Water, water everywhere – and in the case of the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton deep in the Peak District – there’s more than a drop to drink.
In fact it’s just about impossible to escape the sound of ancient springs bubbling 5,000ft below.
Not least thanks to St Ann’s Well, located opposite our hotel.
This natural warm spring runs with rhythmic repetition around the clock, providing a free source of Buxton’s famous natural rich water to anyone who fancies filling up their bottle (some come from around the world to do so).
‘It’s a bit warm,’ says my husband. Well, it is thermal.
Angela Epstein explores the Derbyshire spa town of Buxton, nestled in the Peak District. Above is the town’s River Wye
Angela stays at Buxton Crescent hotel, which has a chemical-free pool filled with mineral waters plus a rooftop pool (pictured)
Buxton Crescent hotel is a Grade I-listed, Georgian building built by the 5th Duke of Devonshire in the 1780s
We find (and hear) yet more water at the fountains curving around Buxton Crescent, a Grade I-listed, Georgian building built by the 5th Duke of Devonshire in the 1780s as a centrepiece for the fashionable Georgian spa town.
Within walking distance is the Grade-II listed Victorian Pump Room, purpose-built in 1894 for visitors to ‘take the waters’, and which is a useful place to start as it is now home to the town’s visitor centre.
You can’t even escape the water during a spot of retail therapy. The Cavendish Shopping Arcade, a hub of independent shops selling boutique clothes, jewellery, locally sourced food and more is housed in a former Victorian thermal baths, where original features are still on display including the plunge pool and a chair used to lower people into the healing waters.
Angela visits St Ann’s Well (seen above), a historic well that provides Buxton’s famous natural rich water for free
Rich history: The Buxton Opera House (seen above) is one of the UK’s leading provincial theatres, reveals Angela
As for nightlife, one of the country’s leading provincial theatres, the Buxton Opera House, features a lively programme of plays and concerts.
The town also hosts the annual Buxton International Festival (buxtonfestival.co.uk) and International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival (gsfestivals.org).
About a mile to the south, you can explore Poole’s Cavern, a great carboniferous limestone cave prickling with strange formations formed over millions of years – one of the big local draws.
However, if you’re on the claustrophobic side, as I am, there are plenty of hiking trails around the area too, not least in Grin Low Woods, which is peppered with wooden sculptures.
Weary and footsore, we return to our hotel, soak our bones in Buxton’s healing waters and retire to bed to the sound of flowing springs as they lull us to sleep with their eternal babble.
Where to stay
The Buxton Crescent Hotel and Spa has a chemical-free pool filled with rich mineral waters plus a rooftop pool. Rooms are spacious and airy. Doubles cost from £180 a night B&B (ensanahotels.com).
