On top of the world

In the old spa town of Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, the Heights of Abraham is the region’s longest-running tourist attraction. For over 200 years, people have travelled from all over the world to wander the park’s woodland paths & underground caverns, & to take in the Peak District’s stunning scenery. In 1984, the park installed the UK’s first alpine-style cable-car system, & these days your entry ticket includes a cable ride from the floor of the Derwent Valley to the Heights of Abraham Hilltop Park. Once you disembark, you can take a guided tour of the show caves, browse the exhibitions on display in the visitors’ centre, take in the top views from the amphitheatre, & explore more than 60 acres of wooded hillside.

This summer there’ll be loads of other free activities on the go, including birds of prey demonstrations & Punch & Judy shows. Groups are always very welcome at the Heights of Abraham; the café & bar have capacities of 65 to 78 covers, & the cavern tours can accommodate 55 people at a time. There are discounted rates for groups of 20 people or more, & grouptravel organisers & coach drivers go free. There’s a 24-hour info line you can ring with any other queries on 01629 582365; otherwise, try www.heights-of-abraham.co.uk.

Bowls of cherries

Denby Pottery in Derbyshire is best known for its attractive kitchenware & tableware, but its on-site visitor center certainly deserves some attention. Besides a wealth of shopping options - which include a gift shop, museum shop, cook shop, garden emporium & two factory shops - there are tours, cookery demonstrations & occasional outdoor entertainment. And when teatime rolls around, the newly-refurbished Bourne Restaurant serves meals & snacks with a Derbyshire flavour.

On 28 August celebrity chef James Martin will officially open the new flagship Denby Home Store, & the day’s festivities are set to include celebrity cookery demonstrations & a food festival in the courtyard. Coach tours are always welcome, & providing you pre-book your group of 10 or more you can benefit from a 10% tour discount, shopping vouchers for every member in your group, & a free Denby gift as GTO. You can request a group pack on 01773 740 799. See www.denbyvisitorcentre.co.uk for more details.

A merry day out

Just off Maid Marian Way on Friar Lane, the legend of Robin Hood & his Merry Men comes alive at Nottingham Castle. The 17th-century ducal mansion was built on the foundations of the original medieval castle, which was the setting for the final showdown

between Robin Hood & the Sheriff in many of Robin’s eponymous tales.

On 21 & 22 October Nottingham Castle hosts the Robin Hood Pageant, which celebrates the city’s local hero with a busy schedule of medieval entertainment. There’ll be juggling jesters, comedy, food & drink, an authentic medieval village with craft stalls & activities, & opportunities to explore the castle caves. But the castle’s intrigue goes beyond the stuff of myths & legends. Since 1875 it’s served as a museum, & collections of silver, glass, armoury & paintings tell true stories of Nottingham over the last 15 centuries. In keeping

with the times, its art gallery displays the work of regional, national & international artists, & it was recently one of the venues for British Art Show 6.

You can find out more about the castle & its various events & exhibitions on 0115 915 3700 or at http://www.nottinghamcity/.gov.uk

The proof of the pudding

…is in the eating, but in the case of Lord Lichfield’s Christmas Pudding Tour at Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire, it’s in the visiting. During the festive season, the UK’s only complete-working historic estate transforms into a scene out of a Christmas card, & various themed events make it a special place to visit over the holidays.

In November & selected dates in December there are two seasonal packages for groups. Lord Lichfield’s Christmas Pudding Tour takes you down to the servants’ quarters where Mr Crisp, the Anson family butler, invites you into the working kitchens to see the Lichfield Pudding being prepared. And then there’s the Shugborough Festive Decorations Experience, which features a guided tour of the house where you can marvel at the festive decorations. You can also enjoy a glass of sherry before the fire as you imagine what Christmas was like more than a century ago. Both the Christmas Pudding & Festive Decorations tours are priced at £7 per person & can be combined with a traditional turkey roast with all the trimmings for an additional £10.50 each.

You can get further information about Shugborough’s Candlelit Christmas Evenings & other festive events from the group bookings team on 01889 881388 or at www.shugborough.org.uk.

The inn thing

Old world charm is a feature of Slater’s Country Inn in Baldwins Gate, as well. Only a half-hour’s drive from Shugborough Hall, you can make a mini-break of your trip to Staffordshire with an overnight stop at Slater’s. The inn’s been tastefully converted from original 18th-century buildings, & it includes 15 en-suite bedrooms. Between the Granary Restaurant & Slater’s Café Bar you’ll find a comprehensive menu of fresh home-cooked meals - & the AA Rosette-awarded chef tries to use locally produced ingredients wherever possible.

What’s nice about Slater’s is the interest they take in your visit: they offer country walks, tailor-made craft workshops, & 15 shops to browse in the adjacent shopping village. The good news for groups is that they also have special rates for visitors in a party. You can learn more about Slater’s Country Inn by calling 01782 680052; otherwise, log on to www.slaterscountryinn.co.uk.

Sweet dreams

For fans of Roald Dahl’s Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, a trip to Cadbury World in Birmingham might be the closest thing you’ll find to Willy Wonka’s fabulous sweet factory. Their two latest attractions are Cadbury World Essence & Purple Planet - & if you’ve got a sweet tooth you won’t want to miss either one.

Cadbury World Essence takes you back in time to discover the secret behind Cadbury’s Dairy Milk. Once you’re schooled in its creation, the idea-making’s handed over to you. Jelly babies, popcorn & biscuits: the choice is yours as you devise your own Cadbury’s treat.

Purple Planet is an interactive exhibition that puts you in a whole bunch of sticky situations - but you won’t mind it, we promise. Grow your own cocoa beans, see yourself moulded in chocolate, & get caught in a chocolate downpour. It’s certainly not your everyday fare!

Besides Essence & Purple Planet, a visit to Cadbury World gives you the opportunity to see Cadbury’s skilled chocolatiers at work, as well as browse the world’s largest Cadbury shop. For the young - & young at heart - there’s also the Cadabra ride.

You can buy tickets online at www.cadburyworld.co.uk or call 0845 450 3599 - & look out for off-peak rates.

Hitting the right note

You can round out your day in Birmingham with an evening performance at the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall. Their 2006 to 2007 season includes popular classics like Dvorak’s New World Symphony, Grieg’s Peer Gynt,

Elgar’s Cello Concerto, & Copland’s Appalachian Spring.

For something a bit different, try to plan a trip between 13 & 15 October. Symphony Hall will transform into Birmingham’s largest cinema for screenings of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, & Harold Lloyd classics - with the CBSO providing live a soundtrack under the conductor & composer Carl Davis.

Other good nights out include the Friday Night Classics series, & closer to the holidays, Christmas Crackers with Aled Jones. There are loads of perks for groups, including a 20% discount off standard ticket prices, free tickets for GTOs, & the chance to meet a CBSO musician during the interval.

Ring 0800 378 985 for more.