National Stone Centre

Set within six disused limestone quarries in the heart of the Derbyshire Dales, on the edge of the Peak National Park, and close to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, The NSC is a 50 acre site of Special Geological Scientific Interest offering a wealth of outdoor and indoor activities for all the family including;

• Outdoor fossil trail around the quarries & Millennium Wall
• Visitor Centre with shop, café and “Building Britain” Exhibition 
• Activities for children including gem panning

The site is open all year round with no entrance charge to the grounds. The Visitor Centre is open every day (except Christmas and Boxing Days). There is ample car and coach parking and the site is easy to find. There are facilities for the less able - see Visitor Services for more details

We also run introductory Traditional Stone Craft courses in Dry Stone Walling, Stone Carving and Working with Lime and have an active education programme covering Earth Science topics for all key stages – see Schools pages for more detail.

The NSC welcomes groups to visit our site and we would be happy to arrange guided tours tailored to your needs.

We want you to enjoy your visit to the National Stone Centre. This is a site with many mine shafts and old quarries - please take care at all times and keep well away from cliff edges and quarry faces. The paths are slippery and uneven - please stay on the waymarked trail and public footpaths keeping children and pets under close supervision at all times.

Finally, please remember, this is a Site of Special Scientific Interest - fossil collecting and hammering is strictly forbidden.