Our story
Elderfold is a Peak District farm stay. This is why it exists
Some things are planned. Elderfold was not.
We came to Hayfield the way most good things arrive: unexpectedly, and at exactly the right moment. A farm on the edge of the Peak District, a few acres of land rolling out beneath open sky, a collection of stone buildings waiting for something to be made of them. We knew immediately. We went for it.
Both of us had spent years in demanding careers that asked a great deal and gave a great deal back, until, like for many, around 2020, the balance shifted. We wanted something different. More time together. A life that felt like ours. The farm in Hayfield offered all of that, and more than we had imagined.
What we have built since is Elderfold.
The cottages came first. Jen brought her eye for detail and her focus on getting things right: the right colours, the right furniture and decorative pieces, the right lighting, the right welcome for every guest who walks through the door. Everything has a place and a reason. Nothing is there simply to fill a space. The result is two homes that feel genuinely considered, where guests arrive and find themselves wanting for very little.
Then we started on the land. Booth Farm is now home to a pedigree Elderfold Valais Blacknose flock (one of the more distinctive breeds of sheep you'll encounter anywhere, and often reported as the “cutest sheep in the world” in the press) alongside goats, horses, ducks, geese, and a collection of rescued animals who have found their place here. The farm is working and alive, and our guests are welcome to feel that.
Together we have built something special. It is a place where the care we take with the animals finds its way into how we decorate the houses, where the quality of the light over Kinder Scout somehow makes its way into how a room is arranged. Everything connects.
We want our guests to feel what we feel living here: that particular stillness that comes when you are somewhere genuinely good, with nothing pressing and nowhere else to be.
That is what Elderfold is for.
We are committed to the partnership of beauty and care and To sharing this harmony with our guests and visitors.
We are committed to the partnership of beauty and care, and to sharing this harmony with our guests and visitors. The natural beauty of the Peak District countryside is complemented by our dedicated care for rescued animals, and our thoughtfully curated cottages reflect this same commitment, with meticulous attention to every detail. We actively support local businesses, and maintain our dedication to sustainable farming practices and environmental responsibility.
You can read more about our big adventure into farming, staying with us, and things to do in and around the Peak District in our Blog.
We also try to make best use of the resources we have on the farm by using the fleece from our sheep to make rugs, cushions and natural nesters for birds. You can buy these products during your stay with us or directly from our online shop (coming soon).