School Visits 2023

Download our School Visits Guide
Browse our Student Activity Worksheets
Special school rate just £11 per pupil

New Film Theatre

Our new film theatre, located in High Falls next to the Rock Shop plays two new films continuously. The first tells the story of the cable car construction whilst the second film presents a geological story of the caverns creation and a virtual tour through them.

Reserve A SCHOOL VISIT RIGHT NOW

VISIT THE NEW WOODLAND CORNER

Learn about the secret lives of trees and how they talk to each other. You can also hire this space for your own outdoor classroom lessons whilst visiting the Heights. (See Woodland page for details).

More about the woodland corner

TAKE A HISTORY & HERITAGE audio trail

If you have a smart phone with you, you can take your pupils on a heritage trail through the hidden stories of the Heights, or play the narrations in the classroom before or after your visit (free wifi available).

Listen to the audio tours now

Two cavern tours are included

Take your pupils underground for a guided tour through one or both of our illuminated show caverns to see fascinating geological features and learn the story of the miners who worked here.

space to let off steam!

You can't beat fresh air and open spaces to let off steam. The Heights has two adventure play areas, great picnic spots and woodland trails to ensure your visit is a great success. Use our interactive map to plan your visit in the classroom before you arrive.

Try out our interactive map

indoor exhibitions too

The Heights is an all weather attraction with two indoor exhibitions telling the history of the estate and how the early Regency and Victorian owners made the Heights a fashionable place to visit two hundred years ago!

Important Information

The Heights was built over 230 years ago for the enjoyment of Georgian tourists. When the show caverns opened up in the 1800s, the ex-miners didn’t take into account the needs of 21st Century visitors. Some areas of the grounds are steep and uneven, so you may need to keep your class under close supervision to avoid any scrapes and scratches! Accidents do happen no matter how hard you try to avoid them, so we have several trained first aiders on site to help you when an incident occurs.

Download risk assessment PDF

OPENING TIMES AND BOOKINGS

School visits are welcome on any operating day. The cable cars open at 10.00am every morning, and close at 4.30pm. Cavern tours last between 30 & 40 minutes. We recommend you allow at least three hours for your visit. School pupils qualify for a special rate of just £11.00 per pupil and one teacher / helper is admitted free for every ten pupils. All school visits must be booked in advance using the BOOK NOW link here.

BOOK YOUR SCHOOL VISIT NOW

ARRIVING AT THE HEIGHTS

There is a coach park within the Matlock Bath Railway Station car park. From here your pupils will be able to walk along the raised riverside walkway to the cable car entrance. For further travel information click on the link below.

Find out more

SEND US YOUR PUPILS' WORK

We love to see the drawings, paintings, poems and stories written by pupils who visit us, and can feature many of them in our new Woodland Online Gallery. Read about how to submit work by visiting the Woodland Corner page, which also has a number of new schools resources listed.

Find out more

VISIT OUR WORKSHEETS PAGE

We have a range of worksheets and activity resources available for teachers to use during a visit to the Heights. We're adding new ones all the time. Follow the link here to view and download worksheets currently available.

view worksheets

School Trips By Train

Children love the experience of travelling by train and there are great travel discounts for School Groups visiting the Heights. Groups of 10 or more can Save 26% on Train Travel along the Derwent Valley Line between Derby and Matlock. East Midlands Railway operate trains every hour between Derby and Matlock on the Derwent Valley Line, calling at Matlock Bath. The Heights of Abraham is just a five minute walk from Matlock Bath Station.

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