Heights of Abraham Welcome to one of the Peak District’s oldest and most popular days out, an attraction where stunning natural beauty is matched by human achievement and the historic blends seamlessly with the futuristic.
Since first opening to visitors in 1780 the Heights of Abraham has remained one of the Peak District’s most appealing destinations. Visitors have travelled from all over the world to experience its unique blend of spectacular Underground Caverns, Exhibitions, Shops, Play Areas, Picnic Spots, Café and Summit Bar all with stunning views in acres of beautiful woodland. In recent times however, the Heights has become rightly famous for its landmark Cable Car system - the first of its kind in the whole of the British Isles.
Added attractions are the “Heath & Heaven” and “Fossil Factory” displays, plus state of the art lighting in the Great Masson Cavern which reveals its magnitude as it has never been seen before. Not forgetting John the Miner who tells the story of a day in the life of a 17th Century Lead Miner in the Great Rutland Cavern.
NEW for 2011 An eciting addition to the play areas is the WODLAND ADVENTURE play area. An exciting mix of slides,climbs and walkways with a fun Eagle nest swing!
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THIS IS A PAST EVENT
Fathers' Day Fun
19th June 2011
Father’s Day Sunday June 19th sees the return of the High falls Duck Race. After a successful 1st ever race last year we have added this to our events calendar for 2011. Wives, Sons and Daughters are being asked why not give Dad something a little different this Fathers day and do something that’s a great deal of fun too.
A day out at The Heights of Abraham, Matlock Bath in the peak District, Derbyshire could see some lucky Dad’s winning bottles Peroni beer to take home with them.
The competition is free to enter on a first come basis and is included in the admission price along with the Cable Car ride, guided tours of our 2 Show Caverns, exhibitions and woodland walks.
The rules will be the same with the first 50 Dad’s being given the number of their duck. There are 5 heats of 10 ducks with 1st and 2nd places going forward in to the grand final race.
We hope that the final will be at around 2.30pm when the 10 finalists line up outside The Fossil Factory for the race downstream towards the pond. On the way the Ducks pass under the bridge where last year families cheered the Ducks on towards the challenging High falls drop.
The first prize winner will receive a box of 12 bottles of Peroni beer, 2nd place gets 6 bottles, 3rd place 3 bottles and the 7 runners up in the Grand Final each get a bottle each.
The Heights of Abraham point out that these are plastic ducks and no harm is caused to our resident real ducks! No betting is allowed and prizes are for entrants over 18’s only, an alternative prize will be available for any dad under 18. Last but not least the judge’s decision is final.
Normal admission applies. Please call the Heights of Abraham for further information.
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Current reviews for Heights of Abraham
Review title : A fun day out for the whole family, added by : Lisa (01/06/2011)
Event reviewed : 30 May - 5 June: Spring Bank Holiday Activities
"We visited the Heights of Abraham on a very wet Bank Holiday Monday and, as I hadn't been for at least 30 years, we were all looking forward to seeing what was on offer.
We were 2 families with 3 children under 6 and, right from the start when we boarded the cable car, we really felt that we were at the start of an adventure.
We parked in the station carpark which was busy but very conveniently located and just a short walk away from the main entrance to the attraction (the Heights of Abraham is perfect if you are travelling by train). We all loved the cable car ride, our son was especially excited when it stopped halfway up the hill and it gave us a fantastic view of the surrounding area and river below.
Our first stop was the outdoor playground which, despite the rain, kept the kids amused and gave them the chance to get rid of some energy. We eventually managed to drag them away and queued up for the tour of the Masson Cavern. The tour, which took about 30 minutes, was led by a very knowledgeable guide, who kept everyone entertained and informed - not easy with a 2 year old who wanted to run off into every dark corner! Yes, there are steps (the last section totals 80) but they were all manageable and no-one was in a rush, so no problems there.
Next was a visit to the Mythical Village, where the kids had a fantastic time messing around with clay, seeds, sticks and all other bits of stuff foraged from the woods to make creatures. They were so proud of their beasties that it was quite tricky to persuade the kids to leave them in the little village but we promised to come back and visit them later in the year to see how nature had changed things.
Time for lunch and we had a very enjoyable time in the Terrace Coffee Shop, which served a wide variety of food and drink at very reasonable prices and much better than the usual fast food you are offered in these kind of attractions. There is also a bar upstairs, which serves meals and drinks, if you feel in need of sustinence!
Unfortunately, after a quick play in the Woodland Play Area, it was time to leave but, as we didn't get to see the exhibition or the Fossil Factory, or visit the other caverns and climb the tower, we will definitely go back later this year. This is a fantastic attraction that the weather cannot spoil and I would highly recommend it for people of all ages."
