Cable Cars & Cavern Tours at the Heights of Abraham combines a cable car ride high above the Derbyshire hills with two underground show caverns, both ex-lead mines worked since the 1500s. Students get the cable car, the caverns and the history that connects them, all on one trip.
What to Expect on Your School Trip
Whether they’re studying Geography, Geology or History, or simply looking for a fun rewards trip, Heights of Abraham is the perfect place for students of all ages, from KS1 to KS4, to enjoy a memorable and educational day out.
Begin with an exciting cable car ride to the summit of Masson Hill. Take your students underground on guided tours of historic caverns. Let them loose on the adventure playgrounds, learn more in the exhibitions and discover the historic buildings across the estate. With sheltered picnic areas, indoor spaces and plenty of viewpoints, the Heights makes a great destination for a trip.
Underground at the Heights
The Great Masson Cavern is a naturally formed limestone cavern packed with rock formations to see and touch. Thanks to the local geology, it holds excellent examples of calcite crystals, zinc, iron and fluorspar, along with fossils from the carboniferous period, still visible in the cavern roof. The Masson tour opens with an immersive sound and light show telling the cavern’s 350 million year story, before an expert guide takes over to answer questions and share more of its secrets.
The Great Rutland Cavern is smaller but just as rich geologically, with a ‘Wonderwall’ of minerals running through it. Here, a Victorian guide leads the tour, talking students through early mining practices and the stories that have built up around the cavern over the centuries.
Once the lead ran out, both caverns became show caverns in their own right. Victorian guides would charge visitors a small fee to show them round, then another to lead them back out again, a fitting bit of entrepreneurial history for students learning about the era.
Why Book It for Your Next Geography, Geology or History Trip
Cable Cars & Cavern Tours links to Geography, Geology and History, with connections to Design & Technology and Leisure & Tourism too. It suits students of all ages, from EYFS through to KS5.
Both cavern tours are included in the ticket price. Student tickets are £13.00, with one free adult place for every ten students and additional adults from £18. School trip bookings need a minimum of five students. The site is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm in term time, and closed from 1st November 2026 to 13th February 2027.
