AD Gifted Stay | Our weekend at Ashbourne Heights in the Peak District -

We were gifted with a weekend (3Night Stay) stay at Ashbourne Heights

There is nothing as exciting as going away as a family! Especially somewhere new and somewhere as beautiful as the Peak District. We were recently invited to stay the weekend at Ashbourne Heights in the Peak District and we couldn’t wait! The Peak District is such a beautiful area and for us, it’s only a 2-hour car journey. Mark and I picked the boys up from school and set off!

Ashbourne Heights

Ashbourne Heights is a campsite on the edge of the Peak District. We were booked in to stay in one of the lodges for the weekend. Our lodge was 2 bedrooms and sleeps a total of 6 people. Ideally, we would have gone with a 3 bedroom on however we had made some last minute changes and the 3 bedroom ones were already booked. The boys all share a room at home anyway so it wasn’t a problem for us! Arthur and Oliver bedshared (which they loved!) and Jack had his own bed.

The Lodge we were given was right in the far corner and had a lovely veranda at the front. There was a bush right in the middle and although I appreciate a bit of greeny and privacy, it would have been lovely to have had it cut back a little so we could see a bit more of the area. The lodge was equipped with everything we needed; bed linen already on our beds, and a bath and hand towel each.

Welcome Pack

We were also given a lovely little welcome pack which included cereal, sugar, milk, coffee, tea bags, dishwasher tablets x2, tea towel, sponge and a cloth. This is something you can add to your stay for an extra £12. As the lodge could sleep 6, it meant that one of the sofas is used as a sofa bed. In the welcome guide we were given there were instructions on how to do this, as well as for instructions on working the cooker and boiler etc.

The Lodge has a bathroom with an overhead shower as well as en suite off the main bedroom. The boys loved having a bath in the lodge and it meant it was easier to wash both of them at the same time.

Facilities

The boys were really excited to have access to a swimming pool during our stay! Ashbourne Heights Swimming Pool is open throughout the day and can be booked by going into the shop/reception to book a time slot. There isn’t a lifeguard on duty and it’s only accessed by a member of staff letting you inside, there are CCTV cameras inside which is seen by the staff inside the shop/reception area.

The Swimming pool can accommodate up to 25 people at a time and has 2 changing rooms (male and female). This i feel is where there could be some improvements. The changing rooms each have 1 toilet, 1 shower and a small open changing area. During our stay, we saw a few people leave in their swimwear wrapped in a towel to get changed in their accommodation. We were able to bring in armbands, swim noodles and even balls and swim toys too.

Playpark

The boys loved the play park and it was lovely and spacious. There was something for pretty much most age ranges from small play equipment to a much larger one. There was an uncovered sand area, zip wire, big and small slides as well as rockers. Inside the play park, there were several picnic benches at one end, plus plenty of grass area to sit for a picnic.

Ashbourne Heights also has a nature garden. We assumed we would be able to go and explore however it was all locked and gated. The area was brimming in wildlife and the boys loved it! They do love their minibeasts and insects and was in their element trying to identify what they saw.

Ashbourne Heights also has a rally room. The room is ideal for when it is wet and cold outside as a shelter from the elements. Fortunately the weekend we had our visit was one of the hottest of the year so far. The Rally Room was empty, and there was a film being played on the TV. There is plenty of seating and you are able to bring in your own food and drink. It is also a great place to come for local information as there was a tourist information stand full of leaflets on days out and attractions.

There are supermarkets within about a 10minute drive, and the city of Derby is just under 40 minutes away.

Our thoughts

We loved our weekend at Ashbourne Heights. We made the most of being in the Peak District with a day out (gifted entry) to Matlock Farm Park as well as exploring the local area. Ashbourne Heights is on next to the Tissington Trail which is a lovely walk into the village of Tissington. The trail is a disused rail track and makes for a really lovely stroll. We spent Sunday exploring the holiday park and took a walk on their dog trail. We found an abandoned farmhouse and a running stream which the boys loved exploring. The Peak District is so picturesque and Ashbourne Heights makes the perfect base for anyone wanting to explore the area.

As well as the lodges there are camping and glamping options. The Safari Lodges look amazing and I would love to stay in one. They have 2 floors plus a hot tub! There is plenty of electric and non-electric pitches too for camping and the toilet/shower blocks look to be a decent size.

It was such a lovely weekend, the boys had fun and Mark and I felt like we had actually had a holiday! which with children in tow, is pretty amazing!