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Places to visit from the Shady Oak

The Shady Oak is the ideal place to stay if you want to tour the Peak District, have a short break or visit the cities of Manchester or Sheffield.

There is a lot to see and do within easy reach whether you are feeling active or just want a sedate tour of the area.

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Fernilee and the surrounding area is criss-crossed with public rights of way making the place a walkers paradise. When you step outside the door of the Shady Oak you can walk or cycle through miles of beautiful Peak District countryside. Venture across the road and the track will take you to the Goyt Valley. Carry on and you can walk up the hill to Windgather Rocks, a which slopes up from this side and is a rock face on the other.

Please follow the links below for Goyt Valley information

Goyt Valley Online - The Goyt Valley - Goyt Valley Photos

A relatively easy walk or a short drive is the town of Whaley Bridge, the centre of the town is dominated by the canal basin which is the terminus of the Upper Peak Forest Canal.  Above Whaley Bridge lies Toddbrook reservoir where course fishing permits can be purchased, there is a fishing tackle shop in the town which sells bait.

A ten minute drive away is England's highest town Buxton, with it's superb architecture and interesting shops. A evenings entertainment can be found at Buxton's famous Opera House, which has a splendid interior. Many other attractions and places to see make a day out in the spa town of Buxton well worth while. Buxton can be reached by rail.

Near to Buxton is the town of Chapel-en-le-Frith. In 'Chapel' as it is known by locals, there is the historic 14th century church of St Thomas à Becket. In the market place the original stocks can be viewed. In the town there is a couple of banks and nearby is a conservation centre for otters, owls and birds of prey, a great place to take the kids.

A short drive or long walk away from Chapel-en-le-Frith is the charming village of Hayfield, a common starting point for a ramblers who wish to ascend  Kinder Scout, the Peak Districts highest point. Hayfield hosts an annual jazz festival and is famous for it's sheepdog trials. There are several pubs and restaurants in Hayfield and mountain bike hire is available at the start of the Sett Valley Trail.

New mills New Mills so good they named it twice. In fact the town has only recently become popular with visitors. This is due to the completion of the Torrs Riverside Park, the New Mills Heritage Centre which contains a fascinating visual history of the town and more recently the completion of the Millennium Walkway has attracted visitors to the town. New Mills has several shops a couple of banks, a leisure centre with a swimming pool and two health clubs.

The market town of Glossop is described as 'the gateway to the Peak', this historic town has a Victorian Weekend in September, when all the shops staff, and a some of the local residents dress up in Victorian costumes. Glossop has large indoor and outdoor markets and a tourist information centre. Near to Glossop is the Longdendale Valley which is reputed to be the most haunted valley in Britain, strange tales abound of sightings of roman legionnaires and there are many witnesses who have seen strange lighting effects in the sky.

Other Peak District places within easy reach are Bakewell home of the famous tart and attractive place to visit.Tideswell, which has a majestic cathedral and plenty of craft shops and pups. Hartington, birthplace of Charles Cotton (co-author of The Compleat Angler), and the famous Buxton Blue and Dovedale cheeses. The tourist attractions and cable cars at Matlock and Matlock Bath. In fact there is so much to see and do round here that we would could fill a massive web site with the information.

Manchester's renaissance continues with opening of the new Lowry Centre, a museum, art gallery and theatre all under one roof. This follows on from the recent opening of the Bridgewater Hall - home of the Halle Orchestra. The whole centre of Manchester has undergone and is undergoing regeneration, which has transformed Manchester's image from a dreary, dirty, northern city to a happening place. Manchester is stuffed full of art galleries, museums, libraries and places of historical interest. A real 24 hour city, full of clubs, bars and high class restaurants. Manchester is easily reached by rail from Whaley Bridge

Local Links

Contact: The Shady Oak - Fernilee - Whaley Bridge - High Peak - SK23 7HD - 01663 733658 -