The little spa town of Buxton offers weekenders good walks, dramatic caves and a beautiful hotel spa to wallow in.

Ancient St Ann’s Well in Buxton can be viewed from our window at the Buxton Crescent hotel, offering a reminder of the town’s long history. Since Roman times, the natural warm spring waters of the region have been highly valued, and a 16th-century act of parliament ruled that a free supply must be provided for the town’s residents. As I watch, a small blue car pulls up, two women get out and proceed to fill what looks like dozens of large plastic containers. It takes them hours.

At the hotel, you can not just drink the famous water but bathe in it, too – there are thermal pools, all manner of saunas, an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, steam rooms and, for the brave, an ice fountain said to encourage lymphatic drainage and improved blood circulation. People appear in the steamy mist, or rise like hippos from the heated waters all around us and the atmosphere is reverent, respectful and hugely relaxing.

On a rain-soaked weekend, it proves the perfect indoor activity, although a break in the downpour sees us step out to explore the 23 acres of the town’s Pavilion Gardens with their stunning landscaping, boating lake, bandstands and picnic spots. Our stroll brings us to Poole’s Cavern & Buxton Country Park. where we follow a woodland path leading up to the open summit pastures of Grin Low, 437 metres above sea level. This was, for centuries, a limestone quarry and it was only in the 1820s that the first trees were planted, turning wasteland into something both attractive and useful. Reminders of the past include a strapping resident lime-burner statue on the pathway.

More dramatic, but just as rich in history, is Poole’s Cavern, which has been drawing curious visitors since as early as the 16th century. Mary Queen of Scots is said to have visited in 1582 and cave geeks now flock here from the world over to admire the incredible crystals and limestone formations in the 300ft main chamber – all lit dramtically by a state-of-the-art lighting system.

In the evening, we sip a cocktail or two in the hotel’s Lounge Bar before a delicious (if pricey) meal in The Dining Room restaurant. Here, I enjoy a savoury custard and crab with pickled cucumber followed by a deliciously tender lamb loin with a stuffed cabbage parcel and potato dauphinoise.

More hearty down-to-earth fare can be found at The Old Sun Inn in town, where I recommend the giant Yorkshire pudding with beef and ale stew. Do book, as it’s popular, and it claims to be the second oldest building in Buxton. Like the rest of the town, it has a rich history, made ever more special because we can still enjoy it – in style and comfort – today.