David S.
Yelp
Chatsworth House is Derbyshire's most well known stately home. I had not visited the house since a trip from Junior School, so a second visit was long overdue. We were fortunate enough to pick a barmy summer's day to visit. The house itself is set in generous parkland grounds, and the sweeping access road sets a picture postcard view. At the time the house was partially cloaked in scaffolding as part of the 'Masterplan' - a scheme to improve the house and grounds, inspired by the owners the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.
Chatsworth is a popular destination so its best to get their early, it was no exception on the day we visited. The sloping car park rapidly filled, with a steady stream of cars waiting behind. After a patient wait to get into the house, we took a steady wander round this hugely impressive rooms. The opulence is their to see first hand, grandiose paintings, ornate furniture, beautifully painted ceilings and a vastly impressive room with brilliant white marble sculptures. The guides were full of helpful and anecdotal information that helped add to the experience too. The end of the walk through the house brings you straight into one of the many gift shops, with gifts recommended by the Duke and Duchess as well as many Chatsworth themed items.
The grounds are equally impressive, the sensory garden, large greenhouses housing tropical plants, the fountain and the impressively iconic cascade. The gardens also had the biggest free range chickens I've ever seen, as big as a Jack Russell! We finished off with lunch in a courtyard area, where there is variety of different types of dining, from fast food to a more relaxing and sedate high end cafe. We chose the latter option, comfy chairs, table service and walls of glass looking out onto the courtyard, made up for the inflated prices.
You could easily spend a whole day at Chatsworth, as well visiting the house, the vast gardens, theres also numerous restaurants and Champagne Bars too