Gulliver’s Kingdom is built into the steep wooded hillside above Matlock Bath, thirteen kilometres south of Bakewell, and it is unusually clear about who it is for: children aged roughly three to thirteen. Not toddlers only, not teenagers, and it does not pretend to be a thrill park.
It was founded in 1978 by Ray and Hilary Phillips as a model village, added a small train and some second-hand rides, and grew from there. The Phillips family still own it, and there are now sister parks elsewhere in England — but Matlock Bath is the original.
The park runs up the hillside in terraces, which is part of its character and part of the workout.
Rides — log flume, spinning barrels, a small coaster, teacups, carousels and a good number of gentle powered rides, all scaled for the target age group.
Themed areas including a Wild West zone and a fairytale section.
A cable car or chairlift section moving between levels, which children treat as a ride in itself.
Live shows and character appearances in season.
Indoor sections for wet weather, though the park is substantially outdoors.
Entry covers the rides, so once you are in there is nothing more to pay.
The consistent theme in feedback is that the staff are the best thing about it — friendly, patient and good with children, mentioned far more often than any individual ride.
The second consistent theme is that queues are generally short, which for a family with small children matters more than a headline attraction. It is a modestly sized park and it does not attract the volumes that produce hour-long waits.
The third is the hill. The site is genuinely steep, and with a pushchair or a tired five-year-old it is work. There are lifts and a chairlift between levels, but plan for the climb.
Set expectations accordingly: this is a well-run, modestly scaled, family-owned park that does one age group properly. Visitors who arrive expecting Alton Towers are disappointed, and say so.
The park is part of a larger day. Matlock Bath is a Victorian spa resort in a steep gorge on the Derwent that reinvented itself, several hundred miles from the sea, as an inland seaside town — amusement arcades, fish and chip shops, an aquarium and a promenade along the river.
Above it, the Heights of Abraham are reached by cable car over the gorge, with two show caverns, a playground and a viewpoint at the top. It is the other family attraction here and the two together fill a long day.
Gulliver’s and the Heights are on opposite sides of the valley, and the cable car ride alone is worth the trip.
Season: open from spring to autumn plus a Christmas programme, on set days rather than daily. Check the calendar before travelling — this catches people out.
Booking: online in advance is usually cheaper and is advisable in school holidays.
Time: a full day, or a comfortable half day with younger children.
Parking: on site, and there is an EV charger, though visitors report staff being unfamiliar with it.
Access: the hillside site is steep. There are lifts between levels but it is not an easy site with limited mobility.
By car: thirteen kilometres south of Bakewell at Matlock Bath, off the A6, with parking on site.
By train: Matlock Bath has its own station on the Derwent Valley line from Derby, a short walk away — one of the few theme parks in Britain you can reach by train from the platform.
By bus: the Transpeak service between Bakewell, Matlock and Derby stops in Matlock Bath.
Children aged roughly three to thirteen. It is not a thrill park and does not suit teenagers looking for one.
A full day, or a comfortable half day with younger children.
No. It runs from spring to autumn on set days, plus a Christmas programme. Check the calendar before travelling.
Very. It is built into a steep hillside, with lifts and a chairlift between levels, but it is hard work with a pushchair.
Yes — Matlock Bath station is on the Derwent Valley line from Derby and is a short walk from the entrance.