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The Heights of Abraham

Cable cars at the Heights of AbrahamCable cars at the Heights of AbrahamVisit the Heights of Abraham in the heart of the Peak District and you'll soon discover that the spectacular cable car ride high above the Derwent Valley is just the start of a truly unique day out!
 
Since its installation in 1984, the cable car system has carried millions of visitors young and old - but this is only the latest chapter in the story of the Heights of Abraham. Opened as a 'Savage Garden' in 1780, visitors would make the climb on foot from the valley floor to take in the spectacular views from the top of the Heights... making it the Peak District's first tourist attraction!
 

Cable cars high above the Derwent valleyCable cars high above the Derwent valleyThe cable cars now give visitors the opportunity to reach the top effortlessly, but the views remain truly breathtaking. More than two centuries later, you can still wander around the estate's paths and woodland trails, and it’s easy to understand why the area proved inspirational to the Romantic movement of the period.
 
 

The height of good taste...

The Hi Café Coffee Shop is open throughout the season and is the perfect spot to sit with a coffee or take a light lunch with friends, while the Summit Bar is open on busier days and holidays, and offers an informal table service for those who want to take a longer, relaxed lunch.
 
the height of good taste!the height of good taste!Both venues have panoramic, floor to ceiling windows that make the most of stunning views down the Derwent Valley, as well as open terraces which provide relaxed, outdoor dining during good weather.

The High Falls Rock Shop has a fascinating range of rock-themed gifts, from superb pieces of decorative stone and jewellery to fossils and samples of local minerals, while the emphasis of the Treetops Gift Shop is on the natural world and features pottery, kites and flying toys, walking sticks, birdhouses and much more. There's also a selection of contemporary art, with pieces from some of the country’s most interesting and appealing artists.
 
 
 
But it’s not just above ground that you can explore - lead deposits may have been worked in the area as far back as Roman times, although it took another 1,000 years before lead mining was officially recorded on site. The mines remained active for more than 300 years and left behind a legacy of passageways and awe-inspiring caverns.
 
Today, you can travel down passageways deep underground, following in the footsteps of the miners who created them and visit the Heights’ famous show caverns, learn about the rocks, minerals and geology of these spectacular underground formations, or perhaps experience a day in the life of the miners who made your trip possible!
 
Show caverns at the Heights of AbrahamShow caverns at the Heights of Abraham
The fascinating story of the Heights is told in the Who? Why? What? exhibition and you can even test your nerve on one of the cable car emergency vehicles, while the less adventurous can sit and contemplate the sweeping views across the Peak District from the stunning amphitheatre.
 
With its unique blend of spectacular underground caverns, stunning views, acres of beautiful woodland and its landmark cable car system - the first of its kind in the whole of the British Isles - the Heights is certainly right at the top when it comes to visitor attractions!