Hostels in Buxton, England

It sometimes seems as though the rain never stops in the Derbyshire town of Buxton, and its grey stone architecture doesn’t help in lifting the gloom. But, love or loathe its weather, this is what gives the surrounding Peak District is lush green hills, making the area great for rural exploration.

Hostels in Buxton tend to be run by the Youth Hostel Association (YHA), which makes for an interesting stay in some period buildings and country houses. Buxton hostels do, however, also tend to be based quite a way out from the town itself though. This is the best way to see the countryside around the town, though, and most Buxton hostel visitors are generally in the area to explore the hills and dales of the Peak District.

The town’s centrepiece is its Opera House, a pretty, twin-turreted Edwardian theatre that puts on a regular range of shows from drama to dance, as well as a variety of annual festivals. Historically a spa town (and in the process of re-establishing this connection), Buxton is now more famed for its bottled spring water (a major UK brand bears the same name as the town). Don’t forget, if you get thirsty you can save yourself the price of a bottle by filling up at the well in Buxton Crescent, a curved Georgian colonnade and Grade 1 listed building that has been empty for many years but looks set to re-open as a thermal mineral spa, hotel and shops in the near future. One of Buxton’s biggest assets is its proximity to the rugged nature of the Peak District. There are many excellent trails (of varying difficulty) in the region for hikers and mountain bikers.

There is a train station that connects Buxton to Manchester Piccadilly, but buses are also pretty good for linking the major towns and cities on either side of the Peaks. Routes service Manchester, Sheffield, Nottingham, and Derby, amongst a number of other places. Do check timetables well before you intend to take your journey.