Hoe Grange Holidays is a relaxing retreat on the edge of the Peak District National Park. For over a year, Hoe Grange was on our bucket list, so we were very excited when the chance came to visit.
What made our visit even more special was that we visited over Disabled Access Day weekend. This meant we got to stay in a luxury accessible cabin and meet the access day brief of seeing somewhere we’d never been before.
From a health point of view, the beginning of the year has been challenging. So tough, we were forced to cancel several trips, and it also meant we made few travel plans for the future because travelling was just too painful.
But, I wouldn’t be much of a travel blogger if I stopped travelling altogether, nor would I be able to encourage you to travel if I wasn’t prepared to push through the pain myself.
Yes, we’ve changed the way we travel, no more 8-hour drives in the car or long distance walks. We are finding ways to travel differently, figuring out what works and travelling that way instead.
Isn’t that what travelling with a disability is all about?
We now travel slower than we did, spend more time in one place and enjoy what we’re doing because who knows how long it will last?
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Hoe Grange Holidays
Hoe Grange Holidays is an award-winning set of luxury self-catering log cabins in Brassington near Matlock, Derbyshire.
Situated on a working farm on the edge of the outstanding Peak District National Park, Hoe Grange is perfect for a relaxing holiday or a base if you’re the more adventurous Peak District visitor.
Over the years, Hoe Grange has won many awards and quite rightly so. With numerous Visit England awards for excellence and a prestigious Catey in the collection, our endorsement seems futile – but I’ll do my best.
What’s on Hoe Grange
Hoe Grange is home to four luxurious self-catering log cabins and two newly installed glamping pods.
The log cabins vary in age but not in quality. All of them are accessible without feeling like they’ve been adapted. Instead, the cabins feel like comfort and enjoyment came first, and access was seamlessly integrated.
I’ll show you around a couple of the cabins in a moment, but first, let’s look at what else makes Hoe Grange so unique.
Accessible Equipment
There is an extensive list of standard accessibility features and access equipment in the cabins.
Then, a whole host is more available on request to ensure you have a comfortable stay.
If specialist equipment is not already available, Hoe Grange can help you hire it from a local supplier and have it delivered directly to your cabin, ready for your stay. Take a look at the Access Equipment page.
Boma 7 Off-Road Wheelchair
Are you feeling adventurous? Fancy getting up in the hills? Now you can go with Hoe Grange’s very own Boma 7 off-road wheelchair.
The Boma is available for hire and is a remarkable piece of kit, I had a go of one in Devon, and it’s so easy to use.
This all-terrain wheelchair can help you explore the beautiful Peak District countryside and reach places you wouldn’t manage under your own steam.
Bring Your Horse
Most holiday accommodation providers describe themselves as pet-friendly, but few let you bring your horse, and Hoe Grange positively encourages it.
Hoe Grange is a certified member of The British Horse Society, has four internal stables, grazing paddocks and easy access to The Pennine Bridleway and High Peak Trail.
Walking and Cycling
Don’t worry if you haven’t got a horse, if you’re able, the countryside around the site is perfect for walkers and cyclists alike.
With trails and pathways accessible directly from the farm, you can hit the hills and peaks in no time. You can even borrow a mountain bike if you need to.
Stargazing
Being city dwellers, it’s not often we get to wallow in the splendour of a clear night sky. So Bridget and I wrapped up warm and sat out on the deck for ages, gazing at the stars above.
I have a confession. I had no idea what I was looking at until I found a whole stargazing section inside the cabin’s information guide. The truth is, I still don’t know which stars are which, but it doesn’t matter; they’re pretty spectacular all the same.
Hot Tub and Sauna Experience
To take relaxation to another level, why not treat yourself to a hot tub experience or Scandinavian log-fired sauna. Additional fees apply, but if you want to completely de-stress on your holidays, this is the way to do it.
Spa Experience
If you want to go even further and pamper yourself, turn your visit into a complete spa experience. The visiting “My Personal Sanctuary” offers several pampering packages right inside your cabin.
The Owners – Felicity and David
Felicity and David are perfect hosts, attentive without being overbearing. Also, they get accessible tourism.
They both understand the need for accessible accommodation that doesn’t feel sterile. Without question, they have achieved it, and they’ve taken it to a whole new level and then some.
We spent the weekend in one cabin and viewed another. Both wouldn’t look out of place in a perfect homes magazine, which is a significant achievement in an accessible holiday cabin.
Also, and this is important, they both understand that not all people with access problems use a wheelchair. Yes, the cabins are accessible to wheelchair users and people with limited mobility, hearing loss, and sight impairment.
Felicity and David’s commitment to accessible travel can be seen on their website. Each cabin has access details, a brief access statement with an audio version, and a comprehensive written access statement.
Out and About
As I mentioned, we visited Hoe Grange to relax. Ordinarily, we’d bimble around the area, but this visit was about rest and recovery. We did, however, pop into the local town of Wirksworth (10 minutes away) for fish and chips and a rather tasty Chinese takeaway.
We also took a drive to Matlock Bath. At first, when Matlock Bath was described to me as a seaside town nowhere near the sea, I was a bit confused. Then when I was told it’s a haven for bikers (of the black leather kind), I was unsure whether we should visit.
In reality, it is like a seaside town with its gift shops, fish and chips, and ice cream. Instead of the sea, the River Derwent runs through the centre of town, making it ideal for a leisurely access stroll.
As for the bikers, yes, there are hundreds of them, which made parking on the main street tricky. But, they are a sight to see and quite interesting. I’m not a bike lover, but you can’t help show an interest in the different bikes and trikes or the variety of people riding them.
When we’ve visited the area before, we visited Carsington Water, The Monsal Trail, The Derwent Dams and Bakewell.
There is an extensive information resource in each cabin for more things to do in the area, and I’m sure Felicity and David would be only too happy to share their local knowledge with you.
Hipley Log Cabin
We were lucky enough to stay in the Hipley Log Cabin. Although Hipley was the first cabin built, you’d never know it because it oozed quality and felt like it was constructed only yesterday.
We may not have had the sun during our stay, but it didn’t dampen our spirits because the cabin is so lovely we didn’t want to leave it.
With a large living and dining area, two bedrooms, one double and one twin with a profiling bed, a fully accessible wet room and a standard bathroom with a whirlpool bath, Hipley was the perfect accommodation for a relaxing break.
And then there are the little touches, like hand-made soap, speciality tea and coffee and of course, those biscuits (or are they cookies?) which make it even more special.
The cabin boasts many features, far too many to mention. You can find full details of access equipment on the Hipley Cabin dedicated page.
Daisybank Log Cabin
The latest addition to the cabins is Daisybank, and what a stunning cabin it is.
The Daisybank Log Cabin has a spacious living and dining area, two bedrooms, one super king main bedroom and one twin with profiling beds which can be converted into another super king on request. Instead of me trying to describe everything in the cabin, look at it, isn’t it gorgeous:
Eco-Friendly Camping Pods
For quite a few years, glamping has been a craze, and it’s spawned many quirky holiday accommodations. Hoe Grange has two new eco-friendly camping pods, and to be honest, they’re pretty cool.
From the outside, the camping pods look pretty basic, but they are anything but on the inside.
Although they’re not marketed as accessible, the camping pods could work for someone with only slight mobility problems.
And, I think it’s incredible how the pods haven’t just been stuck in a field like many pods I’ve seen. These pods have their dedicated area on Hoe Grange.
Would We Recommend Hoe Grange Holidays
Unequivocally and categorically, “YES”.
Near the beginning of this post, I said that Hoe Grange didn’t need our endorsement, but it deserves it anyway. I do not have enough words in my vocabulary to complement Felicity and David enough for what they’ve achieved.
I know it’s been hard to get Hoe Grange to where it is today, and I’m pretty sure this is not the end of the story.
On a personal note, Bridget and I thank Felicity and David for a beautiful weekend, delicious cake and to die for biscuits :-)
Resources
Website – Hoe Grange Holidays
Facebook – Hoe Grange Holidays
Twitter – @HoeGrange
Where would you like to go next?
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