What to do and see in Matlock, England: The Best Free Things to do

Hollies Farm Plant Centre is a family run plant nursery and gardens, where you can wander round the gardens to see the plants growing as they should. you can take in the breathtaking views or watch the fish etc in the two large ponds, afterwards take a walk round the nursery and choose a plant or two. We always have a large selection of old favourites plus the rare and unusual

Contemporary Art Gallery - selling fine art & ceramics. Opened July 2017. The Old Lock Up Gallery is situated within a beautiful stone building, built in the 1700’s, in the beautiful and historic Derbyshire village of Cromford. The building itself is steeped in history – as it was owned by Sir Richard Arkwright and used as the village jail, one of the first of it’s kind in the country.

The construction of the Cromford Canal by William Jessop and Benjamin Outram, partners in the Butterley company, was completed in 1794. It is 14.5 miles long and joined Cromford with the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill. The site has a wealth of industrial heritage and lies in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage site. The canal is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its entire length from Cromford to Ambergate. The 3.3km southern section from Whatstandwell Bridge to Ambergate is a Local Nature Reserve. The canal is a haven for water vole, a threatened and declining species, and for grass snakes, little grebes, moorhen and coots. The southern end towards Poyser's Bridge is excellent for dragonflies. The canal can be explored from the towpath between Cromford Wharf and Ambergate, a distance of just over five miles. The walk from Cromford Wharf to High Peak Junction is suitable for pushchair's and wheel chairs. We manage the section from Cromford to Ambergate for recreation and wildlife. The canal has a very rich and diverse wildlife running through the attractive Derwent Valley and part of it has been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserve can be accessed from the north end at Whatstandwell or at the southern end from Ambergate by a towpath off Chase Road. The old towing path which follows the canal is a public footpath - please note that this path is narrow and uneven in places. Birdswood, a restored narrow boat is run on scheduled trips through the year by the Friends of Cromford Canal. Open to all members of the public. Come and enjoy a peaceful journey along the canal, from Cromford Wharf to High Peak Junction, introduced by a booming announcement from the FCC President, Brian Blessed. Birdswood is also available for private hire and for specialist educational trips. Limited canoeing is permitted on the Cromford Canal between Cromford Wharf and High Peak Junction. Because of the sensitive nature of the canal, numbers are strictly controlled. There's a Changing Places toilet for use by the public in the car park at Cromford Wharf.

Matlock Meadows is a modern purpose built ice cream parlour and coffee shop set within a working dairy farm. The farm has diversified by making italian style hand made ice cream here on the farm using the fresh milk from our dairy herd. The coffee shop serves 15 flavours of ice cream, also sorbet's, ice cream sundaes, a range of hot and cold drinks and snacks, giftware and local produce. We have a small outdoor play area and in the adjacent field and barn we have a micro pig, sheep, chickens, cows and calves. We are a real working dairy farm rather than a major visitor attraction. We do not charge any entrance fees and therefore rely on the income generated from the shop sales to maintain our facilities which include outside play area, free car parking, toilets, and baby changing. The farm has disabled access and facilites and can accommodate educational group/school visits also childrens birthday parties.

The Leawood Pump House was built in 1849 to supply water to the Cromford Canal, built some 50 years previously. It is a Grade II* listed building located a little along the canal towpath from High Peak Junction, it stands to a height of 45 feet (14 m) on the right bank of the River Derwent, at the end of the Derwent Aqueduct, and has a 95-foot (29 m) chimney stack with a cast-iron cap. The pumphouse worked continuously from 1849 until 1944 when the canal closed. It was restored in 1979 by the Cromford Canal Society and is run periodically.