Matlock

Matlock makes a practical, well-connected base for exploring the southern Peak District, with hotels and guesthouses ranging from traditional stone-built inns to Victorian villas left over from the town's spa heyday. Many properties are perched on the steep hillsides above the Derwent gorge, so a room with a view is often on offer even at modest prices, while others sit closer to the station and Crown Square for easy access to shops and transport links. Matlock Bath itself has a cluster of smaller B&Bs and guesthouses right on the promenade, putting the Heights of Abraham cable car, the aquarium and the riverside walks on the doorstep, which suits visitors who want to be in the thick of things without needing a car.

Further out, the villages around Matlock, including Cromford, Tansley, Bonsall and Darley Dale, offer quieter countryside inns and self-catering cottages within a few minutes' drive, ideal for those planning to explore the wider Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site or head up onto the moors and gritstone edges above the town. Families are well catered for too, with some hotels close to Gulliver's Kingdom and Hall Leys Park, making it easy to combine a theme park day with a relaxed evening back at the room. Whichever part of town you choose, Matlock's compact size means most accommodation is within easy walking distance, or a short bus or taxi ride, of the main attractions, the railway station and the A6 for onward trips into the Peak District.

Matlock and Matlock Bath punch well above their weight for a town this size, with a genuine mix of Victorian spectacle and Peak District scenery.

• Heights of Abraham — Britain's oldest cable car system carries visitors 60 acres up above Matlock Bath to a hilltop park with two show caverns, the Great Masson and Great Rutland, both originally mined for lead, plus woodland trails and sweeping views down the Derwent gorge.
• Matlock Bath ("Little Switzerland") — the Victorian promenade along the river, nicknamed for its steep wooded backdrop, is lined with amusement arcades, an aquarium in the old Grand Pavilion, and is famous for its regular classic car and motorbike meets on summer weekends.
• Gulliver's Kingdom — a theme park geared at younger children, with rides, a model village and a rollercoaster set into the hillside above Matlock Bath.
• Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site — Matlock Bath marks the northern end of this UNESCO-listed stretch of the Derwent, home to Sir Richard Arkwright's Masson Mills (1783), one of the world's earliest factories, with Cromford Mill just a couple of miles further south.
• Riber Castle — a Victorian folly built for local hosiery manufacturer John Smedley, its ruined outline on the hilltop above town is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the Derwent Valley.
• Peak District gateway — Matlock is the southern gateway to the Peak District National Park, giving quick access to the limestone dales, gritstone edges and moorland villages of the White Peak.
• Hall Leys Park — a traditional riverside park in the centre of town with a miniature railway, boating lake and crazy golf, popular with families.

The Red Lion on Bakewell Road is the town's longest-running free house, with its own micro-brewery alongside a traditional lounge and restaurant. The Fishpond, overlooking the river near Matlock Bath, serves stonebaked pizzas and pub classics with a good range of local beers. For something more relaxed, Cafe in the Park sits within Hall Leys Park and is popular for lunches and cake, while Bod on Dale Road offers all-day café-bar food. Matlock Bath's promenade has long been known for its fish and chip shops, a tradition that goes hand in hand with an afternoon on the cable car or by the river.

Wild camping is not legally permitted in England without the landowner's permission, and that applies around Matlock as much as anywhere else in the Peak District, so a proper campsite or a farmer's agreement is the way to go. The good news is that the countryside around Matlock, from the wooded slopes of the Derwent gorge to the open limestone plateau of the White Peak beyond, is well served by campsites, many of them family-run and set on working farms with views over the valley. Terrain varies quickly here: the gorge sides are steep and wooded, while a short drive out towards Bonsall, Tansley or up onto the moors above brings you into classic Peak District scenery of drystone walls, sheep pasture and long views, so it is worth choosing a site to match the kind of trip you want, whether that is a quiet riverside pitch or a hilltop spot with wide horizons.

The camping season here typically runs from Easter through to late September, when the weather is at its most reliable and the surrounding dales and moorland are at their best for walking and cycling. Spring and early summer bring bluebells and fresh green cover to the wooded gorge, while a settled spell in late summer is often the best time for stargazing on higher ground away from town lights. Even in season, Peak District weather can turn quickly, and evenings on exposed higher ground stay cool even in July and August, so it pays to come prepared regardless of the forecast.

For those who would rather have a bit more comfort than a tent offers, glamping has taken off across this part of Derbyshire, with shepherd's huts, pods and safari tents available on farms within a few miles of Matlock, often with the same valley or moorland views as the campsites but with a proper bed and, in many cases, a wood-burner thrown in. It is a good middle ground for a first trip to the area, or for anyone wanting to combine a taste of the outdoors with easy access to Matlock Bath's cable car, caverns and riverside promenade at the end of the day.