The pretty little UK 'seaside town' that's 100 miles from the sea
Developed into one of the UK's first true tourist destinations, this town is often referred to as being the ultimate seaside spot despite having no sea for miles.
Found in Derbyshire, this unique town is everything you’d imagine a seaside spot to be, except there is no sea.
Instead, the large river that runs through it is the closest you’ll get to an ocean and as such it's often jokingly referred to as being Derberyshire-on-Sea.
This “seaside” spot was originally built on a dead-end dirt road which ran along the valley of the River Derwent. Over the years, it became a residential spa town and a hot tourist destination spot.
Matlock Bath is dubbed a seaside town and a great place for family getaways despite being in the middle of landlocked Derbyshire.
Here, holidaymakers, fish and chip shops and amusement arcades fill this town in a similar fashion as in other seaside resorts, despite this area being nearly 100 miles from the sea.
Matlock Bath sits by the Derwent Valley, which is a steep riverside gorge in the Derbyshire Peak District.
The region was first used as a visitor attraction after warm springs were discovered back in 1698.
This discovery led to a bath house being built in order to accommodate the springs and was later developed into one of the UK’s first true tourist destinations.
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News of this unique spot in the UK quickly rose among the high society elites attracting fashionable visitors such as Lord Byron, Princess Victoria of Kent and Erasmus Darwin.
In fact, Byron was so enamoured with Matlock Bath that he dubbed the region “Little Switzerland” due to the region’s steep hillsides and luscious views which gave it an Alpine-like feel.
Formed from a limestone gorge with the River Derwent running alongside it, Matlock Bath offers an array of choice when it comes to entertainment.
A host of attractions are on offer, including Gulliver’s Kingdom theme park, the Heights of Abraham park, the former Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times, the Peak District Lead Mining Museum and Lovers' Walks and an aquarium.
Those looking for a bit more tranquillity will find it on the opposite bank of the river Derwent with the awe-inspiring sheer cliff known as High Tor that’s popular among walkers and climbers.
Giddy Edge is found here too, which is a winding path along the cliff edge with the Heights of Abraham cable cars linking the base of High Tor rising to the Heights of Abraham.
One review on TripAdvisor read: “Great area for a walk with a lovely river, flowers and gardens. Really good path for the less mobile and pushchairs as well. This is definitely one not to be missed.”
