Photographer Travel Guide: Chatsworth House

Photo by discreetphoton

Chatsworth House is a stately home that's nestled in the Peak District, Derbyshire and the house itself, as well as the extensive parkland surrounding it, have been a pull for photographers of all ages for quite some time. 

It operates seasonally, so do check the website for the opening times and special events often take place, such as a Christmas market and other seasonal activities which are well-worth looking out for. 

You can navigate this guide via the following links:

• What to photograph
• How to get there
• Photography tips
• Essential equipment
• Costs
• More information 

What To Photograph

The Chatsworth estate comprises of the house, gardens, farm and park. Plus, there's also the obligatory shops and eateries as well as places to stay. You can see how the estate is set-up here: Chatsworth Map 

Currently, Chatsworth is going through a major restoration project and phase four, which they're currently in, includes placing scaffolding on the east façade of the house so you may have to be creative with some of your outdoor angles when photographing the house and grounds.

Entry tickets, something we discuss in more detail below, vary in price depending on what you want to see / do. Photography is permitted for non-commercial and personal use but you can't use a tripod, selfie stick, lighting equipment or drones. 

Wedding photography is exclusive to couples getting married at Chatsworth and the estate reserve the right to ask visitors taking part in wedding, engagement, portrait or commercial photography to leave the premises. However, the odd capture of your family enjoying the house and its surroundings will be fine. 

Now the rules are out of the way we can discuss in a little more detail what there is for photographers to capture images of in more detail. 

Photo by  discreetphoton

The House

There are over 30 rooms to explore and it'll take around 1.5 hours to see everything the house has to offer. Wall art, sculptures, furniture and more are on display. There are daily talks / tours around the house but if photography is your focus then you're probably best exploring it at your own pace. 

The Gardens & Park

With 105 acres to explore you'll not be short of photographic opportunities in the gardens. Think landscape shots with the house in the background while the river Derwent meanders through the foreground. There's also a Victorian rock garden and maze to explore as well as water features and sculptures to discover. Water features run every day 11am-5pm so you'll need to visit during these times if you want to capture shots of the displays in full action. 

Photo by kojak

Free guided tours are ideal for those who have never visited before and want to learn about interesting  hidden aspects of the garden or just grab yourself a map and explore the various paths at your own pace. There are no challenging hills are anything you should find too strenuous but you will need some sensible footwear if exploring more rural areas around the grounds. 

Chatsworth House sits on a raised terrace on the eastern side of the park overlooking the River Derwent and the park itself is surrounded by a dry stone wall and fence that keeps the  fallow deer, sheep, cattle and many wild animals safe and also in reach of photographers with their long lenses who are fans of wildlife photography. 

Other photographic highlights include James Paine's bridges and mill, Queen Mary's Bower and the Hunting Tower and aqueduct found in the Stand Wood. 

Photo by Fefe 

Chatsworth do have a couple of suggested park walks on their website which take you past various points of interest but they do require sturdy shoes or walking boots and take a couple of hours to complete. You can download the map with the routes on here: Walking Map.  The routes start at the Calton Lees car park, go through the grounds and circle back around. 

There's also 2 routes around the Stand Wood, one for more adventurous walkers and the other is easier going. The easy going trail takes around 2 hours to complete and the explorer's route, with steps and steep climbs, is around 45 minutes long. You can download the map with the routes on here: Stand Wood Walking Map.  The entrance to Stand wood is located by the farmyard and adventure playground. 

Photo by  discreetphoton

The trails are open to walkers throughout the year and as well as the suggested routes, there are also plenty of other paths to explore. Of course, there's plenty of other walking routes available to you in the wider area, including the Chatsworth Circular 8-mile walk starting at the Calton Lees car park that takes in nearby Beeley Moor and the village of Beeley. There's also a slightly shorter 4.5-mile walk available that starts / finishes from the same car park that features steady climbs and easy walking paths. 

For more details on walk as well as photographic opportunities in the Peak District, have a look at ePz memberJame Grant's guide to the Peak District book: Peak District Through The Lens

How To Get There  

Chatsworth is north of Derby and south of Sheffield and those using sat navs should use the postcode: DE45 1PN. If travelling through Baslow, follow the brown signs for the public entrance to Chatsworth on the B6012 as you can't gain access through the Golden Gates. The roads around the area can get busy so you may find yourself in a queue at some point.

The house car park opens every day until 7pm and it costs £3 per car to park (blue badge holders park for free) but if you book tickets online parking is free. The Calton Lees car park is also open every day until 7pm and is priced at £3 per car. 

Photography Advice 

As you can capture landscapes as well as architectural and interior house shots, we thought we'd round-up some of our top techniques that'll help you out when you're visiting Chatsworth with your camera. 

Landscape Photography

• What's The Best Season For My Peak District Trip?
• Lens Choices For Landscape Photography
• 6 Top Landscape Photography Tips From A Landscape Pro
• What To Photograph On Day-Trips To Picturesque Villages

• Photography In Formal Gardens

Architecture Photography 

• 7 Easy Ways To Improve Your Stately Home Shots
• Photographic Tips On Capturing Building Detail
• Capturing The Best Of Britain
• How To Approach Statue Photography In 5 Easy Steps

Photo by  discreetphoton

Don't Forget Essential Equipment

A couple of zoom lenses are useful, on wide/medium range and another medium/long range and a tripod will be useful when exploring the wider national park but do remember they're not allowed in Chatsworth House. ND and polarising filters are always handy and don't forget your comfy walking shoes as well as a waterproof jacket. 

Costs

A complete adult ticket that gives you entry to the house as well as unlimited entry to the garden, farmyard and adventure playground for one day, plus a half price return visit valid for one use on or before 4 November 2016 costs £23. You can just see the house and garden for £23 while a garden only ticket is priced at £12. More details are available on the Chatsworth House website. 

More Information 

• Chatsworth House Official website
• Peak District website 

Other Guides

• North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• Derwent Water, The Lake District