Matlock Bath is a village situated south of Matlock on the main A6 road in Derbyshire, England, approximately halfway between Buxton and Derby. Originally built at the head of a dead-end dirt road running alongside the valley of the River Derwent from Matlock itself, the locality developed in the 19th century as residential and a spa town and still thrives on tourism. Development was and is very restricted due to the steep hillsides, with the majority of buildings on one side of the valley with only footbridges across the river. The road was upgraded and made into a through-way, now designated A6, avoiding the previous old coaching road approach to Matlock from Cromford over very steep hills near to the Riber plateau area.
In 1698 warm springs were discovered and a bath house was built. As the waters became better known, access was improved by the building of the bridge into Old Matlock and in 1783, the opening of a new entrance at the south of the valley. Princess Victoria of Kent's royal visit in 1832 confirmed Matlock as a society venue of the time. Victoria's party visited a pair of museums and a petrifying well. John Ruskin and Lord Byron were visitors, Byron comparing it with alpine Switzerland, leading to a nickname of Little Switzerland. Erasmus Darwin had recommended the area to Josiah Wedgwood I for its beauty and soothing waters, and members of the families vacationed and settled there. Edward Levett Darwin, son of Francis Sacheverel Darwin, lived at Dale House in Matlock Bath, where he was a solicitor.
When the North Midland Railway opened in 1840, carriages plied for hire from Ambergate station. The Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway ran a number of excursions, taking the passengers onward from Ambergate by the Cromford Canal.
Matlock Bath is now a designated conservation area with an Article 4 Direction in relation to properties, predominantly along North and South Parade.
Andrew Asibong's phantasmagorical novel Mameluke Bath is set in a futuristic version of Matlock Bath, and Eleanor Bowen-Jones' film Return to Mameluke Bath explores both real and fictional versions of the town.
Matlock Bath is known as a tourist destination, with attractions including the Heights of Abraham park, Gulliver's Kingdom theme park, the Peak District Mining Museum, the Life in a Lens Museum of Photography & Old Times and an aquarium.
On the opposite bank of the river Derwent stands High Tor, a sheer cliff popular with climbers and walkers. High Tor features Giddy Edge, a narrow winding path along the cliff edge. Cable cars link the base of High Tor rising to the Heights of Abraham.
In autumn of each year, the "Venetian Nights" are held with illuminations along the river and illuminated boats.
I've visited Matlock Bath numerous times before, always by car and I've been in 2 or 3 of the pubs in the past. So I decided, on a quiet Wednesday, that I would make the train journey from Nottingham to do a proper survey of the fine drinking establishments of this fine place. I was a little bit apprehensive first thing that morning as it was raining and Matlock can get quite chilly when the weather is inclement. Thankfully, by the time I was getting ready to leave, the weather had brightened considerably and it was dry with the sun appearing periodically to add some much needed warmth to the proceedings. I arrived in Matlock Bath just before 12.30 in the afternoon and immediately headed to my first destination, situated opposite the bridge the leads over the river from the train station car park. This was a new destination for me: the County and Station.
The County and Station is a former Marston's premises that changed hands in December 2014 and is now operated on behalf of Derby's Shiny Brewery. The interior of the pub retains many of the original Victorian features including the sweeping central bar and the wooden effect walls. The seating is arranged around the edges of the room and takes the form of wooden tables and benches. The bar is well stocked, with 8 handpulls. 5 of these are in use on my visit, offering Great Heck Blonde, Redwillow Seamless, Tap East Coffee in the Morning, Coastal Spring Hop and Shiny Cathedral Ale. They also offer a very nice line in craft keg beers, on this occasion providing Late Knights APA, Tiny Rebel Urban IPA, Tiny Rebel Hadouken, Shiny Tomahawk and Shiny Wrench. Real ciders also feature in plastic kegs behind the bar and these are Burrow Hill, Thundering Molly and Wilkins. After a few moments to peruse the wide range of products on offer, I opted for Great Heck Blonde (4.3%). This is a rich, golden and satisfying ale hopped with a blend of British and Slovenian hops that combine for a zesty finish. It is brewed with Maris Otter and wheat malt and was winner of Yorkshire's finest taste award in 2008. It's easy to see why as it is certainly very tasty and goes down easily. This pub is certainly a hidden gem and worth a visit. More from this place later!
The next location on my trip is a mere stone's throw away, on the other side of the main road that runs through the village. Named after the nearby railway line, next up was The Midland.
This is a pub/hotel which I has visited in the past. The interior is a good mix of original features and modern additions, including a conservatory to the side and a nice riverside seating area for both diners and drinkers. The bar is opposite the entrance from the main road and is broad and curved at both ends. I can vouch for the quality of the food here, having eaten here before, most recently last summer. The pub is dog friendly in all areas except the conservatory which tends to be reserved for diners. The pub also has a very nice husky that lives on the premises although the dog is nowhere to been on my visit. The bar has 5 handpulls, 4 of which are in use on the day in question. The choice is decent, with Dancing Duck Dark Drake, Howard Town Hope, Peak Ales Swift Nick and Rosie's Pig Cider. Having had Swift Nick in the past, I decided this time that Howard Town Hope (4.1%) was a good choice. This is a light citrusy ale made from pale, rye and crystal malts and Pacific Gem and Cascade hops. The brewery itself is based in Glossop. The beer is smooth and fruity with a very nice zesty aftertaste and the perfect antidote to the slightly eclectic mix of music of the pub sound system. Nowhere else would I expect to hear Rita Ora followed by Lionel Richie then followed by Kenny Loggins......... It's almost like a wedding DJ has been let loose. The Midland is one of my favourite pubs in this area but sadly, I was bound by duty to move onto the next location.
Further down the main promenade, on the other side of the road this time, is Riva @ Rose Cottage.
This long, brick, ivy-covered building is now operated by Marston's. The outside area is a series of picnic benches elevated above the pavement behind a stone wall. The interior is a collection of small rooms, divided up by thick partitioning walls with square window-like openings for light and a view into other areas. The bar is small and tucked into one side of the central room, next to the stairs that lead up to the toilets. Half of the 4 handpulls are in use, offering Brakspear Bitter (3.4%) and Thatcher's Heritage cider. For a Marston's premises, the range of ales is disappointing. On a previous visit, a couple of guest ales were also available. I can only assume that this is a feature of the bar during busier periods of trade, such as the summer peak seasons. The Brakspear is well kept and tasty but a greater selection of choices would have been appreciated, although Mansfield Smooth and Marston's Oyster Stout were available on keg.
The handy thing about Matlock Bath is that, with the exception of The Midland, all of the buildings are on one side of the road, with the river opposite. This meant that it was a short walk up the road to the next pub, the Princess Victoria.
Named after Princess Victoria of Kent, who visited the area in 1832, this picturesque little pub boasts a ground floor bar area and an upstairs restaurant function room which looks out over the river. The pub is operated by Bateman's brewery and this is evidence on the single bar which is tucked into the corner of the main room. The 4 handpulls feature Black Sheep Golden Sheep, Bateman's XXXB, Bateman's Best Bitter and Sharp's Doom Bar. I opted for the XXXB (4.8%) which is a superb classic better with a robust palate of hops balanced with a malty bitterness. I took a seat in a corner of the room and admired the interior with its traditional Victorian shop front windows, wooded floors and furnishings and tankards hanging from the ceiling. There is a large TV screen against the back wall showing Indian Premier League cricket to a backdrop of rock music from the pub's sound system. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed and the beer was delicious but my excitement level was rising as I knew that the next destination was my favourite pub in Matlock Bath.
At the top of the main road into the village, opposite the famous Pavilion which now encompasses a mining museum, is The Fishpond.
Built on the original site of The Fishpond Hotel, The Fishpond is a dynamic and modern-looking pub and restaurant with modern features. The interior is a mix of high and low tables and there are bookcases at either to add a touch of quirkiness to the overall design. The bar is L-shaped and very well equipped. There are 8 handpulls, 5 of which are in use at the time of my visit. On offer are Thwaites' Wainwright, Blue Monkey BG Sips, Sharp's Doom Bar, Rosie's Pig Cider and Old Rosie. In busy periods during the tourist season, all of the handpulls are occupied, usually with a wide variety of beers from near and far, often Nottingham and Derbyshire. I've always been a big fan of this pub, due to its beer range and the general atmosphere of the place. On this occasion, I decided on the BG Sips. As I've mentioned before, I'm a big fan of Blue Monkey beers and this was very well kept, as it should be. Given the day I'd had so far, I decided that food was a good idea. After a look over the extensive food menu, I decided against the fish and chips and went for the lasagne, which was very tasty. With time to kill until my train home, I finished my pint and went for a second pint of the same, enjoying the music being played into the pub as it went through Jake Bugg, Fleetwood Mac and Ben Howard. Matlock Bath certainly loves its alternative music. That works for me! Matlock Bath even hosts an annual music festival which was actually happening the last time I was here. Whilst the pubs seem devoid of spirits of a ghostly kind, the Pavilion opposite is notorious for strange goings-on. The figures of a man and 2 children have been spotted in the mining museum, believed to be victims of a mine collapse nearby. Poltergeist activity has been reported from both the museum and the nightclub that occupies the upper floor. Disembodied footsteps and voices are heard and strange mists have been reported. The Pavilion was even featured in an episode of Most Haunted.
The time had come to leave The Fishpond and start walking back down the main road towards the train station. I arrived with 40 minutes to spare so I decided that I had time for another pint. I headed back to the County and Station and treated myself to a pint of Tap East Coffee in the Morning (5.5%). This is a traditional dark, smooth stout with the unusual added ingredient of freshly ground coffee beans, leading to an intense aromatic flavour and a strong, almost peppery finish. It was very nice indeed and a good addition to my growing list of dark beers. I made my weary journey back to the train station ready for the journey home. The day had been superb. The weather had held out and resulted in a dry and pleasant day. This trip has reaffirmed my love for Matlock Bath and proves that small villages are often worth a visit for the pubs and beers on offer as these can often eclipse the range found in bigger settlements. The reliance on the tourist trade to keep the place ticking over obviously benefits the pubs and this is the clear driving force behind the desire to keep a good range of good quality beers on the bar at most of the outlets. Matlock Bath can teach a few other places a thing or two about how to do real ale and do it well. More than anything, this trip has given me another reason to return in the high season and see what has been added to the range. Farewell for now Matlock! We both know I'll be back.
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