WHAT WHERE? FESTIVAL

Visitor Travel Guide — Getting to Kenslow Farm

The Venue

Kenslow Farm, Middleton-by-Youlgrave, near Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1LY.

On-Demand Bus Services - YOU MUST BOOK IN ADVANCE

Two demand-responsive bus services can bring you to Newhaven, which is around a 20–30 minute walk to Kenslow Farm along quiet lanes.

Moorlands Connect

Pick-up: Buxton Station or Ashbourne. Drop-off: Newhaven.

01335 342951 · text 07946 365256

Derbyshire Connect

Pick-up: Cromford Station or Ashbourne. Drop-off: Newhaven.

01335 300670

Book early! Although these services technically allow booking from 2 hours ahead, in practice slots fill up and late bookings are unlikely to get a seat. We strongly recommend booking 3–4 days in advance, especially around festival dates. There's no cancellation fee, so if your plans change, please do cancel your booking — otherwise the driver will make a wasted journey out to collect you.

Getting Here from Manchester, Sheffield or the North

Take a train to Buxton, then book Moorlands Connect from Buxton Station to Newhaven.
From Newhaven it's a 20–30 minute walk to Kenslow Farm, or a short taxi ride if preferred.
Moorlands Connect runs Mon–Fri 7am–7pm, Sat 8am–8pm, and Sun 9am–5pm (April–September only).
Book via the Moorlands Connect app, or call 01335 342951 (text 07946 365256). You must book in advance - book several days ahead rather than on the day — see the booking note above.

Getting Here from Nottingham, Derby or the South

Two good options, both ending with a Newhaven drop-off and the 20–30 minute walk (or short taxi) to the farm:

Option A — via Cromford (train)

Direct train from Derby to Cromford on the Derwent Valley Line (around 28 minutes, hourly).
From Cromford Station, book Derbyshire Connect to Newhaven — call 01335 300670. You must book in advance - book several days ahead rather than on the day — see the booking note above.

Option B — via Ashbourne (bus)

Take a bus from Derby to Ashbourne.
From Ashbourne, book either Moorlands Connect (01335 342951) or Derbyshire Connect (01335 300670) to Newhaven — both pick up from Ashbourne. You must book in advance - book several days ahead rather than on the day — see the booking note above.

If you'd rather avoid the Newhaven walk altogether, Bakewell is about 4 miles from the farm and is served hourly by the TransPeak bus from Derby — from there, a local taxi (see below) can take you straight to Kenslow Farm.

Coming from Further Afield

For most visitors travelling from elsewhere in the UK, the journey comes down to funnelling through one of two gateways: Buxton (for the north and north-west) or Derby / Ashbourne / Cromford (for the south and south-east). Sheffield is the one city that genuinely sits between the two and can go either way — both options are given below.

Via Buxton — from the North

Manchester

Direct train, Manchester Piccadilly → Buxton (hourly), then Moorlands Connect to Newhaven, then walk/taxi to the farm.

~1 hr rail

Leeds

Train to Manchester Piccadilly, change onto the direct Buxton train, then Moorlands Connect to Newhaven.

~2 hrs rail

Sheffield

Direct Stagecoach 65 bus, Sheffield → Buxton, then Moorlands Connect to Newhaven. (Fewer departures than the Bakewell alternative below.)

~1.5–2 hrs bus

The North (general)

Aim for Manchester Piccadilly as your interchange, then take the direct Buxton line, then Moorlands Connect.

Varies

Via Ashbourne / Cromford / Derby — from the South

From

Nottingham

Direct train to Derby (3×/hour), then either continue by train to Cromford (Derbyshire Connect) or bus to Ashbourne (either service) — both drop at Newhaven.

~25–30 min rail

Leicester

Direct train to Derby, then as above via Cromford or Ashbourne.

~25–30 min rail

Birmingham

Direct CrossCountry train to Derby (frequent), then as above via Cromford or Ashbourne.

~45 min rail

Sheffield (alt.)

Direct TM Travel 218 bus, Sheffield → Bakewell (every 30 min), then a local taxi for the final 4 miles to the farm (no on-demand bus link from Bakewell but a small taxi will cost approx £20 and a minibus approx £30

~65 min bus

The South (general)

Aim for Derby as your interchange — also reachable directly from London St Pancras — then continue via Cromford (train) or Ashbourne (bus).

As above, please book the Moorlands Connect or Derbyshire Connect onward leg a few days ahead rather than on the day.

Local Taxis — Affordable for Small Groups

For small groups, a taxi can work out as a comfortable and cost-effective alternative to the bus network — whether that's the final leg from Newhaven, or the whole last-mile hop from Bakewell.

Albatross Cars

Derby (will pickup in Ashbourne)

01332 345345

Village Taxis of Ashbourne

Ashbourne

01335 418080

Allied Taxis

Buxton

01298 72123

Cross Dales Taxis

Bakewell

07866 661188

These firms are a good, affordable option for small groups splitting a fare — especially for the final stretch from Ashbourne, Cromford, Bakewell, or Buxton out to Kenslow Farm itself. Booking ahead is recommended, particularly around festival dates.

Cycling to the Festival

Kenslow Farm sits close to the High Peak Trail (part of National Cycle Network Route 54), the old railway line that runs traffic-free between Buxton and Cromford through the White Peak. Buxton and Cromford are the nearest railway stations to the trail itself — Buxton sits right at its northern end, and Cromford is a short ride from High Peak Junction, where the southern end begins — making both realistic, scenic ways to arrive by bike and train combined.

From Buxton (approx. 12–13 miles)

Ride out of Buxton towards Dowlow (around 6 miles, on road) to join the southern end of the High Peak Trail.
Follow the trail (traffic-free, crushed limestone surface) via Hurdlow to Parsley Hay — around 4–5 miles.
From Parsley Hay / Newhaven, quiet lanes lead the final 2 miles or so to Kenslow Farm.

From Cromford (approx. 16–17 miles)

From Cromford station, it's a short ride to High Peak Junction to join the High Peak Trail.
Follow the trail via Middleton Top, Longcliffe and Minninglow towards Friden / Newhaven — around 13 miles, traffic-free throughout. Note the short, sharp Hopton Incline just past Middleton Top — some riders prefer to walk this stretch.
From Friden / Newhaven, quiet lanes lead the final 2 miles or so to Kenslow Farm.

Distances are approximate — please check a route-planning app (e.g. Komoot or OS Maps) for exact turn-by-turn directions and current trail conditions. The trail surface suits hybrid, gravel or mountain bikes best; there are several gates along the way where you'll need to dismount.

Free drink for cyclists! Anyone who cycles to the festival and shares a social media post about their route (tag the festival and use our hashtag) can claim a free drink at the bar on arrival — just show us the post.

Car Sharing

Sharing a car is a great way to cut costs, ease parking at the farm, reduce carbon-impact and make new friends!! If you’re a driver, please help out as much as you can. Here's how to organise it:

Liftshare (recommended) — Head to liftshare.com, register for free, and add your journey with Kenslow Farm, DE45 1LY as the destination and the festival date. Mark yourself as a driver, passenger, or either. Liftshare will show you matching journeys — message your match to arrange details, then confirm via "Request to share." No need to already know anyone; anyone with a journey heading the same way can find you.

Quick Reference — Booking Contacts

Moorlands Connect (Buxton / Ashbourne → Newhaven)

01335 342951 · text 07946 365256 — book at least 4 days ahead

Derbyshire Connect (Cromford / Ashbourne → Newhaven)

01335 300670 — book at least 3–4 days ahead

TransPeak (Derby – Bakewell – Buxton bus)

High Peak Buses — timetables via derbysbus.info

Albatross Cars (Derby)

01332 345345

Village Taxis of Ashbourne

01335 418080

Allied Taxis (Buxton)

01298 72123

Car sharing (Liftshare community)

liftshare.com