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Is Chatsworth House Worth Visiting?

Is Chatsworth House Worth Visiting?

Chatsworth House in the heart of the Peak District is one of the most beautiful stately homes in the whole of the UK but is Chatsworth House Worth Visiting? In this guide we will cover the best things to do in Chatsworth House and its’ extensive grounds such as the gardens, adventure playground and the famed Chatsworth House farm to assess is Chatsworth House worth visiting. 

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Where is Chatsworth House?

Chatsworth House is in the heart of the Peak District and is always on my Peak District itinerary whenever we visit. 

Located near to Bakewell but Chatsworth Estate is a large estate that covers many of the nearby villages. 

For information on where to stay near Chatsworth House read our reviews of

Chatsworth House Admission Fees?

Chatsworth House is not free to enter and actually has quite steep admission charges that are layered depending on which areas of the house and grounds you want to visit. 

However if you want to visit the house, garden, farmyard and playground the admission fee is £29.50 for adults and £18 for children. 

Parking however is not included in the admission charge

Is it free to walk around Chatsworth?

Although the House and the gardens that include the farm and playground are not free to enter there are parts of the Chatsworth estate that are free to walk around however you still will be required to pay for parking.

History of Chatsworth House

Chatsworth House is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire and has been since the 16th Century. The house was built by Elizabeth Talbot, better know as Bess of Hardwick and her second husband William Cavendish and it is their descendants who hold the Dukedom of Devonshire and Chatsworth House still to this day. 

Why is Chatsworth House Famous?

Chatsworth House is famous for many reasons and has had a prominent place in British History which means it is worthy of being on any UK Bucket List.

It is also famous for being one of the most prolific film locations in the UK. For any ardent Austen fan, who wouldn’t love to visit the location of Pemberley from the BBC adaption and in subsequent adaptions such as Death Comes to Pemberley. 

Best things to do at Chatsworth House

Tour the House 

Chatsworth House

Chatsworth House

Although not the whole of the House is open to the public you can still take an extensive tour of the interiors of the House.

Some of the Highlights of the tour of the interiors are:

  • The Painted Hall – the painted hall has a dramatic staircase and impressive paintings of Julius Caesar. 
  • The Dining Room  and 
  • The Painted Hall

However please note that if you are traveling with children that you will be unable to take carriers or strollers into the house with you but they have a limited supply of baby carrying equipment on site.

Tour the Gardens

The gardens of Chatsworth House are really extensive and have so many things in them that are great to do solo, as a couple or even as a family at Chatsworth. They include:

Take a horse drawn carriage down the Broad Walk at Chatsworth House

Is Chatsworth House Worth Visiting?

Is Chatsworth House Worth Visiting?

If you aren’t able to do lots of walking in the grounds of Chatsworth one of the best ways to see the gardens without racking up a huge step count is to take the horse drawn carriage around the gardens. 

I love this as it really evokes the Jane Austen spirit in the place. Highlights of the carriage ride including heading down the Broad Walk past the Emperor’s Fountain.

Please note: there is an additional charge for this activity.

Have a Picnic in Chatsworth Gardens

Eating at Chatsworth House

Eating at Chatsworth House

While there are plenty of eateries in the grounds of Chatsworth House, perhaps our favourite thing to do on a summer’s day at Chatsworth is have a picnic. Our favorite spot is usually next to the Grand Cascade however there are plenty of great places to sit and picnic. !

Get Lost in the Chatsworth Garden Maze

what to do chatsworth - the maze

what to do chatsworth – the maze

We absolutely love doing mazes and in my opinion the Chatsworth House maze is one of the best things to do with kids at Chatsworth. 

Chatsworth House Garden Train

What to do at Chatsworth House

What to do at Chatsworth House

If you are not up to walking around the gardens, or just fancy seeing it from a different vantage point the Chatsworth House train that isn’t the horse and carriage ride you might want to consider taking the train pulled by a tractor.

My son is tractor obsessed so this would be top of his Chatsworth House things to do.

Please note: there is an additional charge for this activity.

Hunt for sculptures in the Chatsworth House Gardens

Chatsworth Garden Sculptures

Chatsworth Garden Sculptures

There are sculptures all around the Chatsworth House Gardens in a range of styles and at certain times of year there is even a sculpture trail with some outstanding pieces.

Adults will love to admire the different styles of sculptures while children will love hunting them out. It is a great family activity at Chatsworth.

Have a sensory experience in the Kitchen and Sensory Gardens

At the kitchen garden

At the kitchen garden

Although all of the gardens within Chatsworth are lovely our families favourite is the sensory and kitchen gardens which is a great place to explore with or without kids.

Get Hands on at Chatsworth Farm

Depending on the admission ticket you choose, you may or may not also be allowed to visit the Chatsworth House Farm. We always get this included in our ticket price as it is one of my children’s favourite things to do and to be honest is one of my favourite farms in the whole of the UK.

There is a great mix of hands on experience which means that children can get up and close to a variety of animals live and small. 

Depending on the time of year you visit too you may be able to see the new babies being born.

Let the kids blow off steam at Chatsworth Adventure Playground

One of the reasons we think Chatsworth is so family friendly is because of the fun. But on top of that to add to the family friendliness is The Adventure Playground.

This is an adventure playground to end all adventure playgrounds. There’s water and sand play, rope park, zip lines and more. This adventure playground will amuse children of any age.

There’s also a fun tractor area for the under 6s.

NOTE: If you are taking part in the adventure playground and hands on activities you may want to take an extra set of clothes for your little ones as they are bound to get wet and muddy. It is absolutely one of our favorite things to things to do in the Peak District with kids.

Have a Seasonal Experience

One of the things about Chatsworth that I love is that it really is a year round destination. 

If you are visiting Chatsworth in the summer you can enjoy a traditional picnic on the lawn, partake in some of the lawn games on offer (usually found next to the maze) or enjoy a glass of champagne from the champagne van. 

Visiting Chatsworth in Summer

Visiting Chatsworth in Summer

Chatsworth even has a famous flower festival that is a must do for any gardening fans (tickets sold separately).

However Christmas is also a very special time to visit Chatsworth House.  The House is decorated for Christmas every year to a different theme and alongside the decorations there is a Christmas Market, story time with Santa for kids and illuminations to name but a few things that make Chatsworth worth visiting

Is Chatsworth Worth Visiting?

Although the price of admission to Chatsworth is steep we absolutely think Chatsworth is worth visiting. It is one of the most impressive stately homes in the whole of the UK and is really a day long activity given all the things there are to do there. 

On top of that it is one of the most family friendly stately homes in the UK because of the farm and then adventure playground. 

We love Chatsworth and will definitely be planning a return trip very soon. 

Disclaimer: We were guests at Chatsworth on this occasion but as always the views are my own and to note we have been before and since our press trip and paid for tickets ourselves. 

Sarah | Digital Motherhood

Thursday 19th of October 2017

This looks like a lovely place for a family day out.

Zena's Suitcase

Monday 16th of October 2017

I can't believe I've never been here and it's practically on my doorstep. It sounds like it has a lot to offer

Deborah Nicholas

Monday 16th of October 2017

oh wow these look beautiful, i love a good walk around the gardens of a pretty home!

Hannah

Monday 16th of October 2017

I love the gardens there! Just absolutely beautiful x

Katrina

Sunday 15th of October 2017

We haven’t been to chatsworth but it’s not a million miles for us so maybe worth a trip next summer as I don’t weather well lol