Matlock

Hello
I'm in Derby, but the walking bit is a no-no
I hope that you get a good response - we are lucky in that we are so central, so fingers crossed for you
I'll keep an eye on this thread

Hi,you're the only reply so far....fingers crossed.Do you meet up with anyone?

Hello again
No! I only joined last Autumn, so I don't really know how the meetups work. I think that you just need to keep bumping the thread, I'm sure that you will get some responses soon

I'd love to. Unfortunately I now live in Cornwall. I was born and bred in Matlock. Lived there for 55 years. Lived very close to All Saints Primary for many years then moved to Tansley. I used to walk from my house towards Lea and Holloway quite a lot.

Hope you get some replies. Enjoy your walks. I do the coastal path now in Cornwall.

I believe Kali2 said she had a wonderful day walking in the Derbyshire Dales recently. Of courser she may have been on holiday but might live within reasonable distance.

Matlock is the nearest to a seaside town that a non seaside town could ever be. How it manages that is beyond me. Did a great walk many years ago starting from Matlock and taking in Bakewell and Chatsworth but I very much doubt that I could walk that far these days. Do they still have the illuminations?

Yes, they do Maybee. And the bikers who meet up there.

Yes, the illuminations are called the 'Venetian Nights'. The boats on the river are dressed up with lights.

Matlock (the town) and Matlock Bath (the 'seaside bit') became popular in the eighteenth century with the birth of tourism. There are springs at Matlock (like at Bath).

The dramatic scenery of Matlock Bath was likened to Switzerland and Italy, so for tourists it was a sort of fashionable East Midlands version of the Grand Tour.

I love it there, but the bikers are a bit of a nuisance. I never go at the weekend because of them

I thought this was going to be about Matt Hancock!

25Avalon

I thought this was going to be about Matt Hancock!

Well, that's one way to kill a thread...

Sorry but this sounds iffy to me.

timetogo2016

Sorry but this sounds iffy to me.

Why on earth do you say that?

I am genuinely interested in meeting new friends in Matlock,starting with walking and chatting or meeting for coffee

MayBee70

Matlock is the nearest to a seaside town that a non seaside town could ever be. How it manages that is beyond me. Did a great walk many years ago starting from Matlock and taking in Bakewell and Chatsworth but I very much doubt that I could walk that far these days. Do they still have the illuminations?

we used to take the older children when they were little (and to the illuminations) and we always said it was like being at the seaside without the sea!

Is the zoo still there? I seem to remember it consisting mainly of Lynx.

I can't ever remember a zoo but I've just googled and there is a park farm?

I remember taking ours to Gulliver's on the hill for a Halloween thing what on earth were we thinking

FannyCornforth

timetogo2016

Sorry but this sounds iffy to me.

Why on earth do you say that?

I think timetogo has missed this is in a meet section...but you all may have missed the young man who was trying to extract money from our bank accounts the other day it was deleted quite swiftly!

No zoo now! Riber castle,is a folly .It did house the zoo but has been turned into apartments.

The American Western place nearby was one of the first theme parks I believe.

the bikers are a bit of a nuisance.

No way! The bikers are the best bit about Matlock! Fabulous machines to stand and admire.

JPB123 Riber Castle closed its zoo years ago - 20 years or more? They had an enclosure with meerkats that were in a terrible state, so I'm glad that no longer exists.

One of the best times to visit Matlock is when the Steam Punk meets up there. Just get a seat at a roadside coffee bar, sit down and watch them go past! They're amazing!

I lived in Matlock for nearly 50 years. Born there.

It grew in popularity in the victorian period as a spa resort. The county council offices building at the top of Bank Road was the main spa hotel back then. A tram took visitors from the train station up Bank Road to the hotel. I lived close to what was the old tram station. At one time there were about 20 hydros, most of which were own by John Smedley. He built the mock Riber Castle as his home. In my late teens I remember walking up the hill to the castle, to the zoo, which was for mainly British wildlife. The owners did breed lynx MayBee70.

The history of Matlock and other spa towns (Buxton) is a long standing passion of mine. However, Matlock Bath is another town further down the A6 and , yes, that’s the town with the illuminations , Gulliver’s Kingdom, cable cars and the bikes. I used to hear the bikes roaring up the A6 from Matlock Bath into Matlock Chewbacca.

There is nothing that Matlock is famous for these days. No illuminations. No bikes.

History lesson over - sorry. ??

What do you mean muse - there is nothing that Matlock is famous for, 'no illuminations, no bikes' ? I don't understand.

And it was during the 18th century that Matlock became famous and popular, as I said upthread.

Chewbacca - when I said that the bikers were a nuisance, I meant that it's difficult to walk around as it's too busy (I have mobility problems).
They do tend to 'take over' a bit, but you're right, the bikes are interesting.

Yes, Riber 'zoo' has closed, it was about 15 years ago.

muse ah, I see, you are referring to the Matlock / Matlock Bath thing. I do apologise.
I did mention upthread that Matlock was the town; and that Matlock Bath was 'the seaside bit', but that got lost, and I started using the word 'Matlock' to cover both areas.
Sorry! I get what you mean now!

Thanks FannyCornforth. I’ve taught in both towns but prefer Matlock because of it’s history.