Ardotalia (also known as Melandra, or Melandra Castle) is a Roman fort in Gamesley, near Glossop . Ardotalia was constructed by Cohors Primae Frisiavonum—The First Cohort of Frisiavones  Evidence for the existence of this unit exists not only from the building stone found at the site but also from various diplomas and other Roman writings . This unit would have had around a thousand men, including the specialist craftsmen needed to perform the skilled work of building the fort.This unit was assisted in constructing the fort by the 3rd Cohort of Bracara Augustani. These men were probably Iberian Celts from the colony of Braga in Portugal, who seem to have been attached to the XX Legion Valeria Victrix in Chester. Whilst it is unknown which of these Cohorts actually manned the fort it seems more likely that the 3rd Cohort of Bracara Augstani performed this duty, as they were from a hilly region and so were more experienced in holding terrain such as that found around Glossop. The Frisiavones were from low-lying lands beyond the Rhine and so may have been divided between the lower terrain of Manchester and Northwich. The First Cohort of Frisiavones were also present at Brocolitia, one of Hadrian's wall forts and settlements, at Carrawburgh, Northumberland. Evidence for this relies on an inscription on an altar stone, which tells us that Optio Maus (an NCO within the Cohort) had repaid a vow to the goddess Coventina. Whether this altar was the repayment of the vow is unknown.

Ashbourne

Ashby Canal

Visit the one and a half miles of restored Ashby Canal stretching from Conkers to beyond Moira Furnace. Regular boat trips (ring to check - 01283 224667) through a swing bridge and first full sized lock on the canal.

Bakewell
Bakewell, a small town with busy roads, famous as the home of Bakewell Pudding or Tart made with raspberry jam, but which is the original recipe? two shops battle for the honour!Popular town to visit as Bakewell is the nearest town to the famous Chatsworth House, one of the most popular stately homes in England.The local showground hosts the yearly Bakewell Show in early August.Useful as a base for the area, visiting villages such as Winster and Birchover, tucked away south east off the A6.

Campbell Drive, Barrow Hill,

Chesterfield, S43 2PR

Telephone: +44 01773 841482
Fax: +44 01773 841487
Email: tourism@ambervalley.gov.uk
Website: Visit theWebsite

The Blue John Cavern is one of the four show caves in Castleton,  .The semi-precious mineral "Blue John" or "Derbyshire Spar" is mined from this cave. Although the cavern works as a show cave, the mineral is still worked here during the winter months. The miners who work the remaining seams act as guides for the underground tours.Blue John is a blue/purple and white/yellow banded variety of fluorite which locals will tell you is found nowhere else in the world other than this cave and the nearby Treak Cliff Cavern.  In the late 18th century a small local industry was centred on turning vases of Blue John, which might be mounted with ormolu as chimneypiece garnitures. A small amount of the rock is still mined and can be bought as jewellery in local shops.The earliest dated decorative application of Blue John is its use in marble fireplace panels designed by Robert Adam and installed in Kedleston Hall near Derby in 1762.The eight veins here are Twelve Vein, Old Dining Room, Bull Beef, New Dining Room, Five Vein, Organ Room New Cavern and Lanscape.

Bradbourne Hall, a greystone Elizabethan building with three gables, was once the home of the Buckston family. It was probably built by Henry Buckston or his son george who died in 1631, possibly on the site of a much older building. The Buckstons moved to Sutton on the Hill in the early part of the 19th century and the building was tenanted out. In 1929 an extension was added by the then owner L.W.Hodson. It remains a private residence.

Bretby Hall is a country house at Bretby,  north of Swadlincote and east of Burton upon Trent. The name Bretby means "dwelling place of Britons".The first Bretby Hall was built in 1630 after Thomas Stanhope bought the manor of Bretby from the family of Stephen de Segrave, to whom it had been granted by Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester.In 1628, his grandson Philip was made Earl of Chesterfield by King Charles I of England. From then on, Bretby Hall was the ancestral home of the Earls of Chesterfield.The second Earl was responsible for a complete restyling of the gardens so that some compared them favourably with the gardens at Versailles.The fifth Earl demolished the mansion and built the present Hall to a design by Sir Jeffry Wyatville.The sixth Earl, known as the "racing Earl", loved cricket and shooting, so he built a cricket pitch and raised game birds.The seventh Earl died without issue, and the estate revolved to his mother and through her to the wife of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, the famous egyptologist . In 1926, the Hall was sold to Derbyshire County Council and was run as an orthopaedic hospital until the 1990s when it was sold to a private developer, who has converted it into luxury apartments and suites.

Buxton
Buxton, developed as a Georgian spa and the buildings and some streets reflect the Georgian splendour. You can still "take the waters" at St Ann's Well, the water is warm!Largely developed in the Victorian era, it is still a popular town, the highest in England, on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Even if you are not walking, the town is well worth a visit.
Tourist and general chain stores in the town, plus specialist shops. Try the Spring Gardens Shopping Centre or the shops in the Market Place and High Street. Market on Tuesdays and Saturdays.Take a look at the Crescent with its Georgian facade, the Town Hall (1888), the Natural Bath building, as well as the restored Opera House. Box Office Telephone number is 01298 72190. A smaller theatre is at The Pauper's Pit, The Old Hall Hotel, The Square, Tel: 01298 72190Churches to note are St Marys Church and St Johns Church.

Carsington Reservoir is a reservoir operated by Severn Trent Water . The reservoir takes water from the River Derwent at Ambergate during winter months, pumping up to the reservoir by 10.5 km long tunnels and aqueduct. Water is released back into the river during summer months for abstraction and treatment further downstream. It is England's ninth largest reservoir with a capacity of 35,412 megalitres.Planning for the reservoir started in the 1960s with actual construction starting in 1979. In 1984 there was a partial collapse of the dam prior to its filling. The dam was subsequently completely removed before construction of a new dam commenced in 1989. The finished reservoir was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1992.The reservoir is a major centre of leisure activities including walking, cycling, birdwatching, sailing and windsurfing. The land surrounding the reservoir, in particular the facilities around the visitor centre, have played host to events including a music festival, the Festival of the Peak.