INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH

Our next destination is the Speedwell Cavern, set at the foot of the spectacular Winnats Pass and high above Castleton. We’re grateful to be able to squeeze into the last space, shunned by drivers of larger cars, in the tiny car park – and manoeuvring into the tight space we’re also thankful for the Meriva’s pillar-mounted rear lights, set well out of the way of accidental parking damage. Speedwell Cavern is an old lead mine, tunnelling deep into the hillside. 105 steps take you down into the mountain, to a subterranean canal and a boat trip which lets you explore the ancient workings and intriguing network of underground rivers and caverns. Down here, the eerie silence is punctuated only by watery gurgles and strange echoes – and when our guide turns out the light, the absolute darkness is profoundly impressive. In Castleton itself you’ll find the entrance to Peak Cavern, another former working mine with tales of ghostly noises – so it’s no surprise that of all the old mines, Peak Cavern is the most popular with school visits.

Eventually, though, it’s time to head for home, and given that the motorway is for once pleasantly free of traffic, we’re happy to engage the Meriva’s cruise control and let the car do just a little of the thinking. It’s a good place to be, even at the end of a long day: Vauxhalls have long been a benchmark for driver and cabin ergonomics and the Meriva more than maintains the standard. It’s time to reflect that it’s been a great weekend for both duty and relaxation, thanks in no small measure to our choice of transport. We’ve visited some exciting places, had lots of fun and you never know, the kids might even have learned something.
But just then a tired voice chirps up from the rear seat: ‘gran, what’s steel again?’ Oh well...