What to do and see in Derbyshire, England: The Best Things to do

Now open daily. Take a spectacular cable car ride to the Heights of Abraham, an award-winning hilltop park. Your cable car ticket gives you free admission to all the facilities at the top, including 60 acres of landscaped grounds, exhibition areas, Masson Pavilion Film Theatre, adventure playgrounds, woodland walks, and two famous show caverns with guided tours, audio visual effects and remarkable stories to tell. Cavern tours take place throughout the day. NEW self guided audio heritage tour available via your mobile phone. Enjoy stunning views across the Derwent Valley from the Vista Restaurant and Bar. Dogs are welcome and travel free on the cable cars, but are not allowed down into the Caverns.

Poole’s Cavern is the most spectacular natural cavern in the Peak District. The cavern is famous for the spectacular and unique crystal formations including the longest stalactite formation in the region. Your expert guide will accompany you on a 45 minute journey through chambers once used as shelter and worship by prehistoric to roman visitors. See the cathedral sized main chamber carved from Limestone by an ancient river and follow safe and accessible walkways through beautifully illuminated passages on a journey deep underground. Back above ground browse through our rock and gem shop and view the archaeological discoveries from the cavern in the exhibition. Due to Covid restrictions we have a reduced cafe with take away drinks and snacks for 2020, lots of picnic tables for visitors. Complete your day with a stroll on our country park woodland trails with animal sculptures to find which lead to Solomon's Temple viewpoint at 439m above sea level and views of the Peak District.

Crich Tramway Village is a family visitor attraction and home to the National Tramway Museum. Take a trip back in time and ride vintage trams into the open countryside. There's an enchanting Woodland Walk and Sculpture Trail, Tearoom, gift shop, children's play area, exhibitions and Workshop Viewing Gallery. We are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Monday 31st August and weekends from 10am until Sunday 1st November 2020. Please check our website for opening times: www.tramway.co.uk and download the Covid-19 Crich Tramway Village Guidelines.

Derby Museums is an independent trust and organisation run for, and on behalf of, the people of Derby. We provide a museums and arts service, accessible to everyone, and are responsible for the curation of all the artefacts and works of art entrusted to us, and the buildings in which these are held. Our aim as a new organisation is to bring as many of these objects into the public domain as is practically possible and exhibit them in ways that delight and inspire. We also run education and learning programmes, and hold events and exhibitions with the purpose of sharing knowledge and inspiring creativity and making amongst the people of Derby. As well as schools and student learning, we run many events for adults and groups, as well as families. Our collections and the information we hold about them are as unique as our location and history; we are a city continually shaped and driven by creativity and innovation, located in a valley that changed the world. The services we provide are also designed to promote the city: using its rich and important past to inspire its future.

The National Trust is a registered charity. With your help, we protect some of the most important spaces and places in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We take care of historic houses, gardens, mills, coastline, forests, woods, fens, beaches, farmland, moorland, islands, archaeological remains, nature reserves, villages and pubs - and then we open them up for ever, for everyone. Dovedale valley is owned and cared for by the National Trust, with important woodlands, wildflower meadows and impressive limestone rock features throughout the valley. Please note; there is a privately owned car park a short and easy walk from the famous Stepping Stones. This is not a National Trust car park. The nearest National Trust car park is a mile away at Ilam Park, where National Trust member can park for free. There are toilets beside the Dovedale car park and these are owned and maintained by the Peak District National Park Authority. There is a charge of 20p to use these toilets.

Darley Park is a large, picturesque and popular park situated within walking distance of the city centre. It is located on the River Derwent at the gateway to the World Heritage Site. The park is popular with visitors from across the County and is a peaceful place to escape city life. It hosts many events throughout the year, including the classical Darley Park Concert.

Markeaton Park is Derby’s most visited park and is one of the most popular attractions in the East Midlands. It offers a place to escape from day to day living and city life and experience a little bit of countryside on Derby’s doorstep. But behind the modern day park lays a fascinating history that is waiting to be discovered. The park as we know it today can be traced back to the medieval period, when the first park was laid out. Over the following centuries the park went through many changes, from arable fields to an enclosed designed 18th century park and hall and finally at the beginning of the 20th century into the public park of today. The park has many features that mark this history: ancient veteran trees, historic lost roads, old arable field patterns, the 18th century park and buildings and the remains of a Second World War army camp.