Alfreton - This mining town is attractive, with a fine church, pleasing main street and attractive old houses. Leisure Centre and swimming pool. A mansion, Alfreton Hall, is converted into a local government offices. Petroleum was first obtained from a coal seam in a mine nearby at Riddings.

Ashbourne - Twenty miles east of Stoke-on-Trent. A beautiful old-world town near Dovedale, gateway to the Peak District, often visited by Dr. Samuel Johnson. 16th century Grammar School, almshouses, Green Man" Inn, and monuments in the Early English church. This is Adam Bede's country. On Shrove Tuesday, on a field three miles long, the inhabitants turn out to play a massed game of football.

Bakewell - An extremely attractive greystone market town, famous for its tarts. River Wye spanned by old bridge. Headquarters of the Peak District National Park. Nearby are medieval Haddon Hall and 18th century Chatsworth House.

Dronfield - Important market and industrial town located between Sheffield and Chesterfield.

Hope Valley - Set in the glorious northern end of the Peak District National Park, the Hope Valley is a cluster of attractive villages, each with fascinating history. Glorious walking country, show caverns and an abundance of stately homes.

Matlock - Eighteen miles north of Derby. A popular inland spa situated in the Derwent valley, in a rocky gorge of great beauty with high hills rising on every side. Fine views from Heights of Abraham (cable car available). Huge caverns remain for lead mining. Peak Railway follows valley to north, while to south is famous Arkwright's Mill at Cromford the first water powered cotton mill, now a museum. Nearby is Winster, a lead mining village of great beauty and antiquity.

Ripley - Industrialised former market town to north east of Nottingham. Steam railway at the Great Midland Centre. Nearby are the Crich National Tramway Museum and at Eastwood the D H Lawrence Birthplace.

Swadlincote - Close to the Leicestershire and Staffordshire borders this former Derbyshire coalmining town has been successful in attracting modern manufacturing (eg Toyota car making). Near Swadlincote is the National Trust property Calke Abbey, and much of the countryside south of the town is being turned into the new National Forest. A ski centre is a major attraction.