The Sculpture Gallery at Chatsworth House Photo: CFP

Outside view of Chatsworth House Photo: CFP

The Great Dining Room at Chatsworth House Photo: Sun Wei/GT

This week's destination

 Two centuries since his first appearance in Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy continues to be an object of admiration and desire for countless women across the globe.

The romantic hero of Austen's novel, this unapproachable male figure, although arrogant at first, turns out to be kind, affectionate and selfless. Since the novel's publication, Mr. Darcy continues to have a compelling hold over women of different ages, of different backgrounds and from different countries, as he is emotionally intelligent and morally upright. As a romantic icon, he continually ranks at the top of the list of women's ideal dates.

Keira Knightley, who played Elizabeth Bennett in the 2005 film version of Pride And Prejudice said, "I think every girl is looking for her Mr. Darcy. I'd go for someone who is a little bit brooding and somebody you can have a good conversation with, a good fight with, someone who'll always keep you guessing and make you laugh."

I myself fell in love with Mr. Darcy one winter weekend when I was 14, as I read through the Chinese version of Pride and Prejudice. My love for Mr. Darcy made me feel like I was being soaked in the tenderness of a warm winter sun. As a result, he also influenced my views on men.

When I found that Chatsworth House had been used as Mr. Darcy's home, Pemberley, in the film adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, I immediately decided to make a pilgrimage there.

Chatsworth House

Chatsworth House is a beautiful period property set in the heart of the Peak District in Derbyshire, England. It is the home of the Duke of Devonshire, and has been handed down through 16 successive generations of the Cavendish family.

When I approached the house, the description of Elizabeth's first view of Pemberley came to mind: "They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste."

This is precisely how Chatsworth appeared as I drove along the hill. It is believed that the stately home was Jane Austen's inspiration for Pemberly. Austen visited Chatsworth House in 1811 while staying at the Rutland Arms in Bakewell when she was writing Pride and Prejudice.

Due to its popularity, the house was also used in The Duchess (2008), featuring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes, and The Wolfman (2010), with Benicio del Toro and Anthony Hopkins.

Partially open to the public, the house has over 30 rooms to explore, from the grandeur of the First Duke's Painted Hall and State Apartments with their rich decoration and painted ceilings, to the 19th century Library, Great Dining Room and Sculpture Gallery. Wandering around the three floors, you can see magnificent displays of art, furniture, sculptures and paintings housed in well-decorated rooms. The diverse collection has grown with each generation, and the collection encompasses old masters, contemporary ceramics, artifacts from ancient Egypt, modern sculpture and computer portraits, to name but a few.

After immersing yourself in the imposing rooms, you can walk out the gate and enjoy an incredible landscape with a thousand acres of gardens. There is just as much to see outside as inside as the garden has evolved over more than 450 years. Famous waterworks include the 300-year-old Cascade, the Squirting Willow Tree Fountain and the impressive gravity-fed Emperor Fountain. In addition to the Maze, the Rockery and the Rose, Cottage and Kitchen Gardens, there are also over five miles of walks with rare trees, shrubs, streams and ponds to discover.

The park holds a key position in the history of English landscape design, as the landscape has been influenced by some of the greatest artists and designers of their time including George London, William Kent, Lancelot Brown, Sir Jeffry Wyatville and Sir Joseph Paxton. Encouraged and directed by successive Dukes of Devonshire, these remarkable individuals have left their mark on the landscape through their architecture, waterworks, tree planting and the creation of views which link the house, garden and park together.

Chatsworth Park covers 1,000 acres and is enclosed by a 15-km-long dry stone wall and deer fence. It is home to red and fallow deer, sheep, cattle and many wild animals.

Chatsworth holds events all year round, and some highlights include the annual Florabundance festival, country fair, exhibitions in the New Gallery and Christmas at Chatsworth. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh recently paid a visit on July 10 to Chatsworth House, which gave this house an added royal touch.

The beauty of the surrounding hills and the winding river Derwent is enchanting. The architecture, waterworks, tree planting, garden and park are linked together in such a natural way that every single spot of ground is groomed to create a pleasing view.

In such a heavenly place, it's easy to forget yourself. To be honest, this magnificent place managed to distract me from my original intention of searching for Mr. Darcy.

Lyme Park

So I went on searching for Mr. Darcy in another "Pemberley" nestling on the edge of the Peak District - Lyme Park in Cheshire. It's just 45 minutes drive from Chatsworth House heading northwest.

The 1995 BBC television series version of Pride and Prejudice favored Lyme Park as Darcy's Pemberley Estate. Lyme Park is famous as the location of the "lake scene," where a soaking wet Mr. Darcy, played by Colin Firth, emerged from his swim in the lake to meet a startled Elizabeth Bennet played by Jennifer Ehle. In that scene, their encounter gave them the chance to fall in love with each other.

The scene turned Firth into a romantic hero and international sex symbol. In fact, the Guardian newspaper once declared "the lake scene" or "wet-shirt scene" as "one of the most unforgettable moments in British TV history." A poll last year put this scene at the top of the most memorable TV drama moments of all time.

Marking the 200th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, a 12-foot statue of Mr. Darcy - as played by Colin Firth - was erected at the lake in Lyme Park in February this year.

The main house in Lyme Park dates from the middle of the 16th century. It was once home to the Legh family. The estate was privately owned until 1946, when its owner Richard Legh (3rd Baron Newton) donated it to The National Trust. The main house is surrounded by 15 acres of formal gardens.

The use of Lyme Park in Pride and Prejudice has had a huge impact on its popularity. Since then, Lyme Park has become known not only as the most beautiful manor in Cheshire, but also as Mr. Darcy's "Pemberley." The total number of visitors in the year prior to the series being aired was 32,852, while the following year visitor numbers tripled to 91,437.

Lyme Park is open to the public as a National Trust property. If you have seen the BBC series, you should walk around the lake to its southeastern side. You will be able to see the mansion as Elizabeth saw it for the first time. If the water on the lake is calm, you'll see a clear reflection of the mansion in it.

For Jane Austen fans, Chatsworth House and Lyme Park are must-see places. Even for those who are not into love stories, just getting away from the hustle and bustle of urban life and intoxicating yourselves on the green and pleasant land deep in the Peak District is definitely refreshing and worthwhile. 

Rules of thumb

1. Wear comfortable shoes

2. Watch the movies before you actually go to Chatsworth House and Lyme Park. It's interesting to see familiar scenes in real life.

3. Check their websites while planning your visit, as there are a lot of events going on throughout the year.

4. Chatsworth House's Discovery ticket costs 21 pounds ($35) and gets you access to the house, garden and farmyard for one day.