First time to The Peak District
An area of our lovely country that has been on our list for quite a while. Finally got here but as a “solo traveller” now 😔. I chose this site because of its location and proximity to specific parts of the Peak District I wanted to explore with the dogs - Tissington Trail, Monsal Trail, Castleton, etc. Arrival was very straightforward and I received a lovely, friendly welcome from the wardens. Arriving on the 21st August afforded me a large selection of pitches as the site was pretty quiet (as a previous reviewer had commented). Although it is a big site, it doesn’t feel like it due to the way it has been laid out. Some pitches have quite a slope from front to back, so be aware that levelling blocks might be required. Having read some of the reviews beforehand I was aware of the centralisation of the bins, not that it was an issue or problem for me. I felt the general appearance of the site was really good and very impressed by the look and cleanliness standard of the facilities block. Even more impressed after asking one of the wardens if it has been recently upgraded to be told it was last done in 2019! A testament to the current “team” of wardens and the efforts they are putting in.
It was great to have the country park literally on your doorstep, especially for the dogs as well as providing an interesting and enjoyable walking route into Buxton. The site is well located for the areas I wanted to explore. As a solo traveller having a few more “provisions” in a site shop is always welcomed and it was nice to see some local produce available in the shop here - other Club sites around the country could learn from the Buxton site. Good Friday night pizza with a varied menu and great Saturday fish & chips (with a sensible sized piece of fish too - well done).
Lastly, also echoing the comments of a previous reviewer, my only disappointment with the site was the technology connections. This has no reflection on the wardens as it is out of their control. Appreciating the site is in an old quarry so mobile phone signals will be struggling - I am on O2 and most of the time had no signal at all. This means for communicating with the outside world whilst on site you are reliant on the WiFi system. Periodically it could cope with a simple message via Facebook etc. Anything more complicated it was totally useless. Apart from this being frustrating, for some the need to be in contact with family etc may be vitally important. I don’t know what the answer is but in todays technological world this is woefully inadequate.
However, this was a frustration yes but didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the trip or The Peak District. I shall certainly return as there is lots more areas to explore.
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