Desperate to get away from it all, LEE MANNION heads to a remote cottage-for-one in Derbyshire and discovers its intriguing history

GIVEN my fundamentally messy nature, my home often resembles a pigsty. What would it be like to stay in a real one? To be fair, you'd have to be pretty switched on to pick up on the former incarnation of what is now the sumptuously furnished Chestnut Cottage at Blakelow Farm, near Matlock, in Derbyshire.

One delightful giveaway, though, is the former feeding trough in the fully equipped kitchen. Retained as a "feature", it stands out from the exposed limestone w alls, with three miniature pigs sitting just below.

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The cottage is available to rent for the first time this y ear and purports to be the first self-catering cottage for the solo traveller. It resembles a miniature converted barn. Daylight fills the sitting room, courtesy of a skylight mounted in the high-beamed ceiling and a full-length window in one wall.

Neutral decoration ensures the focus is very much on the picturesque verdancy beyond. From the bedroom I took in uninterrupted views of rolling hills descending to a valley, at the end of which, some 10 miles away, stood Chatsworth House, its gold w indow frames twinkling in the sunshine.

A smile spread across my face as my mobile registered no signal and my laptop failed to find wi-fi (which is normally available, I should point out, as are loaned pay-as-you-go mobiles if your network coverage proves wanting). My intention was to read, w alk, sleep and, maybe, if I got really bored, do a few press-ups. Most important of all, I wanted time to think, free from distraction.

Working my way through most of a novel brought on an afternoon kip, which turned into a lazy evening of blissful solitude. The bottle of red wine in the w elcome pack cried out to be tasted and the utility room had a wide selection of DVDs. Revelling in the luxury of not having to justify my choice of movie to my partner for once, the flatscreen went on and once the credits had rolled, I conked out in bed.

The next morning I set out to explore. A well-kept garden surrounds the cottage and beyond that are eight acres of fields belonging to the farm in which chickens and ducks paraded proudly. There are four cottages on site, all former outbuildings renovated by owner Steve Ogan since he bought the property and land 10 years ago.

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Ambling as slowly as possible, it took a happy hour to get to Winster, the nearest settlement. Lambs offered a timid curiosity before bolting for their mothers' sides and a kite hovered over a potential snack before postponing the attack.

The path to the village was well marked, being part of the 46-mile Limestone Way. Winster proved charming on arrival, its pretty gritstone houses adorned with flowers and trinkets. It felt like the kind of place where people still leave their doors unlocked.

RETURNING to my one-person dwelling, another relaxing, if uneventful, evening ensued. The following morning I stretched out (my bacon-less, out of respect) breakfast as long as I could but it was only after I'd started talking back to the radio presenters that I realised, frankly, I was bored. Steve, perhaps sensing my need for human contact, offered to take me for a drive.

Though the Peak District offers fantastic walking opportunities, simply bowling around the place in the car is a joy. Around every corner is a wondrous rural vista and there are some fabulous stop-offs.

The John Smedley factory shop, near Cromford, was our first. The stone-walled shop is housed between cottages and the mill, dating from 1874.

I picked up a fine merino sweater for £35. After that it was on to Chatsworth House, England's grandest stately home containing art and treasure in every room, including works by Lucian Freud. There are also 100 acres of gardens to walk in, enough to work up an appetite for the local delicacy, a Bakewell tart or in my case, pudding. The Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop exposed me to this lesser-known treat, the recipe for which is supposedly secret.

The restaurant on the first floor of this 18th-century building with wonky windows is the place to try it.

We were quickly commanded to take up a table and no wonder: curious tourists throng here to linger over the fabled pudding and a cup of tea, so spaces are at a premium. It's a lot like a pie made with flaky pastry and jam and I tucked in with relish.

Fitting, somehow, that I should end my trip with my snout in the trough.

GETTING THERE:
Premier Cottages (01629 650814/www.premiercottages.com) offers seven nights at Chestnut Cottage from £285, self-catering. Shorter stays on request.

East Midlands Trains (0845 712 5678/www.eastmidlandstrains.co.uk) offers return rail tickets from London St Pancras to Matlock via Derby from £39.

Visit Peak District and Derbyshire: 01629 583 388/www.visitpeakdistrict.com