Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club Campsite Review

Since I first bought our VW Transporter campervan a few years back, I didn’t think I’d get this much mileage out of it, but in that time, I’ve come to very much enjoy a spot of camping when the time permits. Fresh off my awesome 9-day and 8-night round campervan trip across Ireland, where I travelled the length and breadth of the entire island, as the lovely British summer is still in full swing, I thought I’d pack up the camper once again.

However, this time around, I thought I’d keep my travels somewhere more local. Well, a smidge to the north of local, at least, as I drove off from home, here in Birmingham, and up to Derbyshire. There, you’ll find a lot fantastic campsites and caravanning spots, and it was very easy to find and book the right one thanks to the Caravan and Motorhome Club, where I finally then booked a stay at the Chatsworth Park caravan site.

Checking In At Chatsworth Park Campsite

Arriving at the Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club campsite, after a long drive to the location itself down a lengthy private lane, crossing a small bridge, you finally get a peek of the picturesque grounds around the campsite. Even the reception and welcome area exudes a lot of history, such as the cobbled road, and even the reception building itself, which looks like it was inspired from an old horse stable.

You’ll also find a cute little shop here, if you need to get supplies for your campervan, with a decent selection of local bread, ice cream, milk, other grocery goods, as well as basic camping equipment, too. Even from the very get-go, if the quaint atmosphere and the beautiful English countryside weren’t enough to warm you up to it, all the folks I met during the check-in and throughout my 2-day stay were super friendly, nice, and welcoming.

You’ll find other buildings around the campsite, as well, including the main building, where most of Chatsworth Park’s facilities, amenities, and creature comforts can be found. Housed within these four red brick walls would be where you’ll find their toilets, your shower, cleaning facilities, and for added privacy, it’s split in two, the men’s half on one side, and the women’s the other.

Amenities And Facilities In Great Abundance

The main building is vast, with more than enough facilities for everyone, and it’s been well-maintained. Should you need a refuge away from your camper van or caravan, this main building is well-ventilated, heated, and there’s even a tiny herb garden outside, as well.

Not to mention, for some local entertainment, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the ping pong table that could be found nearby. Other facilities that you’ll find around here include a plethora of washrooms everywhere, on top of Wi-Fi connectivity, though that’s a paid extra. Otherwise, an interesting piece of trivia with Chatsworth Park is how the campsite is walled off, which handily opens up to the lush and green Chatsworth Estate surrounding it.

This staggeringly gorgeous slice of the Derbyshire countryside is only one small gate away, offering you very easy access either to or from Chatsworth Park, and I’ll be making good use of this gate later (more on that in a bit). Speaking of, near the wall that splits up Chatsworth Park and the Estate is a handy, private dog walking area, so if you do bring your dog(s) with you, it’s quite convenient to have this on-site, without needing to leave camp.

On that note, if you have children with you, I’m sure they might also like to hang around the secret fairy garden, nicely tucked away within Chatsworth Park. If you’d like to learn more about Chatsworth Park and all the various amenities and facilities that it offers, as well as pricing and so on, I’d suggest checking out the Caravan and Motorhome Club’s website for a complete breakdown, and you could book a campsite pitch for yourself here, too.

Perusing Around The Chatsworth Camping Site

Once we chose our pitch, we noticed it has all been kept in lovingly good condition, with a lot of care gone into keeping the pitches neat and tidy. It was pretty much full to the brim with other caravans, though, so if you want to stay at the Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club campsite, I’d 100% suggest booking way in advance.

Meanwhile, our pitch was right under a tree, which did help create some shade for those hot summer afternoons, though there are plenty of other pitches, too.

There’s certainly a good variety of different pitches, and some of them were a lot more open than ours, so make sure you spend some time picking the right pitch for your stay at the Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club campsite. While perusing around Chatsworth Park, surveying the grounds and getting my bearings right, I then came across a family of adorable little ducks, just hanging around and quacking about the camping area.

The Chatsworth Park campsite is placed right next to a river, so you’ll no doubt find plenty more ducks waddling about the place, and they’re pretty chill and docile, and they’re not aggressive, either, so it is nice to have them keep me company during my stay. Best of all, at certain times of the year, if you’re lucky, you might even find a flock of baby ducklings following their mums, which I’m sure is a delight to pretty much every camper here.

Dropping By Edensor Village And Chatsworth House

Of course, we weren’t just there for the campsite, as handsome as it might be, but to explore the grounds around Chatsworth Park and further beyond. Right next to Chatsworth Park is a cricket club, where you might even find professional cricket players practice and play, so that ought to be quite fun to watch if you’re a cricket fan. Walk a bit further south of it, and you’ll soon come across the stunning, incredibly grand Chatsworth House.

There’s a lot that you can do here, too, besides taking a stroll down its well-manicured lawns and just taking in the sights, like booking a tour of the House, or maybe visit the local gardens and mazes, and perhaps having a bite to eat at the nearby cafes and visiting the gift shops. Alternatively, once you’re done there at Chatsworth House, cross Paine’s Bridge to the west, and after a brief walk, you’ll find yourself in the village of Edensor.

The village church and tea house are definitely worth visiting, as is the rest of the village itself; calm and quiet, and it’s blessed by the fact that it’s not overcrowded with tourists. There’s not a whole lot to do here, but if you want peace and quiet, it’s a decent place to start. If you time your visit to Chatsworth just right, however, you might not even have to leave the grounds of Chatsworth House, as they run all sorts of special events each year.

This includes the hugely popular local horse trials, in addition to some seasonal markets, such as Christmas and summer markets, not to mention numerous shows that are held all year round. This makes the vicinity of the Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club campsite an invaluable asset for campers, as staying here ensures that you can get incredibly quick, easy, and effortless access to these unique events.

Stopping At The Hunting Tower And Bakewell Town

On the other hand, if you walk to the left of Chatsworth House, you’ll find a farmyard and an adventure area, which sounds like a great place to keep your kids occupied. Then, if you walk past that, you’ll find yourself at the Chatsworth Hunting Tower. It’s a bit of a longer walk, and it took me around 30 minutes just to get up the hill, but it’s worth the reward, offering an amazing view of the Chatsworth Estate and the rolling hills around it.

If you’d rather have this view, instead, the Hunting Tower is up for rent via Airbnb, as well, which will no doubt save you from all this walking, since there’s quite a steep gradient near the top. So, make sure you’re physically capable before taking the hike up to the Hunting Tower. To make the journey a bit easier, I brought the Estarli E28.X electric bike along with me, which I’ve towed with the campervan using our bike carrier.

I’ve been testing the Estarli e-bike during this caravanning trip, and you can find out more about my thoughts on the E28.X here. If not, and if you’re willing to make a bit of a drive, the nearest big town centre and the proper urban hotspot in the nearby areas to Chatsworth Park is Bakewell. It’s a properly busy and bustling little village, and as soon as you arrive, it’s immediately apparent just how popular it is with tourists and all the locals.

Nonetheless, if you’re looking for more vacation-y amenities, this is the spot to get it, with a huge variety of gift shops, bakeries, pubs, restaurants, fish and chip places, tea rooms, cottages, not to mention a museum, and a whole lot more besides, all dotted around in Bakewell. Plus, if it gets a bit too busy around the town centre, you can always plop yourself down by the river that runs through the town and take a quick breather by the water.

Bakewell isn’t that far from Chatsworth Park, either, and it’s only 5 or so miles away, which took me around 30 minutes or thereabouts to cycle there on my e-bike. I think it’s fair to say that I’ve quite enjoyed my time at the Chatsworth Park Caravan and Motorhome Club campsite, with its many conveniences, the endlessly beautiful countryside, and a myriad of tourist attractions, which I’d highly recommend visiting if you’re ever in the area.