We had an enjoyable day at Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire. It was a special Steampunk event and the location provides an ideal backdrop for some of the wild and wacky costumes. Steampunk for the unitiated is an alternative history combined with science fantasy.
A ride on the trams can take you out into the Derbyshire countryside, with breath-taking views of the Derwent Valley. Crich also has a specially adapted tram to take wheelchairs, but this needs to be booked at least one week in advance. As well as the collection of trams spanning a century, visitors can also learn about local history and engineeering within the different exhibition buildings. There is a Woodland Walk sculpture trail to explore, plus indoor and outdoor play areas. As well as gift and souvenir shops there is Barnett’s Sweet Shop. For refeshments, there is the Ice Cream Parlour and Rita’s Tearooms. The Red Lion pub was formerly situated in Stoke-on-Trent, and has been rebuilt brick by brick as part of the recreated street scene. They serve food and there is a wide range of real ale on offer.
On the day, we visited there was a variety of other entertainmets to revel in. There was live music from the Ceildh band who were dressed in colourful costumes themselves. A unique steampunk competition is “tea duelling”. This requires biscuits, hot tea, participants and a throng of onlookers. If a dunked biscuit falls into the tea the contestant is defeated! There was Lonely Mr Punch, steampunk Hula Hoopers and fun with bubbles. Exhibiters were selling steampunk merchanddise and memorabilia. We had an interesting visit to a stall run by a lady who owned an animal shelter with a difference – reptiles. People buy reptiles as pets and find that they cannot cope or just let them loose into the outside world where they are found at risk on main roads. Lizards are harmless animals and do not deserve to be treated so badly.
We stayed at the Premier Inn in nearby Ripley, which is a short drive from the museum site. Next door is the Cookhouse & Pub restaurant and you can get a good deal with the hotel for breakfasts or evening meals. Ripley town centre has a limited number of restaurants, which get booked up quickly. Our favourite pub in the evening was the Talbot on Butterley Hill. it is a friendly place, without loud music and they have eight hand pulls of real ale – so himself is happy!
So, for something a little different, try a Steampunk event at Crich.
