I visited the Peak District as a woman of colour — it’s never been more important

As a woman of colour born in Sheffield, raised in Birmingham, and now living in London, I realised early on that the British countryside was not a space for me.

When I was little, my parents would take us to National Trust sites and historic ruins. We’d play a game: trying to spot other people of colour.

It was never more than two. More often, it was none.

In January, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs released a statistical digest for rural England, which found that only 4% of people living in rural areas identify as an ethnicity other than white.

Meanwhile, research released by the Government in 2017 found that Asian ethnic minority groups were least likely to visit natural environments.

And so I’ve made it my mission to explore as much as the UK has to offer, even if I’m sometimes the only Brown woman in the field.

At a time when Suella Braverman is trying to define who can be English, it feels a bit like an act of defiance to be there.

Back in the day, my family’s favourite place was Chatsworth, near Sheffield. We’d visit every summer.

I returned solo almost two decades later to enjoy the last of the sun, hike the winding paths, and see if things had changed since I was a child.

Chatsworth Estate, home to the eponymous manor where Matthew MacFadyen’s Mr Darcy and Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Bennett fell in love in 2005’s Pride and Prejudice, has 1,822 acres of woodland and fields to lose yourself in, with several hotels nearby.

On my first day, I stayed in The Cavendish, a quaint boutique hotel that looks like something from an 18th-century novel.

Several of the rooms, including the one I stayed in, overlook green pastures and farmland animals as far as the eye can see. All have kitschy vintage wallpaper and cosy fireplaces.

Outside, the hotel has beautiful hikes right on its doorstep, ranging from easy to difficult and everything in between.

As someone without a driving license and only average fitness (steep inclines aren’t my greatest strength), I slipped on my walking boots to tackle the Baslow Edge trail.

Although hilly, there are plenty of spots to stop and take in the views. There’s something otherworldly about looking at a pinprick of Chatsworth House from far above in the twilight. It’s gorgeous.

You’ll be rewarded with a sweeping vista of the peaks and valleys typical of this area before a trek through fields takes you back to the hotel in a tidy two hours.

Appetite whetted, I ate at the hotel’s renowned restaurant, The Garden Room, which has a menu built on locally sourced herbs, veg, meat and dairy.

The hummus surprised me with its strong flavour, and the chocolate gateau that melted in my mouth was to die for.

When you go down to the Gallery Restaurant for breakfast, I recommend taking a table by the window so you can enjoy your meal with a view of sheep grazing on grass.

If you are there to enjoy Chatsworth House and Gardens themselves, it’s a leisurely 20-minute amble from the hotel. I had a close encounter with a herd of deer en route.

At the house, I struck up a conversation with a local woman who told me she was delighted to see a young woman spending a solo day at the estate.

Buoyed by our chat, I spent the afternoon soaking in the 105-acre gardens.

The house gets a bit crowded with tourists, but in the northeast part of the gardens, I spent an hour looking out at the water, undisturbed.

For anyone with kids, there’s a farmyard, a park, an ice cream shop and a small shopping complex to distract the little ones.

Further afield is Hide Hotel, a budget-friendly option with an attached pub-style restaurant perfect for those looking to spend most of their time knee-deep in grass and mud before collapsing into bed.

There’s a whole list of walks you can embark on from the car park and make the most of your time there.

At dinner that evening, I chatted to a Sri Lankan waitress.

Much like my family, she told me that she keeps track of the people of colour she bumps into after moving here from London to support her son’s studies.

We spoke about the lack of diversity in these spaces, and it made me realise just how vital our presence is.

In an ever-hostile political landscape, I hope women of colour can be encouraged to reclaim the landscapes around us, because we have just as much right as anyone else.

Asyia Iftikhar was a guest of The Cavendish and Hide Hotel, but don’t expect us to sugarcoat anything – our reviews are 100% independent.

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