Derbyshire- nice towns for mooching?

[Eve]

DH has booked a hotel near Derby and he and DSs will be playing golf both Sat and Sun so I need to entertain myself.

What are the best towns / villages in the area to mooch round shops , drink coffee and eat cake?

Ashbourne is nice and there are some nice walks close by if you want countryside!
Bakewell is a bit further and nice for a wander too

Bakewell and Ashbourne are nice for that sort of mooch. Belper is closer and pleasant, but not as nice. The Denby pottery factory might be worth visiting if you like their stuff - it's got a few craft and gift type shops and a cafe.

Definetly Bakewell and Ashbourne. Also Buxton.

Depends how far you are willing to travel, lots of interesting places along the A6.

Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock Bath!

Bakewell and Ashbourne are both nice. If you go to Ashbourne, you could detour and take a walk round Carsington Water. Not mad on Matlock Bath, bleak and pretty dead in the winter, but maybe Matlock itself - not as much to see or do as Bakewell and Ashbourne though.

Depends what you are wanting to see/do?
Ashbourne is a nice little town, with a cobbled market square and an open market on Saturday, some good cafes (The Gallery Cafe does lovely food), there are a few antique shops along the main road, a some independent shops.
Bakewell is a bit larger, has the (2) original Bakewell Pudding shops, some independent as well as national brand shops, especially those for rambling/walking.
Derby city itself is a mixed ‘bag’, two museums (the main one with the Joseph Wright gallery and Pickford House. There is lots of history, but you need to look up to appreciate the buildings above the shop fronts, a shopping centre with all the usual stores (Intu), and Saddler Gate which has more independent shops, the cathedral is worth a look at.
The Matlock are worth spending a couple of hours in. Matlock Bath is like a seaside resort without the sea, but a nice river walk, good fish and chip shops, cable cars in the summer. Matlock town has a nice park, some independent shops and a good antique centre.
Nottingham is ten miles from Derby, regular trains and buses, or park and ride.

Buxton, Bakewell, Castleton would be my top picks.

Just avoid Derby. It's a terrible shit hole

Not a town but Chatsworth House is lovely and you could combine it with a mooch around Bakewell.

Castleton is a must do when we visit my darling SIL who lives in Bakewell. I really like Buxton, too. Matlock, I'm a bit over...

Brilliant thank you - I think that’s me sorted!

Denby factory sounds good - I could do with replacing some of the stuff we use everyday!

Independent shops , antiques , coffee and cake are mooching heaven! Plus i’m a sucker for seaside towns and 2p penny falls!

Nottingham...

There are actually some lovely museums - plus art gallery - and a beautiful church in Derby. Also some good shops in the older part of town. I've had very pleasant days out there.

I would save Denby for the Sunday- a lot of the independent shops in places like Ashbourne and Belper are closed on that day.

Chatsworth is closed until March - although it is nice for a visit
Matlock bath gets busy with motorbikes on a Sunday but don't let that put you off!! It is as described above a seaside without the sea.
You could always visit Matlock and Matlock bath in the same day.
If you go on the first Saturday of the month then the Matlock meadows ice cream farm (above sainsburys) has a farmers market on

The maternity bit of Leeds general infirmary gives me an uneasy feeling. Especially at night. No thanks 😬

This reminded me that when I worked at a maternity unit in the Midlands, the postnatal ward had an exceptionally odd atmosphere, especially at night. So odd that the ward manager actually had it exorcised!

I recognize people's reactions to a lot of these places. Bristol and Glastonbury both felt kind of ominous to me, but my worst in the UK was Matlock Bath. I feel uneasy just thinking about it for some reason!

I think it's often a combination of old stone buildings, a sense of history and a particular landscape that gives off this vibe so the UK is more prone to it. I live in Canada now and rarely feel a sense of 'place' in towns or cities. (Though Squamish BC nearly induces a panic attack in me because of the mountains pressing down on the town. It's the most oppressive place I've ever been).

Well this the wrong thread