Home of 8 of the 14 known varieties of fluor-spar, including its namesake Blue John Stone. Visitors can view old mining equipment and visit the Waterfall Cavern and Grand Crystallized Cavern on regular guided tours.
Castleton,
Hope Valley,
Derbyshire,
England,
S33 8WP
A fascinating step back in time, and a treat for nostalgia buffs. Crich Tramway Village is a historic restored village that is the home of the National Tramway Museum. Regular tram journeys leave every few minutes for journeys through Crich's cobbled streets and along the heights overlookiing the Derwent Valley.
nr Matlock,
Crich,
Derbyshire,
England,
DE4 5DP
Certainly the most dramatic way to approach any of the Derbyshire caves - a cable car ride from Matlock Bath takes visitors high across the valley to the Heights of Abraham, so named because a British army officer thought they looked like the famous cliffs outside Montreal, where he had fought against the French. The views across the Derwent river valley are wonderful, but further sights await underground. For once you alight from your cable car, you can visit not one, but two showcaves. There are also children's play areas and educational exhibits to learn about the geology of the region and the formation of the caves, as well as showcasing some of the fossils that have been found here. A Victorian Tower offers excellent views, and there are walking trails across the hillside.
Matlock Bath,
Derbyshire,
England,
DE4 3PD
The mouth of the cave is the largest in Britain. Inside the cave mouth you can clearly see signs of habitation by rope makers, who used the caves to live and work for centuries. Further in, the caves show the wear and tear of water actvity; indeed, the furthest parts of the caves may occasionally be closed of when heavy rains raise the water levels.
Peak Cavern Walk,
Castleton,
Derbyshire,
England,
S33 8WS
Located just outside the spa town of Buxton, these caves where named after an infamous outlaw John Poole, who, rumour has it, used them as a hideout during the early years of the 15th century. For many years the existence of Poole was in doubt, but a recent stash of coins dating from the early 1400s found within the caves does tend to lend credence to the tales. As for the caves themselves, they show some quite remarkable limestone deposits reminiscent of mushrooms, and some much larger calcite deposits that glitter like ice in the low light. Neoloithic and Roman remans have been found in the caves, and these are displayed in the visitor centre at the cave entrance.
Green Lane,
Buxton,
Derbyshire,
England,
SK17 9DH
One of the three Castleton caves, Speedwell is unique in that visitors can travel through the caves by boat. In places the roof of the caves are so low that in the past, guides would propel the boat forward by using their feet on the roof of the passage! The boat journey brings you to the Botomless Pit, a huge underground lake and chamber that has been compared to a subterranean cathedral.
Winnats Pass,
Castleton,
Derbyshire,
England,
S33 8WA
One of the three Castleton caves, Treak Cliff is the home of Blue John Stone, the colourful fluor-spar used for centuries to make bowls, goblets, and other fine artefacts. Tours showcase underground caverns boasting stalagmites and stalactites, as well as a variety of mineral deposits and fossils.
Castleton,
Hope Valley,
Derbyshire,
England,
S33 8WP
Sleeping six people in three bedrooms, this cottage is set in an elevated position near Shottle, close to Wirksworth in the Peak District. more >> Sleeps 6
This award winning hotel is located in the village of Kegworth just off M1 (jct 24) and 2.5 miles from East Midlands Airport. The hotel offers excellent en-suite accommodation (family rooms available), a health club with gym & indoor pool, brasserie style restaurant and recently refurbished lounge & bar areas. … more >>
This award winning hotel is located in the village of Kegworth just off M1 (jct 24) and 2.5 miles from East Midlands Airport. The hotel offers excellent en-suite accommodation (family rooms available), a health club with gym & indoor pool, brasserie style restaurant and recently refurbished lounge & bar areas. … more >>
