Heights of Abraham
BEST FOR
Ages 4-15
ENTRY
from £16
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Matlock Bath
What it’s like
A cable car ride over the valley, two cavern tours underground, then a hilltop park of play areas and views.
You start with the cable car itself, up and over the valley to the summit, which is worth the ticket price on its own before you've done anything else. Up top there are two guided cavern tours to go on, Masson and the Great Rutland, both lit up and led by a guide rather than left for you to wander round on your own. The site says bring extra layers for the kids, it's properly cold underground even on a warm day outside.
Once you're up there the ticket covers everything else too: adventure playgrounds with slides and climbing frames, the Victoria Prospect Tower with its spiral staircase, the Willow Sculpture Trail, and 60 acres of woodland paths if anyone needs to wander off and look at trees. It suits four-year-olds up to young teens, and most people end up staying three to five hours once they've done the caverns and let the kids loose on the play areas.
Tickets are cheaper booked online, £16 for a child and £27 for an adult against £29.80 at the gate, and under-4s get in free. There's a restaurant, a café, a snack kiosk and a pub-style spot on site, so you're not stuck bringing your own food, though a picnic on the grounds is allowed if you'd rather. There's no on-site car park, you'll be using one of the pay-and-display council car parks in Matlock Bath, and the machines take cash or phone payment only, no cards.
Steep terrain is the honest catch here. Pushchairs can go on the cable car if you collapse them, but they can't go into Masson Cavern because of the steps, and the path to Great Rutland Cavern is too steep for wheelchairs or anyone with walking difficulties. Wheelchair users can still ride the cable car and reach the buildings at the summit with one companion, it's just the caverns and some paths that are off limits.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- Ages 4 to 15, the caverns and play areas suit the whole range
- Booking
- Advance online booking saves money
- Parking
- Four pay-and-display car parks in Matlock Bath run by Derbyshire Dales District Council
- How long to allow
- Most visitors spend 3-5 hours
- Food
- Vista Restaurant & Bar (sit-down dining with reservations recommended), Terrace Café, Snap Tin snack outlet, and Tavern
- Pushchairs
- Standard pushchairs can go on cable cars (collapse recommended)
- Wheelchairs
- Wheelchair users can board cable cars (105cm x 60cm max)
- Dogs
- Welcome on cable cars, in café, exhibition buildings, shops, and grounds on lead with water bowls provided
- Worth knowing
- Under 4s free admission
- Layers matter, the caverns are cold even in summer
- Twin buggies may need collapsing to fit on the cable car
- Car park machines are cash or phone payment only, no cards
- Tickets are non-refundable but you can change the date if you email ahead of time
Plan your visit
How much are tickets?
£16 for a child aged 4 to 15 and £27 for an adult if you book online. At the gate it's £29.80 for an adult. Under-4s go free.
Do we need to book in advance?
You don't have to, but booking online saves money and gets you a timed arrival slot. Tickets are also available at the gate on the day.
What does the ticket actually cover?
One ticket gets you the cable car, both cavern tours, the playgrounds, the tower, the sculpture trail and the exhibitions.
How long do people stay?
Most visitors spend three to five hours there, once you've done the caverns and let the kids run around the summit.
Is it OK for young children?
Yes, it's suitable from age 4 up. They recommend extra layers for kids going into the caverns as it's cold underground.
Can we bring a pushchair?
Standard pushchairs can go on the cable car, ideally collapsed, but they're not allowed inside Masson Cavern because of the steps. There are sheltered storage spots if you need to leave one.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The cable cars take wheelchair users plus three companions, and there's a ramp. Most of the site's paths are very steep though, and the caverns aren't accessible to wheelchair users.
Is there parking?
No car park on site. You'll use one of the pay-and-display council car parks in Matlock Bath, and the machines only take cash or phone payment, not cards.
Are dogs allowed?
Yes, on a lead, on the cable car, in the café, shops and exhibition buildings, and around the grounds. They're not allowed in the restaurant, on the balcony or in the caverns.
What food is on offer?
There's a sit-down restaurant with reservations recommended, a terrace café, a snack kiosk and a tavern, so you can get anything from a full meal to an ice cream.
How often do the cavern tours run?
Anywhere from every 15 minutes to every hour depending on the season. Information boards on site tell you the times for the day.
Areas to explore
Adventure Playgrounds
Two adventure playgrounds with giant slides, climbing frames and more.
Heritage Estate and Walks
Woodland walks along serpentine pathways with trees dating back over 300 years.
Viewpoints and Viewing Platforms
Various viewing platforms and viewpoints around the estate overlooking the Derbyshire countryside.
Waggy Tails Trail
A 25 to 30 minute walk over the top of Masson Hill for dog owners, designed to finish near the exit of the Masson Cavern.
Experiences
Great Masson Cavern
Guided tour through the show cavern with surround sound and special effects telling the geological and mining history, around 40 minutes.
Great Rutland Cavern
Guided tour, around 25 minutes, with Victorian cavern guides telling tales of lead miners and showmen.
High Falls Film Theatre
Film theatre showing a video of the Masson Cavern tour, including lead mining, geology and social history.
The Long View Exhibition
The Wombles Exhibition
Exhibition telling the story of The Wombles from their creation in 1968 to the present day.
Tinker's Shaft
Victoria Prospect Tower
Historic tower built in 1844 with a spiral staircase leading to a 360-degree panoramic view. Not wheelchair accessible.
Willow Sculpture Trail
Also on site
Tavern
Serves local ale.
Terrace Café
Vista Restaurant & Bar
Hilltop restaurant and bar, booking recommended.
Rides
The Cable Car
outdoorsCable car flight from the valley to the hilltop summit and back, included in ticket price.
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