Places to Visit in the Peak District
Above: waterfall
Carsington Water
England's ninth largest reservoir is situated between Ashbourne and Wirksworth. As well as supplying water it has an interactive hands-on entertainment, book and gift shops, tea rooms, cafe and restaurant. There is a track round the reservoir for walks or cycling (bike hire is available) an adventure playground, a wildlife centre, bird hides and low water gardens. There is a purpose built sports facility on the site as well as excellent fly fishing for brown trout.
Castleton caverns
There are four main caves in the area round Castleton. Blue John Cavern, Treak Cliff Cavern, Speedwell Cavern and Peak Cavern. Peak Cavern is the only wholly natural cavern of the four (it was known to locals as the Devil's Arse). The others were largely created by lead mining. As well as lead mining the area is famous for Blue John (which is a fluorspar discoloured by blue and yellow impurities).
Speedwell Cavern is a huge natural cavern so high it is impossible to see the top and is so deep that when the canal was dug many tons of waste rock were tipped into it without making a discernable difference.
All the caverns are open to the public
Speedwell cavern
Bluejohn Cavern
Churnet Valley Railway
Ride steam and diesel trains from Cheddleton via Consal to Kingsley and Froghall
Cheddleton Station, Station Road, Cheddleton
Staffordshire Moorlands ST13 7EE
Telephone (+44)(0)1538 360522 Facsimile (+44)(0)1538 361848
http://www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk/
Derwent Valley Mills
Derwent Valley Mills is a World Heritage Site celebrating the fact that the area was the 'Cradle of the Factory System' and was key to the development of the Industrial Revolution. The Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site runs for 15 miles along the river Derwent, from Masson Mill, Matlock Bath, to the Industrial Museum, formerly Lombe's Silk Mill, at Derby. It includes Darley Abbey: the mill complex, the historic village and its church, Darley Abbey Park and the flood plain of the river Derwent. Sir Richard Arkwright of Cromford played a particularly important role in the development of the area in the Industrial Revolution
http://whc.unesco.org/sites/1030-map.pdf
Derby Industrial Museum
The Museum is on the site of a former silk mill, Britain's first factory. Today the museum houses collections that examine the local industries of textile, lead, coal, iron and clay as well as the finest collection of Derby-built Rolls Royce aero-engines.
http://www.derbycity.com/derby2/indust.html
Denby Visitor Centre
See how Denby is made, watch a free cookery demonstration or browse around the shops and museum. During the school holidays there are extra activities for children and there is also the Denby factory shop on site.
http://www.denbyvisitorcentre.co.uk/
Gullivers Kingdom
A theme park for young children.
http://www.gulliversfun.co.uk/start.html
Heights of Abraham
The Heights of Abraham offer a cable car ride over Matlock Bath and an underground exploration of two show caverns. An adventure play areas, woodland walks, gift shops, the Who Why What! exhibition, are also available on the site.
http://www.heights-of-abraham.co.uk/
National Tramway Museum
This museum at Crich near Matlock offers a fully operational vintage tramway offering tram rides through restored period village to open countryside.
http://www.tramway.co.uk/
Peak Rail
In 1968 the railway between Matlock and Buxton through the Peak National Park was closed. It was once part of the Midland Railway's line between Manchester Central and London St.Pancras. In 1975 a group of enthusiasts formed the Peak Railway Society and re-opened the line.
http://www.peakrail.co.uk/index.htm
Peak District Mining Museum
For information about the lead mining in the area there is a museum at Matlock where there is an exhibition on 2500 years of lead mining with displays on geology, the mines and the miners, their tools and engines
Peak District Mining Museum and Temple Mine Stone circles
The Peak District is home to a number of stone circles.
http://www.henge.org.uk/derbyshire/sites_in_derbyshire.html
Well dressing
Its customary in Derbyshire to decorate springs and wells with pictures made from local plant life. The dressings are set in clay-filled wooden trays, mounted on a wooden frame. It is possible to find dressed wells from May through to September.
http://sinfin.net/welldressing/welldressing.html