Andrew Griffiths goes on a day trip from his home in the north of the county to scale the Heights of Abraham.
MATLOCK BATH looks like a town where the sea went out and never came back in again. Stroll along the main street past the chip shops and the amusement arcades and you can all but taste the salt on a breeze that has blown in straight from the 1950s. It feels as if at any moment you might bump into the fat lady wearing a ‘kiss me quick’ hat dragging along a weedy little bloke in a string vest with a knotted hanky on his head.
Matlock Bath first began to make its wealth out of minerals in Roman times – galena, with its easily accessible lead in this case. Then in the 1700s came a burgeoning interest in science and the savage beauty of nature. The alleged healing properties of spring waters became all the rage and proved to be an easy sell to the adventurous middle classes who were following in the footsteps of English writer Daniel Defoe. Matlock joined the ranks of fashionable spa towns alongside the likes of Buxton, Harrogate and Bath.
Then came the railways, bringing people from the surrounding cities fresh from powering the industrial revolution and looking for fun. In the latter decades of the 1800s these workers were starting to get a bit of money in their pockets and time on their hands, and would head for seaside resorts for their holidays. When on a tighter budget or with less time to spare, they could board the new trains and make for the fresh pastures of Derbyshire, where the good folk of Matlock Bath spotted a business opportunity and decided to give them everything the seaside could offer – except for the sea itself, of course. But they did have the River Derwent, so they put some boats on that instead.
Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Derbyshire Life.
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Denne historien er fra March 2017-utgaven av Derbyshire Life.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Can Plants Hear?
In the latest in his series on the intelligence of plants, Martyn Baguley analyses whether they have the ability to hear
Peak National Park and Ride
Andrew Griffihs asks what the future holds for transport in the Peak National Park and talks to Julian Glover about his Landscapes Review
Doubly thankful
Mike Smith explores the village of Bradbourne, which has a particularly poignant tale to tell
What lies beneath
Exploring the hidden depths of Ladybower Reservoir, which conceals secrets of a fascinating past
Battle for our birds
Paul Hobson analyses our complex relationship with birds of prey and how these fascinating birds are fairing in Derbyshire
Explore the Peak Forest
A walk through autumn fields and forests with far reaching views enriched by snippets of mystery, romance and the area’s industrial past
Pictures to transport you
Chesterfield photographer David Keep continues his photographic journey, this time recalling his favourite landscape images from around the world
The magic of Christmas
Ideas for days out, gifts and where to find local produce in Derbyshire this festive season
PENNY for the Guy
We take a look at Derbyshire’s bonfire tradtions through history
From hardship came happiness
Pat Ashworth speaks with Chesterfield based retired Colonel John Doody about his inspiring life, from a diffiult childhood to overcoming diversity and finding happiness