THINGS TO DO
Heights of Abraham
The Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath has been one of the region’s most popular visitor attractions ever since it first opened in 1787 – and it’s not hard to see why! It’s now a multi-award-winning destination on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Set high on Masson Hill overlooking the beautiful Derbyshire countryside, the 60 acre estate boasts two stunning show caverns, fascinating exhibitions, a fossil museum, a Victorian lookout tower, gift shops, restaurants with incredible views, adventure playgrounds, and miles of wonderful woodland walks …. not to mention the thrilling cable car ride to get there!
Pooles Cavern
Poole’s Cavern in Buxton is the all-weather location where you can shelter from the rain in winter or find cool in the shade during summer. For hundreds of years these spectacular limestone caverns have delighted visitors from all over the world. Book now to explore Poole’s Cavern with expert guides and journey through the beautifully-illuminated chambers on paved walkways to discover the magnificent underground scenery of the Peak District.
Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall, the private residence of Lord and Lady Edward Manners, is set in the Peak District in the valley of the River Wye. With nine hundred years of history, it is one of the oldest houses in the country and moreover one of the only houses in England to have remained in one family’s ownership for its entire existence. Haddon is unique as it remained empty for nearly two hundred years. This extraordinary period, when time stood still in the Hall, allowed it to remain unaltered during the modernising period of the Georgians and Victorians. So venturing into Haddon is like stepping back in time, since from the 1700s the family preferred to live at their main seat, Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth is indisputably the jewel in the crown of the Peak District. Home to the Cavendish family since the 16th Century, Chatsworth House is a magnificent English country house set in over 1,000 acres of parkland, with over 100 acres of stunning formal gardens, a Farmyard and children’s Adventure Playground, as well as cafés and gift shops. Chatsworth is deservedly top of the list of attractions for visitors to the Peak District National Park, and there is more than enough to keep the whole family occupied for a full day there.
Speedwell Cavern
Speedwell Cavern is an old - C18th - Lead Mine.
The entrance is down the original mine addit, 106 steps down a 45° slope (with good handrails), to a small jetty form which you board a boat (holding up to 21 passengers).
As you progress through the 250-year-old lead mine tunnel your guide will recount the story of the mine and its fascinating history.
At the Halfway House, the canal tunnel splits in two to allow boats to pass, and you'll continue your journey, winding your way 200 meters below the hill's surface before entering a magnificent cavern resembling a cathedral. Here, you'll witness the awe-inspiring Bottomless Pit, a vast subterranean lake.
