D

on’t you just hate that sick feeling you get on a Sunday night when you contemplate going back to work the next day?

Take a trip to Masson Mills in Matlock Bath, however, and Monday mornings will feel like a walk in the park.

At this UNESCO World Heritage Site, originally designed by Sir Richard Arkwright, you’ll experience what life was like to work in an 18th-century mill – including the noise of the clattering looms and the unpleasant smell, which are both faithfully recreated.

At the end of your ‘shift’, why not pop your head into the nearby shopping village and pay tribute to what was produced here? You’ll find some rather lovely examples of traditional English textiles, as well as being able to enjoy a cuppa in the tearoom (our favourite bit), which looks out over the River Derwent.

Sir Richard Arkwright obviously had his head screwed onwhen he decided to build Masson Mill in Matlock Bath – it’s not just a pretty place.