The beautiful, unique little British seaside town...with no sea in sight
Evoking both the Swiss Alps and the Suffolk coast, this curious little village buried in middle England is about as unique as they come.
Countryfile presenters take bath together in Peak District
Ever-evolving aesthetic sensibilities and the need to cater to ever-growing hordes of tourists have seen many a British coastal resort change beyond recognition.
Nowadays, with the staycation era in full swing, those wishing to relive the country’s seaside heyday are perhaps best served by a town that is nowhere near the sea.
On the southern fringe of the Peak District in the Derbyshire Dales – 80 miles from Skegness due east and 70 miles from the shores of Wales to the west – you’d be forgiven for smelling salt in the air in Matlock Bath.
Long since designated a conservation area, the tiny village of 750 sports old-timey fish and chip shops, ice cream parlours, glitzy arcades and souvenir boutiques.
There’s water too – offering aquatic opportunities to rival Brighton, Blackpool or St Ives.
Warm springs were discovered at the end of a windy dirt road in the valley of the River Derwent way back in 1698.
A bathhouse was built, and as the belief that thermal waters and fresh air were the cornerstone of wellness took hold, Matlock Bath’s popularity steadily grew.
Princess Victoria of Kent’s royal dip in 1832, just five years before she became Queen, then cemented its notoriety.
Lord Byron found his way there, drawing on the village’s Alpine appearance to give it the nickname of Little Switzerland. Mary Shelley echoed this thought in Frankenstein, writing that it looked like the landlocked country but “on a lower scale.”
Don't miss...
The once thriving beach now so 'dangerous' people refuse to step on it [REVEAL]
Tourists visiting one of UK's 'worst' seaside towns having to pay £29 to park [INSIGHT]
The once booming seaside town now an empty shell cruelly dubbed 'Costa del Dole' [LATEST]
Matlock Bath railway station was built in 1849 on the Midland Railway line between London and Manchester, opening the area up to wider society.
The village is anchored on three grand buildings: the New Bath Hotel, Holy Trinity Church, and the Grand Pavilion. As for the famous old spa, it is now an aquarium.
Townhouses and cottages throughout the town are built from local Derbyshire limestone and Welsh slate in a Gothic style.
Matlock Bath is also known for putting on a show. The Matlock Bath Illuminations have been held in the autumn each year since Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 1897.
These “Venetian Nights” consist of a parade of decorated and brightly lit boats floating along the River Derwent, as well as a fair.
The 2023 season is running every Saturday and Sunday night from September 9 to October 29, with fireworks finales every October Saturday and the final night on October 29.
When not hosting this dazzling flotilla, the river is a reputed canoeing spot for recreationists and serious competitors alike. Matlock Canoe Club hosts national-level wild-water racing and slalom events.
On the opposite bank from the village towers High Tor, a sheer cliff well-known and respected by walkers who snake their way to the top along Giddy Edge, the narrow path.
For those who don’t fancy the thrill, the Heights of Abraham cable cars also link the base of High Tor rising to the Heights of Abraham above.
As if all of this weren’t enough, on Sundays in summer Matlock Bath high street is also a congregation spot for bikers on their way to touring the Peak District.