The Peacock at Rowsley isn’t a place you pass through. It’s a place people plan whole weekends around, and for a lot of our guests, the river is the reason why.
We’re lucky enough to sit between two rivers in the heart of the Peak District, with exclusive access to the Haddon Estate fishery for our overnight guests. Between the Wye and the Derwent there’s a stretch of water and a style of fishing to suit most anglers, whether you’re after a technical day on dry fly or something a little more varied.
Two rivers, two different days out
The River Wye is the headline act and rightly so.
It’s the only river in the UK where wild rainbow trout and wild brown trout share the same clear, spring-fed water and anglers travel from across the world to fish it.
As guests staying with us you get access to over seven miles of double bank water, dry fly only, with the river running gin clear over limestone gravel.
The River Derwent offers something different.
It’s a broader, more varied river with three to three and a half miles of double bank fishing open to residents and guided guests and it allows a wider range of techniques including wet fly and nymphing alongside dry fly.
Wading is permitted here too, with care, which makes it a good option if you fancy a change of pace from the Wye.
Winter brings grayling fishing on both rivers, for those who like to keep their rod out through the colder months.
What a day on the water looks like
Day tickets are available exclusively to our hotel residents and guided guests, issued at the discretion of our Riverkeeper on a first come first served basis. This is done to ensure a river like this stays healthy enough to keep producing fish this good for generations of anglers to come.
If you’re new to fly fishing or just want to make the most of your day, guides from the Haddon Estate are on hand to help and tuition is available too. Whether you’re chasing your first trout or refining a cast you’ve been working on for years, there’s someone who can help you get more from the water.
Prices for the 2026 season run from £100 per rod per day in low season up to £175 in high season, with guiding available at £125 for a half day or £200 for a full day. Fishing is booked separately from your room or table, so if conditions on the river change your stay carries on regardless.
Back to dry land
There’s something about a day spent on the water that sharpens the appetite in a way nothing else quite does. Fortunately you don’t have far to go. Back at The Peacock at Rowsley, our kitchen team cook seasonal dishes built around what the Peak District does best.
Stay the night in one of our rooms and the whole day rounds itself off nicely. Fish in the morning, wander the riverside paths and rolling hills that surround us in the afternoon, and settle in for dinner and a good night’s sleep before doing it all again tomorrow.
Ready to book your rod?
Fishing at The Peacock at Rowsley is exclusive to our overnight guests, so the best way to experience it is to book your stay and your fishing together.
Get in touch with our team to check availability, ask about guiding and tuition, or start planning a longer stay around it. Call us on 01629 733518 or head to our website to book your room and enquire about fishing.
We’ll see you by the water.