Discover Crich: Trams, Walks and History

Crich combines impressive transport history with woodland walks, monuments and historic buildings. You can also choose your base according to the experiences you would like to enjoy.

Historic trams and a special museum experience

The National Tramway Museum in Crich is an open-air museum dedicated to historic transport. The collection is made particularly vivid by the opportunity to ride restored historic trams. This means that transport history is not limited to exhibits, but can be experienced directly. For families who enjoy exploring together, a visit to the museum provides a clear focus; at the same time, it can be combined with walks and other historic sites.

For travel by train, Whatstandwell is the nearest station to the National Tramway Museum. From there, a steep footpath of about 1 mile leads to the museum. This route should be included in your day plan if you would like to combine a museum visit with a train journey and a walk. When looking for a holiday let, you can therefore consider for yourself which location makes sense for your planned journey and preferred daily schedule.

Woodland walks, sculptures and views

The Woodland Walk & Sculpture Trail leads through native woodland and features sculptures. The Woodland Walk also offers views across the Derwent Valley and the Derbyshire landscape. So a stay in Crich is not only about buildings and collections: part of the day can be devoted to walking, viewing the sculptures and enjoying the landscape. If your travel group has different interests, a visit to the museum can be combined with time outdoors.

Another distinctive destination is Crich Stand on the summit of Crich Hill. The Grade II* listed regimental memorial commemorates the Sherwood Foresters. It remembers the 11,409 members of this regiment who died in the First World War. Crich Stand also serves as a viewpoint and as an inland lighthouse. The site therefore combines a specific historical significance with a distinctive role in the landscape around Crich.

Further traces of transport and local history

The portal to Stephenson's Tunnel is one of the notable historic features in Crich. Built by George Stephenson in 1841, the tramway tunnel portal is a surviving remnant of the world's first metre-gauge railway. Tramway Street also contributes to the historic atmosphere; it is home to a collection of historic buildings. Around Crich, the Butterley Gangroad carried limestone from quarries near the village of Crich to the Cromford Canal and passed beneath a road junction in Fritchley.

St Mary's Church is also part of the cultural picture. The medieval Anglican church has a core dating from the 12th century. Crich Chase is connected with the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Together with the museum, the tunnel portal and the Butterley Gangroad, these sites provide a broad picture of how transport, industry, faith and the landscape shaped the history of the area.

The right base for your stay

Which holiday let in Crich is suitable for you depends above all on the focus you would like to choose. For a day featuring historic trams, the National Tramway Museum and the route from Whatstandwell are important points of reference. Those who prefer to combine woodland, sculptures and landscape can include the Woodland Walk in their plans. Visitors interested in culture will find several different themes at Crich Stand, Stephenson's Tunnel, Tramway Street and St Mary's Church, without every outing having to look the same.

If you would like to view further destination pages for planning your trip, here is a concise selection: Sutton On The Hill, Codnor, Hathersage, Breadsall, Belper, Peak Forest, Castleton and Smalley. This allows you to compare Crich with other destinations and then search more specifically for a holiday let suited to your preferred combination of history, walks and landscape.

For the higher-level travel overview: Derbyshire.