Fish and Chips anyone? (Matlock Bath)

Member Name: mreyre

Product:	Matlock Bath
Date:	19/08/04 (2992 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: more fish and chip shops than you can shake a stick at, great unique shops, the atmosphere on a Sunny Summer Sunday

Disadvantages: can't get a car parking space for toffee, not pleasant on a rainy day, the hills at Gullivers

I have lived in Derbyshire for most of my life, one place which I love to visit time and time again is the town of Matlock Bath. I live about half an hour away, or in peak tourist season on a hot Summer Sunday, about an hour and a half away. The traffic into Matlock Bath on such a day is horrendous, but it somehow adds to the excitement. Matlock Bath has a truly excellent atmosphere on warm Summer evenings, the more people there, the more fun the atmosphere is.

If you?ve never been to Matlock Bath before, then it is quite difficult for an ?outsider? to understand the true relevance of the town within the locality. It is traditional to visit the town on a Sunday, especially if you are a biker. By mid-afternoon, motorcycles of all shapes and sizes, all colours and models line the streets, attracting many admirers of many ages. I was always fascinated to see the shiny chrome of the motorbikes as a child, and my daughter (who is now 5) was transfixed the other weekend when I was trying to explain the technical details of a Harley Davidson to an inquiring mind.

So why do the leather-clad motorcycle fanatics congregate in this small Derbyshire tourist trap? Well, some come along just for the ride, some to soak up the atmosphere with fellow bikers, but a trip to Matlock Bath for a true bike enthusiast is not complete without a visit to the Bike Shop. The infamous Bike Shop at Matlock Bath is like a Mecca to some, with many bikers making long pilgrimages every year just to pay a visit.

Myself, I can?t see what all the fuss is about. I?m not a biker, I think motorcycles are horrible, noisy creatures and don?t get pleasure from dressing up in leather. (Well not outside the bedroom anyway?.) So what does Matlock Bath offer for those of us who are simply tourists, wanting a good day out with our family and friends? Here goes?

As you approach Matlock Bath (from the Ripley A38 turn-off, driving along the picturesque A5 at any rate) you pass th
e New Bath Hotel on the left hand side. If you have recently won the lottery, then this is an ideal place to stay. However, if you aren?t quite a Millionaire yet, I would give it a miss for now. It?s very posh though! On the right hand side, you will often see what looks like completely mad people dressed in red who appear to be stuck half-way up the hillside. Don?t worry, this is completely normal, apparently they are professional hill-climbers who think they know what they are doing.

As you approach Matlock Bath, there?s a steep left hand turn-off. This leads to the children?s theme park going by the name of Gullivers Kingdom. There?s loads to do for under 7?s, but adults and older children may find the entertainment somewhat limiting. The theme park is built around a hillside, if you are not used to hills (unlike us hardened Derbyshire locals) then you will find walking round the site a struggle. Pushchairs are not recommended, believe me, I?ve tried it and never again! The best bet is to arrive at Gulliver?s about 10.30 a.m., and go on the rides before it gets too packed. A good idea is to bring your own picnic as food can be expensive. When you?ve had enough, either leave the car where it is, or my personal favourite is to move the car to the car park at the other end of town. Part of the fun of visiting Matlock Bath is battling for a car parking space. Last time I visited, I circled the car park 10 times before I found a space, witnessing many examples of ?car park rage? ? better than watching soaps on TV!

In the modern-day age of commercialism, Matlock Bath is unusual in that it has no ?high street? names among its fine array of shops. This makes a pleasant change and you feel that you can browse at your leisure. The shops are mainly located on one side of the street, the other is like a promenade, following the line of the river. Many of the locals call Matlock Bath the seaside town without a sea. With it?s vast array of arcades and fish a
nd chip shops, you could be fooled into thinking Derbyshire in fact has a coastline. It doesn?t of course, but no visit to Matlock Bath is complete without walking along the riverside eating fish and chips out of the wrapper. It simply has to be done.

There are some lovely tourist-y type shops, with all sorts of gifts, with new ones opening up all the time. I noticed that on my recent visit one of the shops now offer the chance to decorate your own pots, plates or figures. It seemed very popular with the kids, and you can even have children?s parties there. If you don?t want your chips whilst on the move, there are plenty of sit-down and eat cafes, all with their own specials boards.

There is a large aquarium and hologram exhibition, which is worth a visit, if you?ve never been before, but if you?ve seen it once then the novelty wears off after the 2nd visit. There is also a Mining Museum which is interesting if you?re into that sort of thing. The shop sells nice gemstones and other such trinkets, ideal for souveniers. Both attractions usually have special offers on admission prices in the evenings or off-peak times. Talking of evenings, the best time to walk along the ?sea front? is definitely evening-time. Unlike most places on a Sunday, the shops remain open way past 4pm, only really closing when the public decide they have spent enough money.

Around September ? October, the town holds illumination nights where the streets are lit up, and special ?floats? sail up and down the river, which are brightly decorated and illuminated. These evenings are very popular and it is best to arrive in plenty of time. It is possible to cross over the bridge across the river, on the other side is a lovely woodland walk, with a children?s playground to let them release some of that energy. If you can pack it all in to one day, then a visit to the Heights of Abraham is well worthwhile. This involves taking a trip up Abraham Heights in a cable car. If you
are scared of heights (like me) then I would certainly not advise it. My parents, in their wisdom, decided to take me on my 11th birthday (nearly 20 years ago now) and I cried all the way up and back down again, as my Dad made the cable car rock even more by leaning against the window taking David Bailey-type pictures with his camera. I have never been since, but I have heard that the cable cars have been vastly improved since then, so maybe one of these days I will conquer my fear.

In summary, Matlock Bath is well worth a visit if you are touring the sights and sounds of Derbyshire, it is very difficult to pack it all into one day, so you will just have to come again another time and see the things you didn?t see before!

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