Family Attractions in Derbyshire - Historic / Heritage

This popular showcave is home to 8 of the 14 known veins of a rare form of fluorspar known as Blue John Stone. Visitors can view old mining equipment and visit the Waterfall Cavern and Grand Crystallized Cavern on regular guided tours.
Mam Tor, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, England, S33 8WP

Attraction Type: Family - Cave
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A fascinating step back in time, and a treat for nostalgia buffs. Crich Tramway Village is a restored historical 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 overlooking the Derwent Valley.
nr Matlock, Crich, Derbyshire, England, DE4 5DP

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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.
Dale Road, Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England, DE4 3NT

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Heritage Highlight: Historic lead mines dating to Roman times
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Peak Cavern is one of the most popular showcaves in Derbyshire, located almost immediately beside historic Peveril Castle in the centre of Castleton. The mouth of Peak Cavern is largest in Britain. The caves were used for centuries by local rope-makers, and you can see signs of their presence inside the cave entrance. There is a museum at the entrance from whence you can join regular tours.
Peak Cavern Walk, Castleton, Derbyshire, England, S33 8WS

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You don't often find a tourist attraction named after an outlaw, but that is the case for Poole's Cavern. The cave system, located on the edge of Buxton, is named for a notorious 15th-century outlaw called John Poole. Poole was rumoured to hide out in the caves, and store his ill-gotten gains here. There may be truth to the tale, for a hidden horde of early 15th-century coins was found within the caves. The caverns are a delight, with fabulous limestone and calcite formations laid down over millennia. Chief among these formations is the Flitch of Bacon, named by Victorian visitors who thought it resembled a large piece of bacon!
Green Lane, Buxton, Derbyshire, England, SK17 9DH

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One of 4 caves in the village of Castleton, Speedwell is unique in that visitors can travel through the underground caverns by boat. In places, the roof of the cave is 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 Bottomless Pit, a huge underground lake and chamber that has been compared to a subterranean cathedral.
Winnats Pass, Castleton, Derbyshire, England, S33 8WA

Attraction Type: Family - Cave
Heritage Rating:   ?

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One of three show caves in the Peak District village of Castleton, Treak Cliff is the home of Blue John Stone, the colourful fluorspar used for centuries to make bowls, goblets, and other fine artefacts. Learn how the caves were discovered, and see fantastic rock formations deep underground.
Buxton Road, Castleton, Hope Valley, Derbyshire, England, S33 8WP

Heritage Rating:   ?

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