Matlock Bath

[poliphilo]

Coming back from Newstead the other day, we stopped for a meal at Matlock Bath. I thought I was being clever describing it as a seaside town that has been carried inland and dropped off in the middle of nowhere but- according to the website-  that's how it strikes everybody. It started off as an 18th century spa (my man Byron loved it) and now it's this weird-ass holiday resort in a narrow river gorge with a half-moon crescent of gift-shops and restaurants and ice cream parlours tucked in under the cliff. For some reason it's become a bikers town (think leather-grandads not Hell's Angels) and when we arrived around six o'clock the parking places were all chokka with their gleaming mounts and we wound up parking  on double yellow lines (which we're allowed to do because we've got a blue disabled parking badge.) We ate at an Italian pizzeria that was set back from the road and had a back room carved out of the living rock.  Ailz had calzone made with freshly home-made pizza dough and I had spaghetti with baby clams and it  was all very, very good.

Comments

[shullie.livejournal.com]

it really does have a seaside feel. at Christmas/Yule they have illuminations too... and on Boxing day a raft race down the river :)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I need to go back and spend a bit more time there.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

New desktop background for my computer, thanks.:) I like the streetlamp in the foreground.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome.

The photo wouldn't be nearly as interesting without the lamp.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Um. I think most Hell's Angels are leather grandads now.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

O dear, I'm afraid you're probably right...

[oakmouse]

Yes, but they're the kind of granddads you don't want to have the kids for the afternoon. *g* This lot sounds more respectable.

[oakmouse]

Gorgeous photo! I love your eye for composition.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[jackiejj.livejournal.com]

I would have been happily distracted by a room carved into the rock--a cave room, I guess.

You and Ailz have wonderful day trips.

My brother brought me back a bottle of Bath water once when he'd gone to England on business. Is that the same place? Or are there two Baths?

Jackie, Ignoramus

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Bath is the biggest and grandest of British spa towns. It's where Jane Austen's people went to take the waters and eye up eligible young men. Matlock Bath is very much smaller- little more than a village, in fact.