Blue John Cavern

Fantastic place to visit. Make sure you wear sensible footwear. The guide was great and gave us lots of rest stops on the way down and up. He was very knowledgeable and made the experience very enjoyable. The shop was well stocked and the staff were able to adjust my bracelet while we waited. Would definitely recommend. We even took our dog with us. She was totally unfazed.

I had a fantastic experience visiting Blue John Cavern. Our guide, Nigel, was absolutely brilliant – so knowledgeable, full of fascinating facts, and with a great sense of humour that made the whole tour really enjoyable. He is a great guide. The journey down into the deepest show cave was exciting in itself, and while it may not be the most traditionally beautiful cave, it was certainly impressive and atmospheric. Seeing the natural veins of Blue John stone in the rocks was a real highlight and gave the place a unique charm you don’t find elsewhere. Overall, a memorable visit made even better thanks to Nigel’s engaging and funny storytelling.

I went mainly to see the Mam Tor toad and have a walk around the top of the ridge line. From my photos you can see a misty view of the Blue John mine. Famous for it's unique blue stone. I have visited the mine many times with my children. They love going on adventure. A guide will take you around the mine and talk about the various activities that have taken place there over time. There are some steps and it's a little cold in the mine. The mine shop is nice offering some limited snacks and trinkets. I went very out of season so there wasn't much open but the parking was very easy. If you look on the map the old Mam Tor road ends a gate now and forms a small roundabout to allow easy turning. There's a lot of history with the shivering mountain going back some 4000 years when it is believed deforestation was a substantial factor in destabilising Mam Tor.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A wonderful experience! I absolutely loved my visit to Blue John Cavern! The cave itself is stunning — the colours of the stone and the underground chambers are truly magical. Our guide was fantastic — funny, full of energy, and clearly passionate about the place, which made the whole tour even more enjoyable. The ladies in the gift shop were super friendly and helpful, and I left with a lovely souvenir and a big smile. Highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the Peak District!

I really enjoyed my visit to the Blue John Cavern. It was wet and cold underground, but that just added to the atmosphere. The caverns itself is very impressive, with lots to see and plenty of history behind it. It’s a really educational experience, learning about the Blue John stone and how the caves were formed. The tour was around an hour, with a good balance of information and time to look around. Our guide was excellent – knowledgeable, friendly, and made the visit fun and engaging. There are quite a few steps, so it can be a bit of a climb, but it’s worth the effort for what you see inside. Overall, a fascinating place to visit. Great for anyone interested in geology, history, or just looking for something different in the Peak District. Highly recommend

Tony was our guide and he was amazing He was very knowledgeable and put with a lot of questions from us The cavern itself is wonderful, it formed in an unusual way and contains visible veins of blue john, which is unique to the cavern. There are a lot of steps and uneven ground which is also often wet, so be cautious. Parking is a short walk away from the cavern, only a minute or so but it is up a hill. There is no cafe on site, though i think that there is at the top of the hill and open seasonally. There is a gift shop with hot and cold drinks and small snacking bits like biscuits and chocolate.

Just got back home after spending Christmas in the Peak District. Some friends said we should visit the Blue John cavern, so we did. Our guide for the tour was a guy called Richard. I have to say that caves and waterfalls our my wife’s and my thing. Richard was an absolutely fantastic guide, and although he has obviously done it a thousand times he took the time to show us everything. Would wholeheartedly recommend a trip. John and Denise.

We visited Blue John Cavern this Sunday, weather was a little damp which I think may have helped with parking as there didn’t seem to be an actual carpark as such just some bays on the road towards the entrance. I can imagine in good weather it would be much busier. We were a group of 8 and managed to book tickets when we arrived for a tour with some other people that started around 15 minutes later so there wasn’t much hanging around which was good as the facilities were not extensive. As someone who is not great with heights and enclosed spaces I was nervous especially when we first walked into the entrance and started the decent of the 245 steps within the cavern in quite a narrow space. Secure hand rails each side on this part helped me keep my balance and get my nerves under control. Once we reached the first open space I was more accustomed to the environment and while the steps are steep in places and a little slippery, the pace was good with plenty of stops and safety was a priority. Massive thanks to our guide Nigel, whose personality & enthusiasm for the caves along with his knowledge of its history & geology made the whole experience come alive. His help with a torch (or two) was also much appreciated in helping capture some fabulous photos of areas not lit up by the general lighting. Thoroughly enjoyed this trip, even the climb back up to the top! The surrounding countryside is absolutely stunning and with the cavern being roughly at the base of Mam Tor it was so interesting to see the beautiful countryside but also the hidden beauty beneath the surface.

A day trip to Derbyshire and we decided to head underground to one of the various Blue John mines in the area. Blue John is a semi-precious mineral and in the UK it's only found in Derbyshire. There are a number of places in the area where you can take a tour of the caves, and we opted for this one. £10 per adult to go in gets you a 30 - 45 minute guided tour. There are a LOT (literally hundreds!) of steps, and because of the water (the caves were carved out by water during the last ice age, and water still drips through from the surface), it can be damp and slippery in places so make sure you use the handrails and go slowly, and wear good shoes. Our tour guide was a particularly non-nonsense Yorkshireman who does tours in the summer and actually mines the blue john in winter. Some would say he was a bit dour (he didn't suffer foolish questions!) but I thought he really added to the atmosphere because he was a genuine bona fide miner and he really knew his stuff. The mine is damp and cold, so dress warmly - but be prepared to get warm on the climb back out of the mine. You descend about 100 meters underground (although the mines off the tourist track go deeper). The blue john itself is interesting, but I was most impressed by the sheer cavernous nature of the caves - it's incredible to think they were carved out by water! There is a cafe, shop and toilets on site but they're pretty basic. I think £10 was pushing the high end of what they could charge, but this is a really fascinating and unusual place to go and visit so I don't think it's an excessive charge. Definitely well worth a visit.

Must disagree with the last comment. We found it very interesting and ALL questions were answered. Bit of difficulty with the climb down at our age but it was worth it. They don't rush we oldies LOL.

I haven't visited these mines/caves since I was a nipper. We went with school on a number of occasions and can recall loving them back then. This time I went armed with a family, a journey of around 50 mins from Manchester (well south Manchester at least). The location of the cavern and store is nestled into one of 'a billion' or so human scale undulating hills in Derbyshire's fabulous Peak District. Reputedly the mineral Blue John was first discovered by the Romans over 2000 years ago (excavations in Pompeii it is said, unearthed a couple of vases made from this lovely stone). Before you enter the cave/mine entrance you can see the displays of this mineral in the cavern store: jewellery and pots made from this stone can cost into the hundreds of pounds...perhaps hardly the 'pink panther' but special never the less. There is a sign on the entrance asking the infirm or those with heart conditions to reconsider their little adventure 'downstairs' (all 240 odd steps). I like the fact that it's still a little edgy and a decent slip on the wet steps might send you cascading a fair bit into the bowels of mother/middle earth! Our tour guide seemed to have a real love for these mines and the wealth of knowledge hits you between your damp eyes like a slowly falling stalactite. One moment you're nervously tip toeing down some fairly steep steps and then the next you're looking into a cavern over 175 foot high. The trip lasts 45 mins, although there is another section (about a 1/5th the length of the tour) which would in fact take you around -six hours from start to finish. That part of the caves are for the more serious types kind of made me want to give caving a go...and go home and watch 'the Descent' later that evening. These mines are well worth a visit if you're in the area (the surrounds are beautiful) and the Blue John cavern is often claimed to be the finest in western Europe.

I was there last weekend and it was a very nice place and well hidden. Somewhere in the nowhere stands a small shop and right behind it is the entrance to Blue John Cavern. They still mine for blue john. The name of the stone does not derive from the name John, it has a different meaning, which you find out, when you participate. The tour takes around an hour and it was very interesting and informative. This place is definitely not appropriate for disabled access because you have to scale and descend very narrow and small scales.

Me and my husband visited here the other day. I remembered going there as a child with school. It cost £16 for 2 adults and the tour runs on a regular basis throughout the day. The tour of the cave lasts about 50 mins. There are around 220 steps in the cave so it's not really suitable for anyone unstable on their feet, this includes very small toddlers. The info on the sign outside the cavern said not suitable for anyone with a heart condition or bronchial problems. There was a lady with a young boy of about 2/3 years who really struggled with the steps, which are steep and often slippy so you can't carry a child and hold on to the rails, as there were too many for small legs. Slightly older kids seemed to really enjoy this tour though. The guide we had was a nice gentleman but he wasn't really much of a guide as he had a very monotonous tone of voice but he imparted all main points of interest clearly enough. We thought it was ok on the whole.

This is a great day out for kids and adults alike. The location is great, right in the heart of the Derbyshire hills and not too far from Buxton so you can also visit there afterwards to make a real day of it. The tour itself last around 45 minutes and you'll be taken round by a knowledgeable guide who is very friendly and will answer any questions you may have. The caverns are fantastic and you'll find your jaw dropping several times. A must see if you are in this part of the world.

Blue John is an amazing gemstone and no two pieces are identical. Blue John as been used for decoration purposes as early as the Roman period. The Victorians were the first to be tourists to the mines and many years on they are as beautiful and interesting as when first discovered. Unfortunately the Blue John gemstones are becoming a rarity and the only pieces left are usually taken from the spoil heaps as the mines are nearly bereft of this precious gem. For lovers of Blue John jewellery please visit our website at http://www.ceirysjewellery.co.uk/categories/blue_john.php

Visited the cave a couple of weeks ago. Fairly dissapointed on the whole. We got the same tourguide as 'Profairy' and found him boring not just monotunous. He even rebuffed one lady for asking a question whilst half way through his talk in the dining cave! Toilet facilities are like something I would expect at a football ground in the 1970's Gents toilet consisted of a trough that only gets flushed when it rains. The gift shop was Ok but the staff are obviously related to Mr grumpy tour guide as they were not much better. A cup of tea for 80p seemed a good idea until it arrived in a very small plastic cup that would normally come out of a machine, this was only about 3/4 full as well. On the whole not impressed with the whole experience and at £25 for a family ticket I really did expect a little more in the way of modern toilets and a decent cup of tea, with friendly staff! We will not be going again!

Got overcharged buying tickets. So be careful what they charge and check your bill. Party of 3 and I said 2 were senior citizens but got charged full wack of £12 per person (should have been £9 for seniors) so this spoilt the visit for us. Very expensive for what it was - there are better value for money caverns in the Peak District - you are better at Heights Of Abraham - same cost gives you cable car, cavern plus other attractions. This is just half an hour down a cave.

Never been here before - even though I live less than a hour away. Blue John is a semi-precious stone which is mined in Derbyshire & nowhere else on the planet. You can take a trip down the working mine, which originates from the 1800s, down to about 200 odd feet below the surface. Interesting & informative guided tour & well worth a visit. You may have to queue at busy times, though. When you've finished you can take walk up Mam Tor to blow the cobwebs away !