Inside the little-known English village designed to look like its in the Alps – where you stay in a stately home for £18

THERE'S a municipality successful the West Midlands that was built to look similar it belongs successful the Swiss Alps.

Ilam successful Staffordshire, which sits wrong the Peak District National Park, was designed by an eccentric affluent antheral successful the 19th century, with a precise circumstantial European plan successful mind.

Ilam's 343 residents person Jesse Watts-Russell (a affluent industrialist) to convey for their Swiss chalet-style homes.

The businessman purchased the property successful 1820 and due to the fact that the portion reminded him truthful overmuch of the Alps, helium had houses built successful a emblematic Swiss style.

While we're not definite helium got the Swiss-style precisely right, if we squint past we tin decidedly spot what helium was getting astatine with the sloping roofs.

Plus, nary 1 tin contradict that his bosom was successful the close spot - arsenic astatine the aforesaid clip arsenic his chalet-building endeavour, Mr Watts-Russell besides built and founded the village school, adjacent though acquisition wasn't compulsory for children successful the mid-19th century.

Over the past 200 years, residents person kept the picturesque cottages successful bully condition, with galore inactive boasting colourful model container displays and meticulously landscaped gardens.

The Tourism Board, Let's Go Peak District, described Ilam arsenic "just astir arsenic cleanable a Staffordshire Peak District colony arsenic you could anticipation to get."

"With a postulation of beauteous cottages acceptable successful the astir idyllic location, it’s a fantastic spot to walk a day".

Even though houses successful Ilam merchantability for astir fractional a million, holidaymakers tin enactment astatine Ilam Hall for conscionable £18 per night.

Set successful the bosom of the village, Ilam Hall was fixed to the National Trust successful 1934 arsenic agelong arsenic it was tally arsenic a younker hostel.

The immense Victorian Manor inactive operates arsenic a younker hostel - tally by the YHA -to this day, with guests capable to publication dormitory beds from £18 per night.

Private rooms that tin sleep up to 3 radical outgo £20 per nighttime per person.

While Ilam Hall is lone unfastened to overnight guests, day-trippers to the Staffordshire village tin research its grounds and halt for a brew astatine the on-site tearooms.

Set wrong Ilam Park, the grounds diagnostic a terraced garden, which overlooks Thorpe Cloud - a adjacent limestone hill.

Other features see a beauteous religion and a footpath that runs alongside the River Manifold.

And it's not conscionable the Alpine-style homes that assistance to marque Ilam picturesque, its determination is besides swoon-worthy.

Located successful the Staffordshire Peak District Ilam is acceptable among limestone hills similar Thorpe Cloud and Bunster Hill.

Ilam is besides the closest colony to Dovedale - a renowned quality spot that's known for the River Dove, its awesome limestone ravines and stepping stones.

Because of its idyllic mounting respective play dramas were reportedly filmed successful Ilam, including the 2006 BBC adaptation of Jane Eyre, starring Ruth Wilson.

Scenes from the Other Boleyn Girl, featuring Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson, were besides changeable astir Ilam.

While the colony itself doesn't person immoderate pubs, connected the outskirts is the Izaak Walton state House Hotel, with stunning views of the surrounding Dales and a barroom that welcomes walkers for roast dinners and beers.

Ilam is an 80-minute thrust from Birmingham and it's a 66-minute thrust from Nottingham.

Another tiny colony successful the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s movie set.

And an abandoned colony successful England only opens to tourists erstwhile a year.