Staden Grange

A couple of miles’ stroll through the Derbyshire countryside will take Staden Grange guests to Buxton, the highest market town in England. Have a full day or a couple of afternoons here, finishing off with a ramble and a rest at the Pavilion Gardens, 23 acres of listed greenery strolled and lazed upon by visitors to Buxton since Victorian times. A miniature train, activity park, play area and toddlers’ area have been set up in the gardens for smaller visitors, and the Buxton tourist information centre is in the gardens for info on Buxton and the Peak District. In town, snap pics of the Georgian architecture (Buxton has been described as the most complete Regency town in Britain) and wander along the shops of the old Cavendish Arcade set in Buxton’s original thermal baths before hanging around into the evening to catch a performance at Buxton Opera House or the Pavilion Arts Centre. The history of these and more are at the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery on Terrace Road, open Tuesday to Sunday with free admission. Just outside Buxton, the limestone caverns and stone poached eggs of Poole’s Cavern are a big pull for visitors; you’ll see what is meant by stone poached eggs when you see them... More caverns, caving, potholing and various other stone-based adventures abound in the Peak District National Park a few minutes’ drive from Buxton, where additionally there are acres of rocks to scale for those who prefer their adventuring above ground. Nearby at Castleton in the High Peak, four show caves open to visitors include Blue John’s Cavern, along with nearby Treak Cliff Cavern the only place in the country to find the semi-precious mineral Blue John (the cavern was also visited by the strange pair in the fab film Sightseers).