The Matlock Bath Illuminations. Or not, as the case may be

Twitter is a wonderful thing.  It alerts you to all sorts of unexpected opportunities.

A little while ago, a post on Twitter drew my attention to the autumn illuminations and fireworks in Matlock Bath.  I investigated a bit and thought it looked like a fun evening out.  Tabitha and Gareth likewise thought it looked like fun.  Freyja thought it looked like fun - but not enough so to draw her away from a rare evening in!!  So I bought tickets for the four of us - although I was a bit surprised when they arrived in the post unaccompanied by loads of information on how to get there, where to park, advertising, a brief program of events, the sort of thing that usually accompanies tickets that come in the post.

Never mind.  I'm an Information Professional.  I can find things out.

And I did.  Matlock Bath. Derwent Gardens. Park and Ride.  Arrive early.  Sorted.

So we met Tabitha and Gareth at the Chesterfield station and trundled off to Matlock.  The first problem came when the sign to the park and ride apparently took us in the wrong direction.  A helpful young man in a service station sent us back in the right direction.  The second problem arose when the (small, insignificant) signs to the park and ride petered out.  There was no parking to be seen anywhere in Matlock or Matlock Bath. The traffic was nose to tail in both directions.  There were people converging on the town in hordes.  The queues at the fish and chip shops were 6 deep.

We drove through, looking for the park and ride - completely failed to find it. Drove out well beyond Cromford.  All the side streets had been coned off so we couldn't turn round for AGES!!!  Drove, slowly, slowly, slowly back, still searching for the park and ride.  Completely failed to find it.  Saw the buses, no park and ride.

It looked as though the event was going to be fun (and extraordinarily well attended).  What we could see from the road looked great.  But it all seemed a bit futile, so we abandoned the illuminations, the boat parade, the fireworks - and went to Bakewell for a not very exciting dinner in The Peacock.  We used to to to the Peacock quite regularly, until the quality of the food disintegrated.  It's got new people in now.  The food is still not fresh, local and seasonal, as stated on the menu!

We'll try again next year.  There is a station in Matlock, which would suggest the existence of a train service.  Plus there is the new bus service from Sheffield and Chesterfield, run with brand new shiny buses.  We'll leave the car at home!!!!!!!