Information about Winster in the Derbyshire Dales
for residents and visitors
Information about Winster in the Derbyshire Dales
for residents and visitors
Winster is a picturesque and historic Derbyshire village, 5 miles from Matlock and Bakewell. (See Map)
On one weekend each year, a large number of residents open their gardens to their neighbours and to visitors from further afield. In 2011, we had around 20 gardens open each day.
Visitors follow a garden trail around the streets and alleys of the village, exploring a wide variety of gardens.
There is a Gnome Hunt for children, and a wide range of refreshments - in our award-winning (and fully accessible) village hall and in several gardens - from cream teas to home-made desserts. Soft drinks will be available in a number of locations.
There will be plants from Winster-based Peak Cottage Plants, and quality local crafts for sale, and there will be live Jazz in one of the gardens each day. The Wyns Tor Singers (Winster's chamber choir) will be performing a 30-minute programme (from madrigals to Somewhere over the Rainbow) in a garden on Saturday afternoon, and Winster Morris Dancers will be dancing on Sunday afternoon (both subject to weather).
The event is run in aid of the Burton Institute, Winster's award-winning village hall, and other Winster organisations.
Download our 2012 Event Poster or 2012 Handbill
Read one person's account of their visit to Secret Gardens in 2010.
Or - for even more photos (and larger) - see our Slideshow
For other excellent photos, and an outsider's view (of the 2006 event), see Janet Roberts' blog
Winster is on the B5057 (which runs from the A6 at Darley Dale). The B5056 (Bakewell to Ashbourne) skirts the top of the village. See Map.
There is a reasonable Bus Service (from Matlock and Bakewell) on Saturday, but no Sunday service. (Nearest buses on Sunday: Darley Dale or Youlgrave)
Very limited parking in the village itself, but we have a large free car park in a field at the top of the village (on the B5056 above Miners Standard pub). We run a free Park and Ride minibus service (with wheelchair lift) from the car park to Main Street and back - or you can walk from the car park to the first garden in about five minutes.
Car Park is at (53.136358,-1.647223) - 150m south of postcode DE4 2DR
Your ticket is in the form of a Gardens Map, and this has a broad assessment of each garden's accessibility.
Winster is a hilly village, and some gardens are impossible for the less mobile, but we aim to open several gardens that are accessible to the "walking but wobbly" and to wheelchair users with reasonably fit attendants (most of the flatter gardens have at least one or two steps).
Most gardens have uneven paths, so those with poor vision would need a fully-sighted companion.
Our village hall, the Burton Institute, is open on both days (with our splendid Winster Tapestry on show) and is fully accessible, including disabled toilet facilities.
Day tickets are £4 per person (children free, but must be accompanied).
Tickets on sale on the day, from outside the Market House in Main Street, and from the Car Park.