Discover Ashbourne in May 2026
Ashbourne is the place to be this May.
With art trails, triathlons and welldressings, new businesses opening their doors and maybe even a bit of sunshine, a spring daytrip to Ashbourne should definitely be on your bucket list.
Want some more reasons to come visit us? Take a read below.
There's LOTS to do this May.
We can't feature everything here. There is simply too much going on. Check out the full list of events here.
But if we had to name some of the events we're already buzzing 🐝 for ...
🎨 Artbourne, 30th and 31st May.
Ashbourne’s art trail featuring over 100 artists.
🏃 Ashbourne Triathlon, 17th May.
Swim, bike and run around the town.
🌅 Tissington Well Dressing, 14th May.
Admire the beautiful well dressing mosaics.
New businesses for 2026.
Over the last few weeks, a handful of incredible new businesses have opened in the town such as ...
A delightful bookshop with a carefully selected range of titles.
🪷 Becalmed
An incredible gift and wellbeing shop selling natural beauty, clothing and gifts.
A delicious East Asian restaurant offering an engaging and memorable experience.
🔗 The Link
Ok, at time of publication, this one hasn't opened yet. But set to open in mid-May, The Link will be Ashbourne's new community hub.
10 Things to do in Ashbourne this Spring + Summer
From walks along the Tissington Trail, to brunches in the sunshine and paddles in Ashbourne's newly reopened splash pad, Ashbourne has stacks to offer in warmer weather.
For more inspiration, check out our latest blog here.
Business Spotlight - House of Beer
House of Beer is the place to go for craft ales to drink in or take away.
They also have a selection of wines, gins and other drinks, and often host quiz nights and live music.
Sounds like a great place to spend a summer's evening, wouldn't you agree?
We're a finalist⭐
Thanks to public nominations, Ashbourne is a finalist in the 2026 Urbanism Awards 🤩
We're in the Great Town / Small City category, and will be keeping our fingers crossed 🤞ahead of the assessment visits this summer from the Academy of Urbanism team.
And finally, an interesting fact ...
Or at least we think so. 😏
Many visitors to Ashbourne will be familiar with the Tissington Trail – the 13-mile-long disused railway line which is a joy to walk, run or cycle down.
It’s generally a slight uphill if travelling away from Ashbourne, except a steep, short down and uphill around half a mile in.
This is Seven Arches. A viaduct, built in 1899, used to allow the railway to cross Bentley Brook. It collapsed in 1980 during routine maintenance, though rumours were that it was deliberate sabotage to avoid paying for maintenance.
We look forward to seeing you in Ashbourne soon. Discover more here.