The History of The Heights of Abraham | |
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The Heights of Abraham is a tourist attraction in Matlock Bath, Derbyshire, England. It consists of a hilltop park on top of
Masson Hill, accessed by a cable car from the village below. Certainly the most dramatic way to approach any of the Derbyshire caves - a cable car ride from Matlock Bath takes visitors
high across the valley to the Heights of Abraham, so named because a British army officer thought they looked like the famous
cliffs outside Montreal, where he had fought against the French. The views across the Derwent river valley are wonderful, but
further sights await underground. For once you alight from your cable car, you can visit not one, but two showcaves. There are
also children's play areas and educational exhibits to learn about the geology of the region and the formation of the caves,
as well as showcasing some of the fossils that have been found here. A Victorian Tower offers excellent views, and there are
walking trails across the hillside. The cable car was opened in 1984 and was the first alpine cable car in Britain. The route is 568m (621 yards) long and climbs 169m (185 yards). The Heights of Abraham company has since become a consultant for other cable car systems, and was also responsible for the passenger pods on the London Eye. Information on this page was taken from Heights of Abraham From Wikipedia & http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=2285 | |