Only four miles away from Valley View holiday cottage is the lovely village of Hartington with its spacious market place, village green, duck pond and limestone houses.  It is one of the major tourist centres in the Peak District. Hartington is famous for its cheese having a cheese factory from the 1870’s through to 2009.  The factory produced no less than a quarter of the world’s supply of Stilton, and cheese can still be purchased from the former factory shop opposite the duck pond.  Both pubs, The Charles Cotton and The Devonshire Arms, are former coaching inns and there are also several cafes, gift and craft shops and a newsagent.  Hartington Well Dressings are held during September.

The former Hartington railway station, about a mile and a half from the village is now a picnic area with toilet facilities and an information centre.  The track itself is converted into the Tissington Trail, which is a great place for a family cycle ride and also very popular with walkers.  There is a public car park with toilets opposite next to Rooke’s Pottery.

Hartington is also a good starting point for walking along Beresford Dale, a beautiful place with its curiously formed cliffs and rocks and several caves.

Just across the A515 at Parsley Hay, north east of Hartington, stands one of the Peak District’s most famous prehistoric monuments.  The stone circle of Arbor Low has been called “the Stonehenge of the North”.

Pilsbury Castle is a two-mile walk north from the village.