're going tomorrow.