“Next time you swig some British spring water”, pause to think about where it came from, said National Geographic. Perhaps it’s sourced in Buxton or Harrogate? Towns like these, with ancient natural springs nearby, were “transformed into spa destinations” in the late 1700s, becoming “magnets” for people who believed that “taking the waters” could cure ailments “from scabies to smallpox”. Surrounded by beautiful landscapes and filled with grand buildings, many of these spa towns remain “fantastic destinations” well worth visiting today. Here are some of the best.
Bath, Somerset
The Romans made their mark in what is now the West Country city of Bath, building an enormous “complex of pools” in the centre, said National Geographic. But, as the town’s Roman name, Aquae Sulis, testifies, the hot spring had been in use for years previously by a local tribe, who worshipped the goddess Sulis. You can no longer bathe at the Roman Baths (pictured above), but you can still take the waters at the adults-only Thermae Bath Spa, which has “several pools filled with 35.5C spring water”.
Harrogate, North Yorkshire
The Knaresborough Viaduct, near Harrogate
(Image credit: Getty Images/joe daniel price)
Water rich in sulphur and iron salts were the making of this north Yorkshire town and led to it being known as the “English spa”, said The Times. The Royal Pump Room built over the wells is now a museum but you can sample the waters in a glass of Slingsby Gin, which “uses the Harrogate aquifer and botanicals from the gardens at Rudding Park”. And if you head to the Petrifying Well next to Mother Shipton’s Cave in nearby Knaresborough, you can see how “the unusually high mineral content of the water turns objects to stone”.
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Buxton, Derbyshire
The pretty spa town of Buxton, Derbyshire
(Image credit: Getty Images/FGM)
The warm springs of this Derbyshire town on the fringe of the Peak District National Park have drawn all manner of visitors, including the Romans, who settled in the area in about 70 AD, said National Geographic. They liked it so much, they built a temple to the Romano-British goddess Arnemetia here, along with some “spring-fed baths”. Visit the Grade II-listed Pump Room, conveniently also now the town’s visitor centre, and St Ann’s Well, which has “quenched locals’ thirst for centuries”.
Strathpeffer, Scotland
The Spa Pavilion in Strathpeffer
(Image credit: Getty Images/Dennis Barnes)
Beautiful hills and woods surround this Scottish spa town, and you can still take a drink of the spring water at the restored Pump Room, said The Times. Once you’ve imbibed, stop off at the beautifully restored Spa Pavilion, which holds cultural events and concerts. This is a “fantastic base for walkers“, too, if you’re looking to make use of your newly reinvigorated muscles.
This “pretty” town, “tucked away” in the Severn Valley was once “revered” for the purity of its natural spring, said The Independent. So much so that a full-scale “hydrotherapy industry” was developed here in the 19th century, drawing all the Victorian big hitters, from Charles Darwin and Charles Dickens to Florence Nightingale. You can sip the same waters from the Malvhina fountain in the town centre, then spend the night at The Malvern, which has steam rooms, a salt grotto, saunas and an “indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pool”.
