To me, visiting the country had always meant “country hotel”. Previous breaks in the UK would never see me leave the confines of the well-manicured grounds – the nearest I would get to mud was having a clay wrap in the spa. And I certainly never intended to lift a finger when I was on holiday – otherwise, what is the point in going away?

But as we drove through the endlessly winding roads of the Peak District, trying to decide which fabulously rustic yet sophisticated restaurant we’d spend our evening in, I realised that “self-catering” doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re chained to a hot stove for the week.

Because what the Peak District does really well is food, and had we stayed in a hotel, we’d doubtless have been sick of its restaurant by the end of the week and of having to be back for supper at 7pm.

Being self-sufficient meant we could try it all at our own pace – locally produced sausages, regional cheeses and, of course, in an area that has spawned its own namesake pudding (Bakewell), it would have been rude not to gorge on the proliferation of desserts.

We arrived late on Friday night at Darwin Forest, a small park in the hilly countryside between Matlock and Rowsley, and we didn’t know what to expect. As we drove past the site’s pub to the wails of karaoke, I was only half-joking when I told my boyfriend that we’d clearly arrived in the Twin Peaks District.

But the next morning, waking up after a lie-in in our secluded log cabin, it all started to feel different. There was no mad rush to catch the last breakfast service at 9.30am, and instead we were able to make our own fry-up with local bacon from the site’s store.

We realised that Darwin Forest was a cosy cluster of chalets reminiscent of a ski resort, only without the risk of breaking your leg on the piste. Timber lodges sleeping up to six can be rented for a week at prices ranging from about £430 off-peak to £1,300 in summer.

Still, just because we had our own kitchen, we weren’t obliged to use it. The Grouse and Claret in Rowsley became a regular haunt as it serves breakfast until midday, including the best meat and eggs that local farms can offer. It is next door to the famous Peacock at Rowsley, which is everything you’d expect a restaurant in the Peak District to be – a roaring log fire and friendly hosts serving the most tender roast beef either of us had ever eaten.

Be sure to try the broccoli and Dovedale soup. Made with cheese from the eponymous village up the road, we decided it was proof that we really shouldn’t waste too much time self-catering. Three courses at Sunday lunch cost £27.50.

And there are less countrified eateries. The Walnut Club in Hathersage serves a large menu to the relaxing strains of a jazz chanteuse in refreshingly modern surroundings, while the Michelin-starred Fischer’s at Baslow Hall showed us it was worthy of its award with a sumptuous Gressingham duck breast.

Tempting as the food was, there were times when we dragged ourselves away from the Peak District’s dining tables and deli counters. Fortunately Darwin Forest has a large gym and pool to undo all the damage we had been doing to our waistbands, and despite being confirmed city types, we felt we had to try one of the area’s walks.

With the help of www.peakwalk.org.uk, we planned a relatively easy hike across Hathersage Moor. We still can’t decide if the website’s three-hour estimate was optimistic or if we were just slow. We had eaten a very large lunch, and the website probably assumed that most people could follow simple instructions and/or a compass. (Here’s a tip – set out in the morning to ensure there is plenty of light left on the return hike.)

A slightly more gentle activity was the Heights of Abraham, a cable-car ride above Matlock Bath (adult £10, child £7.50). The panoramic views were marred slightly by my boyfriend’s “hilarious” rocking of the carriage all the way up, but if you can find a calmer companion you’ll no doubt enjoy it more. At least there was a decent cafe at the top that I could collect myself in before making the downward journey.

The area is also known for its history. Haddon Hall near Bakewell is open throughout the summer season and is of interest not least because the likes of Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson have filmed period dramas there. With most of its original features dating back to the 16th century, it’s easy to see why it’s a favourite movie location. Occasionally, classes in Tudor cooking are offered in the original kitchen.

Chatsworth House, home of the Cavendish family since 1549, is worth visiting for its stunning grounds and one-off events. And Peveril Castle is miraculously well preserved, considering it was built just after the Norman Conquest. It’s hard to go anywhere in the Peak District and not be spoilt by the view, but looking down to Castleton from Peveril’s great square keep is one of the finest vistas we saw (adult £3.50, child £1.80).

Thankfully, though, the area’s amenities are not as historic. The University of Derby’s Buxton campus is the site of the Devonshire Spa, an impressive centre where students on an international spa management degree course provide massages and facials that are just as good as you’d find in London, for half the price.

No holiday would be complete without some retail therapy. Bakewell and Castleton’s shops are perfect for a bit of designer buying, without the hordes of Bond Street. With old-school British label Farah making a comeback, we felt very smug after locating some cheap Farah trousers in Peak Village, an outlet centre selling everything from discounted French Connection to Adidas. Matlock’s John Smedley factory store provided some equally cheap jumpers, up to a fifth of the price charged in London stores.

But to return to food (this is a holiday, after all), we’d been informed that of all the cake shops and cafes in Bakewell selling its famous tarts, Brandy Snaps was the best – and there were so many tea shops that it would have been hard to choose otherwise.

Our source was right: it is a contemporary take on the traditional teashop with modern chandeliers, not a Formica surface in sight (unlike so many of its neighbours) and locally sourced ingredients. Its Bakewell tart was just the right mix of buttery and crumbly. Thankfully, the nearby Bakewell Pudding Parlour offers a postal service, ostensibly for tourists to send tarts home as gifts, but I’m now thinking it might be the only way I can keep my fixes coming.

It was with heavy stomachs that we left the Peak District, having made a valiant effort to sample every tasting menu we could find. What did we learn? That self-catering really means letting a whole district feed you, instead of just one hotel kitchen. And that saying no to another slice of Rowsley’s roast beef at the Peacock is really not an option.

Darwin Forest Country Park, 01629 732 428, www.pinelodgeholidays.co.uk; the Grouse and Claret, 01629 733 233; the Peacock at Rowsley, 01629 733 518, www.thepeacockatrowsley.com; the Walnut Club, 01433 651 155, www.thewalnutclub.com; Fischer’s, 01246 583 259, www.fischers-baslowhall.co.uk; Heights of Abraham, 01629 582 365, www.heightsofabraham.com; Haddon Hall, 01629 812 855, www.haddonhall.co.uk; Chatsworth House, 01246 565 300, www.chatsworth.org; Peveril Castle, 01433 620 613, www.english-heritage.org.uk; Devonshire Spa, 01332 594 408, www.devonshire-spa.co.uk; Peak Village, 01629 735 326, www.peakvillage.co.uk; John Smedley, 01629 530 426, www.johnsmedley.com; Brandy Snaps, 01629 814 404; Bakewell Pudding Parlour, 01629 815 107, www.postapudding.com. More information, www.visitpeakdistrict.com

Out and about

OR outdoor types or those who like to learn new skills, these holiday parks may appeal:

- The leisure complex at Finlake holiday park at Newton Abbot, on the edge of Dartmoor, includes a Finesse beauty centre, swimming pool, gym, spa, sauna and steam room. Holiday home hire from £28 per night, 0870 405 9479, www.hoseasons.co.uk

- You can learn to paint with watercolours and pastels at the adults-only Waterrow Touring Park near Taunton, Somerset. Nightly pitch fees £13-£20, holiday home hire £265-£415 per week, 01984 623 464, www.waterrowpark.co.uk

- Fishing for rudd, tench and carp is one of the activities at Searles Leisure Resort in Hunstanton, Norfolk. There are two lakes, tennis courts and a bowling green. Nightly pitch fees £12-£41, holiday home hire £172-£1,247 per week, 01485 534 211, www.searles.co.uk

- The cliff-top 18-hole golf course at Far Grange in Skipsea, East Yorkshire, has views across Bridlington Bay. Equipment can be hired at the clubhouse. Holiday home hire £919-£1,265 per week, 01262 468 010, www.fargrangepark.co.uk

- Water sports are among the attractions at Rockley Park in Poole. It has a sailing school, and activities include power boating and surfing. Nightly pitch fees £17-£75, holiday home hire £249-£1,235 per week, 01202 679 393, www.havenholidayhomes.co.uk

- Hot air ballooning above the Mendip hills is on offer at Broadway House holiday park. You can also try canoeing at the site in Cheddar, Somerset. Nightly pitch fees £11-£28, holiday home hire £170-£590 per week, 01934 742 610, www.broadwayhouse.uk.com

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