A wander around Matlock Bath

Just three of us this week and it was raining when we met up at Geoff's so we decided a short walk around Matlock Bath. It was my turn to drive and we parked up on the main road just past the entrance to the cable car car park. We walked across the river footbridge under the tunnel to the cable car station.  We walked along the footpath to the railway station then down to the main road. Back over the Jubilee bridge and along Lovers Walk to the gate which is the entrance to the Willersley Castle grounds. From there it was a slow wander back along the river and main road to the car.

Booting up

The lower cable car station

Ike holding up Geoff

Back of the railway station

Looking up to the Tower

The war memorial in the park

Ike photographing the plaque below

Jubilee Bridge over the Derwent
Jubilee Bridge, in Matlock Bath built by local company Butterley of Ripley, which opened for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887, has been blast cleaned and repainted in its original colours.

A grand looking residence overlooking Matlock Bath

The rear of the Grand Pavilion with a secret tunnel to the left next to the river.
The Grand Pavilion Matlock Bath was built in 1910 to entertain and shelter tourists; up to 17 excursion trains a day came to Matlock Bath, which has one of the longest station platforms in the region as a result.

Fountain in the park

Ike trying to touch the water to see if it was warm and it was.

Warm spring in the park

A view down the A6

The mining museum

Interesting objects in some of the windows

Jubilee bridge

A great name for a shop.

A great little walk and we met a couple of interesting folks, there's a lot more to Matlock Bath  than the obvious tourist side.
See you next week

Buxton, The Devonshire Dome and The Opera House

After missing a week due to the bad weather we decided we would stick to tarmac and keep away from any muddy tracks. Ike had said he would like to have a look at the dome in Buxton so that's where we went. It was Robs turn to drive and we parked up just outside Buxton Pavilion Gardens.
It was chucking it down with rain as we walked through the park so we sheltered for a while then just had a stroll around the town taking in some of the buildings.

Buxton Dome

One of the many weir's in the Pavilion Gardens

Part of the Pavilion Gardens

This is where the river Wye disappears underground

Buxton Opera House It was built in 1903 and designed by Frank Matcham, one of Britain's finest theatre architects. He also designed two famous London theatres: the London Palladium (1910) and the London Coliseum (1904).

Buxton Opera House through the arches.

St. Ann's spring well

Coat of arms on The Crescent

Looking towards the Crescent

Buxton Railway Station

The Fan Window is a grade 11 listed building

Buxton Dome

Rob & Ike going into the Dome

 The Devonshire Dome was built  between 1780 and 1789 by John Carr of York for the 5th Duke of Devonshire and provided facilities for up to 120 horses and accommodation for the servants and ostlers of those staying in the The Crescent. It was extended by Robert Rippon Duke  who added the then world’s largest unsupported dome Measuring 145 feet in diameter, the Dome is bigger than St Paul’s Cathedral in London, The Pantheon in Rome, St. Peters in Rome, The Duomo in Florence and is still the largest unsupported dome in Europe. In 1859, the Buxton Bath Charity had persuaded the Duke of Devonshire to allow part of the building to be converted to a charity hospital for the use of the ‘sick poor’ coming in for treatment from the ‘Cottonopolis’ of Lancashire and Yorkshire. The Devonshire estate architect, Henry Currey, architect for St Thomas’s Hospital in London, converted two thirds of the building into a hospital The Devonshire Dome is now the new campus of the University of Derby in Buxton and Buxton College.

Inside the very impressive Devonshire Dome

Ike, Rob & Geoff.

Top of the Dome

Ike, Rob, Geoff & me in the Dome

St. Ann's pump station

Another shot of the Dome

Looks like a modern gargoyle

Buxton Opera House

Victorian Post Box

Buxton Pavilion and swimming baths

Part of the pavilion shot from the bandstand.

Pavilion detail

Ike, Geoff & Rob

Another pic of Pavilion Gardens

Radio controlled model yacht

Radio controlled model police launch

Radio controlled square rig sailing boat

Although we got a little wet just after we arrived we still managed to have a really interesting walk around the town with the highlight getting into the Devonshire Dome. An incredibly historic town and we just scratched the surface. Some world record braking buildings and beautiful gardens it must be worth a visit anytime.
See you next week.