We got there by train, which I booked via Trainline with our 'two travel together' railcard - it wasn't expensive at all. And we stayed in this lovely Airbnb which was up a very steep hill but totally worth it; spacious, clean and just what we needed to the two of us for a one night stay. I'd definitely recommend.
Sunday in Buxton
We arrived on Sunday afternoon, and had a quick coffee at Costa so we could piggyback their wifi and find out how to get to our Airbnb - just a note that signal/4G is very spotty in Buxton. Then we went and dropped our stuff off, got ready and ventured back out. Our first stop was Scrivener's Book Shop, which I'd seen all over Instagram and obviously wanted to visit. It has 5 floors, and they have a book binding service there which is super cool. They have all manner of books, from kids' books to Shakespeare and everything in between as well as book-related accessories, maps, postcards and more.
I loved exploring each floor of the Buxton book shop, and I'm so glad we got to visit. From there, we had a wander right up the high street of Higher Buxton before heading to Noonology for lunch - it's a little dog friendly café in Buxton that offers brunch, cocktails and more. I had the Elderflower & Orange Sparkle mocktail which had *actual glitter* in it, and Kate had a cookies and cream milkshake; both delicious and highly recommended by us. For food Kate had the Cheesy Classic burger, and I chose the Chicken, Grilled Halloumi and Lemon Mayo toastie. Again the food was fabulous and we really enjoyed the atmosphere in here; the staff were friendly and helpful too. For the two drinks and two meals it came to around £30, which I was more than happy with.
From here we went to the nearby Queen's Head pub for some pints and football - I will say the drinks are more expensive here than we're used to at home, at £5 per pint. Cheaper than London though! It's a busy pub showing Premier League football in Buxton, and we had a good time there. We're both big football fans, and it's one of our favourite weekend activities so this was perfect for us. Next door is the Buxton Charcoal Grill where we both got a big fat kebab to eat at our Airbnb afterwards, to round off a wonderful Sunday.
Monday in Buxton
We slept well then got up and got ready to head out the next morning; this was the day we'd set aside to actually check out all the things to do in Buxton. Of course, it was bouncing with rain again - we were determined, though, and walked through Higher Buxton then through The Slopes, a Grade II listed park. It's steep but has great views and a Cenotaph as well as a meteorological station.
We made it to the bottom and crossed over to Pavilion Gardens, Buxton. We walked through here, surrounded by ducks and geese - it's a nice park and I can imagine on a warm, sunny day it would be even better. There's a miniature railway, too, which runs at the weekends. As the rain was picking up, we headed out of the park and inside where there was a craft market and gift sale taking place - everything from scarves to cupcakes! We carried on walking through the building, where there's a gallery featuring local artists as well as a brewery shop, café, and gorgeous conservatory with plenty of stunning plants and flowers.
When you come out of here you end up at the Opera House, which is gorgeous, so we snapped a few photos here then tried to figure out where else we could go to shelter from the rain. I really wanted to see St Ann's well; Buxton is, as you probably know, famous for its water so of course this is on the list of must-dos! So we walked in this direction, doing some blue plaque spotting on the way - we also saw where the Roman baths used to be, but this is a lovely looking spa hotel now.
The well is located opposite the Crescent and has constantly running water, which is fairly warm, and next door is the visitor's centre, located inside The Pump Room. We popped in and read some information about the well and the water - they sell really cute tourist gifts here, too. We also had a nice look at the Crescent, which is a stunning building.
Our final stop was Cavendish Arcade, a really small and sweet shopping centre with gorgeous architecture and some great independent shops. I bought a shampoo bar and an art deco style Buxton postcard, as we collect them wherever we go! On the way back to the train station we had a little peek at the posh Palace Hotel (it really is stunning) and that concluded our trip to Buxton.
So what's the verdict? Had the weather been better, I think we would have absolutely adored our time in Buxton as there is a fair bit to see and explore - especially if you like a good walk around a nice park. With the rubbish weather, it did put a dampener on things a bit although we still had an amazing time exploring together! A day or so is enough in Buxton itself in my opinion, but it's a lovely part of the Peak District if you're planning a little UK holiday this year.
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