A Day Out in Matlock Bath in Derbyshire – Part One

Visitor review: This account describes a visit during the pandemic; admission details below have been updated.

When many of us were staying closer to home to enjoy a day out or weekend away during the pandemic, we decided to take a closer look at what’s right here on our doorstep. Buxton is well placed as a base to explore the surrounding Peak District so we decided to start with a day out in Matlock Bath, whose ‘Little Switzerland’ nickname is often attributed to the poet Lord Byron.

Cushioned by a leafy limestone gorge in the Derwent Valley, Matlock Bath grew as a spa resort after its thermal waters attracted attention in the late 17th century. Its amusement arcades and annual illuminations give it the feel of a seaside resort.

Alas, there is no sea but there is a river – the River Derwent which winds its way through the town and central to the boat parade in the annual illuminations.

Our visit was primarily to see The Heights of Abraham but upon arrival a few things caught our eye and we sought to find out more about this quaint Victorian spa town.

Immediately, Matlock Bath Aquarium caught our eye. The entrance gave a few clues as to what we might expect; we felt like we’d been transported back to 1983 for a start. At the time of our visit, it was £3.30 per person for an entry ticket and you’re immediately greeted with a set of stairs come hallway, all painted to set the scene for the adventure that awaits. We’re fully onboard, this is going to be as vintage as it can get.

Admittedly there is something endearing about museums that remain stuck in the 70s and 80s; perhaps these places remind us of our childhood (if you’re the right age that is) and you can pretend for a short while that you’re back in a world when life seemed less complicated.

With a one-way system in place during our visit, we headed first to the Petrifying Well. Mineral-rich water deposits a layer of calcium carbonate on objects in the well, coating them in stone rather than transforming the objects themselves. The British Geological Survey describes this deposit as calcareous tufa.

The aquarium is surprisingly good and we didn’t expect to see so many fish. The attraction now says it houses over 50 species.

We continued to the thermal pool, where visitors once bathed in the waters seeking relief from ailments. The pool is home to a collection of koi carp.

The pool leads us out into the hall and stairs where you can once again soak up the atmosphere while the decor continues to set the scene for your visit. However, things get a bit weird from here on as you turn the corner to enter The Hologram Gallery – yes that’s right, holograms, in a gallery. Seemingly completely unconnected to either the towns spa heritage or tropical fish, we put that to one side and got stuck in. The gallery displays holograms to marvel at. A couple of our favourites were Frankenstein (who winks at you), a scary hand and a (very) creepy clown. As the attraction claims – ‘images which float in space before you, so real, you will not believe your eyes!’.

And that’s it, we head down the stairs and step back into reality. But no seriously, it was actually really good fun and we’d recommend a visit, if you’re in the area. This attraction does need some serious investment and it did feel like a distant relative of the previous version of the Wonders of the Peak exhibition in Buxton Museum – before it was redeveloped in 2017.

We had some time to kill before visiting The Heights of Abraham, so we wandered along the main street and into M&A Café for coffee and a slice of cake. We enjoyed the coffee and the artwork on the walls. The address is now listed as 196 Coffee Lounge.

Afterwards, we headed to the cable car station for the Heights of Abraham.

To be continued! Read Part 2 on our day out in Matlock and how we got on at The Heights of Abraham when we continued our adventure in Matlock Bath.

If you enjoy walking and hiking, explore our guide to Peak District walks and hikes for recommendations for all abilities.