Best things to do in Matlock (Derbyshire, England) in 2024!

Matlock is a town famed for its Victorian spa at the eastern flank of the Peak District National Park. The spinning industry was launched by Sir Richard Arkwright in the 18th century. The Derwent Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and within minutes you will be at the Cromford Mills. This is the place where Arkwright invented the modern factory system in the 1770s. Thermal springs had been discovered near Matlock in 1689, and in the 19th century, a spa resort prospered just downriver. Matlock Bath holds the Derwent in the steep valley and has family destinations. Below are the best things to do in Matlock in 2024.

Best things to do in Matlock

Let us explore the best things to do in Matlock:

1. Heights Of Abraham
2. Lumsdale Valley
3. Peak District Lead Mining Museum
4. Gulliver’s Kingdom
5. Matlock Bath Aquarium
6. National Tramway Museum
7. Cromford Mills
8. Cromford Canal
9. Leawood Pump House
10. Hall Leys Park

1. Heights of Abraham

In 60 acres, this Victorian country park even has a name that invokes a bygone era. There is a cable-car lifting you up to the hilltop park. From here, you will be amazed by the panoramas of the Derwent Valley from the Victoria Prospect Tower. The park also possesses two caves, the Great Masson Cavern and the Great Rutland Cavern. Kids can spend time on two adventure play areas. There is also a cafe and an exhibition hall covering the history of the estate. Furthermore, it showcases an amazing fossil collection.

2. Lumsdale Valley

On the east side of Matlock, this steep wooded gorge combines striking natural beauty with the ghosts of water-powered industry. Cromford Mills has set up a mile-long self-guided walking path through the valley. Tourists will pass the evocative ruins of mills, as well as mill ponds, waterfalls and cascades. The trail is a photographer’s fantasy and takes around 90 minutes, descending 500 metres as you go. You can also download a leaflet that points out the history behind the buildings on the way. Travellers need to wear comfortable walking shoes as some of the rocks can be slippery in wet weather.

3. Peak District Lead Mining Museum

The local lead mining industry has been assigned to the past, but was once one of the region’s main avenues of income. The museum in Matlock Bath’s Grand Pavilion has three mock mine tunnels, in which you will taste the conditions miners including children were expected to work in. Kids will get a chance to crawl through tunnels and play with interactive stations. You will also get to wonder at the immense Wills Founder Water Pressure Engine, built-in Coalbrookdale in Shropshire in 1819 and using hydraulic power to pump water from deep underground.

4. Gulliver’s Kingdom

In Matlock Bath, Gulliver’s Kingdom is a theme park aimed towards families with children aged between two and thirteen. It opened in 1978 and the first of three Gulliver’s Travels-themed attractions in England. You will able to ride in the rollercoasters, including the steel-built Switchback, as well as a cycle monorail, fairground-style amusements and water rides. The attraction is also rested on a sharp hill and has distant views of over the Heights of Abraham and Starkholmes.

5. Matlock Bath Aquarium and Arcade

The building where Victorians would “take the waters” has been converted into a peculiar but likeable visitor attraction. The original thermal pool is replaced by more than 2,271,000 litres of water each day. Victorian bathers have long since been restored by common, mirror and koi carp, some as heavy as 13 kg. You can also see a “petrifying well” once believed to turn objects into stone, as well as a collection of gemstones and fossils, a collection of holograms and more than 1,700 pieces of Goss and Crested China.

6. National Tramway Museum

Ten minutes on the road from the centre of Matlock is a museum dedicated to the vehicles that were a linchpin of cities in the UK in the early 20th century. The museum has more than 60 trams, constructed between 1900 and 1930, many of which are in working order. These run for a mile into the surrounding Crich Tramway Village, a nostalgic street scene, and out into the open countryside. You can also take unlimited rides, and travel indoor spaces like the Century of Tram’s exhibition in a huge shed.

7. Cromford Mills

The first stop on your trip into the Derwent Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cromford Mills was Sir Richard Arkwright’s first spinning mill complex. Constructed in the 1770s, this site altered the course of industrial and world history, as the place where the modern factory system was born. Cromford Mills is the centrepiece of the World Heritage Site and has a multimedia showroom where you can meet a hologram of Arkwright, check out interactive exhibits and watch a film about the mills narrated by actor Brian Blessed.

8. Cromford Canal

Starting out at the Cromford Mill, you could take a memorable stroll along the 18th-century Cromford Canal for a few miles. In summer, there is plenty of cover from the trees next to the towpath, and some lovely old features, like wharf warehouses, the Gregory Tunnel, railway brake cars, a functioning swing bridge and a pumphouse. June is a lovely time to stroll by the water, when you are sure to view goslings, ducklings and cygnets in the water. The canal used to run for 15 miles from Cromford to the Erewash Canal, and so far five miles have been replaced as far as Ambergate.

9. Leawood Pump House

A beautiful piece of industrial heritage, the Leawood Pump House is just over a mile along the Cromford Canal and dates back to 1849. This facility was constructed to draw water from the River Derwent, which travels along a 140-metre tunnel and is then lifted nine metres to be pumped into the Cromford Canal. The Pump House was in regular use from its construction until 1944 and was replaced by the Cromford Canal Society in 1979. It is a display to admire at any time, but even better on the days when the steam-powered Watt-type beam engine is up and running.

10. Hall Leys Park

In 2017, Hall Leys Park lift its tenth consecutive Green Flag award. This places it among the best parks in the country. South of the town centre, on the Derwent and facing the hilltop Riber Castle, the park has lots to keep children excited in summer. There is a boating lake with old motorised boats, a miniature railway and an interactive wet play zone. There is also a cafe, a pretty Victorian bandstand and a cute fountain at the centre of formal flowerbeds. Here, the local brass bands also give summer concerts.

Boasting a wide range of wonderful attractions, Matlock has all to captivate travellers from all over the world. Moreover, these attractions are perfect for all age groups. So, now when you know about the best places to visit in Matlock, what are you waiting for? Book your United Kingdom package with Pickyourtrail and get ready to go on a wonderful joyride with your loved ones. Also, check out our guides page or leave a Whatsapp inquiry for more options!