Navigating the winding roads all 'worth' it for a day of Christmas tradition

EMILY MALIA visits the UK's ‘best Christmas market’ at a Derbyshire stately home

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TUCKED away in the rolling hills of Derbyshire, people from all over the UK take the drive down winding roads to find themselves at Chatsworth Christmas Market - and now I know exactly why.

Albeit a bit of a journey for those not living nearby, unlike some of the rest of the UK’s most popular Christmas markets which tend to sit smack bang in the middle of a city centre, Chatsworth offers something different. I felt as though it was a truly festive event, exactly as intended, full of traditional offerings, with a warm and fuzzy feeling, and a lot more class over tat.

Many complaints from some of the UK’s most frequented markets have all been down to high prices, overcrowding and lack of offerings outside of festive food. A lot of the comments I read online saw people asking what is on offer, aside from food, and why it's all so expensive at other destinations.

Instantly, it was clear to me Chatsworth was ready to dismiss these beliefs and instead opt to use local vendors and small businesses with their gifting and food creations.

Moving away from the viral food trends and fairground rides, they stuck to providing visitors with local vendors.