Viewing 39 posts - 1 through 39 (of 39 total)
  • What's Chesterfield like?
  • flashinthepan
    Free Member

    We’re looking for a quick get-away for the August Bank Holiday

    I’d like to visit The Peaks (wife is less sure).

    Need a cheap(ish) hotel or B&B in the area and not much left other than in Chesterfield.

    Please tell me it’s a charming and quaint old town with a twisted spire rather than a run-down, drugs den with a generic high-street.

    Or should I just pay more and stay somewhere else – in which case where?

    alexpalacefan
    Full Member

    Alright, not sure I would go on holiday.
    W side of the town is nicer.
    Some decent pubs.
    Generic High St. as you say.

    APF

    flashinthepan
    Free Member

    APF – you’re right, ‘I’m going to Chesterfield for a holiday’ isn’t a sentence I’ve aspired to utter.

    But we just need somewhere in striking distance of the peaks for walking and cycling by day but which is also pleasant (enough) for a family evening out.

    Pub recommendations would help

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    alexpalacefan
    Full Member

    Certainly pleasant enough. There are a couple of beer pubs off the market, not sure how they would be for families; not really my department.
    Great access to the Peak though.

    APF

    Cougar
    Full Member

    Sofa, so good?

    Pook
    Full Member

    Sheffield would be better.

    PiknMix
    Free Member

    Sheffield would be better.

    +1.
    Nothing wrong with Chesterfield, except it being Chesterfield.

    rOcKeTdOg
    Full Member

    Not in-spire-ing

    hammyuk
    Free Member

    We talking button back or drop-leaf?

    rumbledethumps
    Free Member

    I once went on a night out with a few mates who live there. On our tour we carelessly wandered into somewhere called the Beach Bar. Instantly forgettable, but what I clearly remember was one of those grabber machines you get at fairground’s and amusement arcades. Instead of cute fluffy toys, it was full of sex aids.

    Chezzies great!

    Seriously though. It’s not a bad little town. Sound people!

    Harry_the_Spider
    Full Member

    Not in-spire-ing

    Chapeau.

    jeffl
    Full Member

    I moved up to Chesterfield about 12 years ago. It’s not bad but I’m not sure I’d want to stay here for a holiday. If you do need to stay at a B&B here look for something to the north or west side of town.

    Town centre is ok, not exactly a hive of cosmopolitan night life, especially with kids. There are a few decent pubs, cafés. You can book to go up the crooked spire, the museum is surprisingly good, short train journey to Sheffield.

    The best part about Chesterfield is that you’re in striking distance of the Peak. If you do book anything and/or have any other questions let me know.

    munrobiker
    Free Member

    It depends if you mean actual Chesterfield, which will be a rubbish holiday, or the countryside to the west of it.

    Thought about Matlock?

    wrightyson
    Free Member

    Belper, in true stw form it’s where I live.

    TheFlyingOx
    Full Member

    If you’re in that general area to visit the Peak District there are plenty of better options: Hathersage, Bamford, Castleton, etc. Even Dronfield would be better than Chesterfield.

    Esme
    Free Member

    Not much use for the Bank Holiday (fully booked Sat night), but the “Chesterfield West” Premier Inn isn’t actually in Chesterfield. It’s very close to Chatsworth and the beautiful Peak District.

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    What everyone else said.

    There must be room in Sheffield, even if its just the premier inn.

    sime46
    Free Member

    Whoever said Dronfield is better is clearly missing something. Chesterfield is fine but unlikely to make the top ten destinations for a staycation. Plenty of nice places to eat and drink if you do the research as you would for anywhere you’re thinking of visiting. Sheffield is similar. Brilliant if you know where to look. Horrible if you don’t. Sheffield gets excess kudos due to the mountain bikers connected with it. The Peaks area is brilliant to ride in.

    jimmy
    Full Member

    Look for Bnb or similar on Holymoorside. It’s a little village of Chesterfield (round the corner from where I grew up, and I love ‘taaan’)

    EDIT: I think this is right opposite a decent local pub, with a bigger local pub round the corner.

    https://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/accommodation/p8143330?k_clickid=_kenshoo_clickid_&ksid=_kenshoo_clickid_&ksprof_id=245&ksaffcode=6551866&ksdevice=m&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_JrMBRDPARIsACis1Hy5Aja3JzDsd6BlxWAd1cMBzgAza9qhKODIU4wWuggMJtM8E0DM36gaAitNEALw_wcB

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    Sheffield gets excess kudos due to the mountain bikers connected with it.

    And the music, beer, museums, food, parks, sport, galleries, shopping (mehh, but some people actually enjoy MeadowHell) and mountain biking, climbing, walking, gliding, and everything else, I mean, apart from that what has Sheffield got to offer that Chesterfield doesn’t?

    RopeyReignRider
    Free Member

    Hey! Stop slating Dronfield.

    It’s officially the 9th best place to live in England (Google it!).

    RRR of just south of Dronfield but not quite Chesterfield

    RopeyReignRider
    Free Member

    There a few pubs that have rooms that are on the edge of Sheffield / edge of peak(s)…

    The Norfolk arms at ringinglow for example, there’s a few others.

    There’s probably more to do in Sheffield than Chesterfield although Ches isn’t too grim if you’re away from the endless bypasses/roundabouts.

    rone
    Full Member

    and mountain biking, climbing, walking, gliding, and everything else, I mean, apart from that what has Sheffield got to offer that Chesterfield doesn’t?

    Hate to split hairs but aren’t they all about the same distance from Chesterfield?

    RRR of just south of Dronfield but not quite Chesterfield

    Unstone then? 😯

    RopeyReignRider
    Free Member

    Unstone then?

    We were first time buyers :-/

    We’ve not had the children stolen nor car set fire to yet..

    It’s still technically Dronfield …

    /other generic justification

    Digby
    Full Member

    Sheffield gets excess kudos due to the mountain brilliant bikers connected with it. The Peaks area is brilliant ok to ride in.

    Hope that helps! 😉

    Chesterfield is an odd one. It actually has some really nice areas to it.

    Brampton, up Chatsworth Road and out towards Brookside/Holymoorside/Old Brampton/Walton etc are all decent.

    The top of Newbold Road out towards Cuthorpe & Barlow also good.

    and mountain biking, climbing, walking, gliding, and everything else, I mean, apart from that what has Sheffield got to offer that Chesterfield doesn’t?

    Hate to split hairs but aren’t they all about the same distance from Chesterfield?

    Not really. A big chunk of Sheffield sits inside the Peak District NP. Also the climbing areas like Stanage and cycling areas like Wharncliffe are much closer to Sheffield (and Barnsley for that matter).

    Psychologically I always think of Chesterfield as the ‘North Midlands’ and Sheffield as being part of ‘The North’.

    Unstone could well be the ‘Great Divide’ even though historically it was ‘Meersbrook’

    daniel_owen_uk
    Free Member

    Having lived there for 30+ years, I wouldn’t chose to visit the centre.

    That said it’s surrounded by lovely places, something like Hathersage or Castleton, could be a good base for a fair few peaks rides.

    If the wife isn’t into bikes/walks then I would suggest looking elsewhere as it’s either scenic and great for the peaks or a little run down with not much to do.

    mr-potatohead
    Free Member

    I grew up around Chesterfield and it was rough as a bear’s arse- good fighting town.Gentrified now but can’t see it being worth more than half a day’s visit.I’d be looking at bakewell, Tideswell, Baslow etc, lots of pretty villages/ towns with access to the peaks and near to Chatsworth if you like stately homes.Just get a map of the peaks and stick a pin in a map, just don’t stick in Chesterfield.

    finbar
    Free Member

    Loads of villages and towns round there that would be infinitely preferable to Chesvegas (aka the ‘fighting capital of Derbyshire’) and must have a B&B with a free room. In addition to the usual suspects of Hope/Hathersage/Edale, check:

    Wirksworth
    Bonsall
    Cromford
    Carsington
    Brassington
    Grindleford

    Digby
    Full Member

    infinitely preferable to Chesvegas (aka the ‘fighting capital of Derbyshire’)

    Didn’t think it was that bad since the ‘Painted Wagon’ shut! 😉

    jamiep
    Free Member

    mr potatohead – Member

    I grew up around Chesterfield and it was rough as a bear’s arse- good fighting town.Gentrified now but can’t see it being worth more than half a day’s visit.I’d be looking at bakewell, Tideswell, Baslow etc, lots of pretty villages/ towns with access to the peaks and near to Chatsworth if you like stately homes.Just get a map of the peaks and stick a pin in a map, just don’t stick in Chesterfield.

    This. I am from there but moved out at 20, which is 23 years ago. All my family still stay there. It isn’t a ‘holiday’ destination and much of its charm as a ‘market town’ with oldey worldy ‘shambles’ is long gone from when I lived there

    IHN
    Full Member

    I’d have a look in Buxton too

    rone
    Full Member

    Not really. A big chunk of Sheffield sits inside the Peak District NP. Also the climbing areas like Stanage and cycling areas like Wharncliffe are much closer to Sheffield (and Barnsley for that matter).

    I don’t doubt that but there is heaps of riding on west side of Chesterfield running up to the Peak.

    And actually looking at the boundary for the Park. They’re about the same albeit one’s further North.

    Mackem
    Full Member

    The George and Dragon, Ashbourne was cheap and cheerful.

    Digby
    Full Member

    I don’t doubt that but there is heaps of riding on west side of Chesterfield Sheffield running up to the Peak.

    Apart from the area around Linacre Woods etc there isn’t really that much riding of note on the Western approaches of Chesterfield – there is however, quite abit though on the West & North West side of Sheffield.

    sherco
    Free Member

    There is loads of good riding to the west of Chesterfield.
    Its just Digby hasn’t found it!

    sherco
    Free Member

    Three full days of good riding
    1. Brampton – Holymoorside-Beeley – Chatsworth.
    2. Monk Wood – Barlow – Holmesfield.
    3. Barlow – Curbar Edge – Cannings – Blackamoor.

    Digby
    Full Member

    There is loads of good riding to the west of Chesterfield.
    Its just Digby hasn’t found it!

    I guess it depends on what you like to ride and where you like to ride.

    For sure there is some ‘good’ riding west of Chesterfield heading out to the White Peak. The White Peak itself has got some good riding, but much of it is limestone ‘double-track’ linked together with big chunks of tarmac work – good for ‘gravel’ bikes as well!

    If I was going to be pedantic though, I would point out that Barlow & Holmsfield are ‘north [west]’ of Chesterfield and Lady Canning’s and Blackamoor are in the ‘Western Approaches’ of Sheffield! 😉

    I grew up in Chesterfield and will defend it on many accounts but Sheffield does have alot more variety of riding on offer I think: from Bridleways, to steep woodland descents – and that’s not even including the Peak District National Park! (where seemingly only ‘certain’ types of mountain bikers are welcome/encouraged these days)

    theboatman
    Free Member

    Think you could make a good fist of a biking weekend from either town, or just in the Peak. Depends more for me on what you want from your evening’s as to picking a town or more rural. If riding is the main focus, I would pick my ride’s and just stay where I needed to do the least driving over the weekend. Realistically it’s not like the Peak is that remote, if you stayed in hathersage and got your ride done early on, you could use the train and get drinks n nibbles in Manchester for an evening.

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