Heights of Abraham
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A tourist attraction in Derbyshire, England, the Heights of Abraham is a country park on top of Masson Hill, accessed by a cable car from Matlock Bath. Amongst the attractions in the park, which has been open since Victorian times, are cavern and mine tours. The cable car was opened in 1984 and was the first alpine cable car in Britain. The route is 568m long and climbs 169m.
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.
[edit] The name
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.
- The Heights are named after the Heights of Abraham, also known as the Plains of Abraham in Quebec where James Wolfe died in battle.
[edit] External links
- Map sources for Heights of Abraham