Buxton
- For other places with the same name, see Buxton (disambiguation).
Buxton is an ancient spa town in the Peak District, England. It is in the county of Derbyshire which is officially classified as part of the East Midlands but it is probably more associated with the North West of England. It is the main place for the High Peak Borough, for both administrative and for retail.
Buxton is known across the world for its bottled spring water which is marketed by the Buxton Mineral Water Company (owned by Nestlé Waters UK). During the summer months, the local economy benefits from an influx of tourists who visit the surrounding Peak District region. Buxton also plays host to a number of summer festivals which draw large numbers of visitors too.
Get in
By train
Buxton is served by Northern Rail, the last station on the line from Manchester Piccadilly; however, Buxton is served by regular trains to Blackpool North and Preston which run through Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport. Visit Northern Rail for timetable.
By bus
High Peak buses provides services to and from a number of locations including Manchester, Manchester airport, Matlock and Derby.
By car
Buxton is not close to Britain's motorway network. However, it is a crossing point of some major trunk roads, such as the A6 from Both Manchester and Matlock, the A54 from Congleton, the A537 from Macclesfield, the A53 from Stoke-on-Trent and the A515 coming in from Derby and Ashbourne. Each route is very picturesque, but be wary of the A53, A54 and A537, as these are currently considered (as of 2007) among the most accident-prone roads in England, but are getting safer. Since all of these routes are high-level they are frequently affected by snow and ice in winter and subject to closure.
By plane
Buxton does not have its own airport, but is easily accessible from Manchester Airport, via rail (see getting there by train) and bus, and East Midlands Airport.
Get around
- Buxton Trams, ☏ +44 1298 79648. A novel way to see the sights of Buxton, and the only public transport option for Poole's Cavern, is this new service using a converted milk float. Leaves every hour on the hour from Pavilion Gardens main Car Park from March 2013 onwards. £5.
See
- 1 Buxton Crescent. built for the Fifth Duke of Devonshire between 1780 and 1789. Also in the area:St Anne's Well; The Slope and Pump Room; Natural Mineral Baths; and Buxton Thermal Baths.
- 2 Pavilion Garden. Landscape garden and lakes
- 3 Poole's Cavern (southwest of the town centre). Show cave. A pleasant (and free) walk through woodland from here leads to Solomon's Temple, a folly on a limestone hill with elevated views over Buxton and the surrounding area. Another interesting and little-known local curiosity lies in a small valley between Solomon's Temple and the village of Harpur Hill, where water issuing through lime-rich waste rock has created an intriguing area of white calcite deposits.
- 4 Solomon's Temple. Victorian folly tower on top of a Bronze Age barrow.
- 5 Buxton Opera House. Built in 1903
Do
- Opera House. There is always something going off, from stage productions to fairs. This include the Buxton Opera Festival, running for two and a half weeks in July.
Buy
There is a large selection of shops on the main pedestrian street.
Buxton is the home of Buxton Spring Water which is sold round the world, but if you are in town make sure you get some free water from the well that is in the centre by the Royal Crescent.
- 1 Spring Gardens, ☏ +44 1298 79320.
- 2 Brierlow Bar Bookstore, Ashbourne Road (On the A515 south of Buxton.), ☏ +44 1298 71017. Stocks a good range of local-interest titles as well as a wide range of general-interest titles at bargain prices.
Eat
- 1 Columbine Restaurant, 7 Hall Bank, ☏ +44 1298 78752.
- 2 Taj Mahal, 35 High Street, ☏ +44 1298 78388.
- 3 No. 6 The Square, ☏ +1 1298 213 541. tearooms
Drink
Sleep
Buxton offers a wide range of accommodation, from Bed and Breakfast establishments to luxury hotels. However, during the more popular summer festivals, all accommodation within reasonable walking distance of the Opera House may be booked well in advance.
- 1 The Palace Hotel, Palace Road, ☏ +44 1298 22001.
- 2 The Old Hall Hotel, The Square, ☏ +44 1298 22841.
- 3 Lee Wood Hotel (Best Western), 30 Manchester Road, ☏ +44 1298 23002.
- Peak District Holiday Cottage, Rockfield House, Flagg Lane, Flagg, ☏ +44 1298 85202. Two two-bedroomed holiday cottages appointed to a high standard with breathtaking views of the surrounding Peak District. £345–£630.