Peak District Day Out – Caves & Stunning Views

Matlock town and view from heights of Abraham summit

Stunning views, buzzing village atmosphere, a (swaying!) cable car and an underground tour. Matlock (click for map) is well worth a visit! This post is perfect if you’re planning a day out in the Peak District and are looking for inspiration. Have a read, and please do share your own go-to destinations in a comment. I would love to be inspired.

The summer is ideal for days out in the Peak District. I do love spending time out and about, exploring walks and villages, so I’m pretty happy making a day of it any time of the year. The summer does however tend to bring a bit of extra magic to the landscape.

Last weekend, we spent a day in the town of Matlock, Derbyshire, south of the Peak District. The drive from Manchester takes roughly an hour and a half, and takes you down winding A roads with beautiful views along the way.

We happened to visit while there was a lovely market on in the town centre, with plenty of local produce and food stalls. There seems to be a couple of regular markets on in Matlock throughout the year, so it might be a good idea to Google Matlock markets if you want to get the most out of your visit.

matlock town

Heights of Abraham

We parked in the town centre and browsed the market before making our way down towards Matlock Bath, aiming for the cable car taking us up to Heights of Abraham. The walk from Matlock town centre to the cable car took us 30 minutes, including stopping for photos along the way. Tickets for the Cable Car are £15 per person, but this includes the activities at the top as well.

View from Matlock Cable Car

The Masson Cavern – Underground Tour

The view from the top is stunning. After a bit of exploring, we joined a group of people who was just about to start on a tour of the caverns, and spent the next part of an hour deep under ground. The tour guide, Ken, did a great job and enthusiastically delivered facts and interesting stories from times when the caves were still in use.

heights-of-abraham-summit

Before heading back down, we had a light lunch in the Terrace Cafe, enjoying the views of the green valley.

Matlock as a destination is a great day out. I wish we would have had even more time to spend in the beautiful surroundings, and will definitely be back. I can’t wait to explore the walks.

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