World Heritage UK 2026 Spring Workshop

Dates: Tuesday 28th & Wednesday 29th April 2026

Venue: Masson Mills, Matlock, Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site

Theme: World Heritage Management

Programme: there will be three key speakers over the two days, focusing on key aspects of WH management, with associated workshops, that will allow debate, discussion and feedback on the topics covered. There will be both in-person and online workshops.

In-person delegates will also have the opportunity to experience Derwent Valley Mills WHS, with trips to Masson Mills museum and hydro, Cromford Mills, Cromford Wharf, Leawood Pumphouse, High Peak Junction railway workshops and a barge trip on the canal.

Tuesday night social – details to come but the venue will be the Fishpond at Matlock Baths.

Accommodation suggestions:

New Bath Hotel & Spa, New Bath Road, Matlock Bath, DE4 3PX – the hotel which is part of the Radisson family, is a 10 mins walk from Masson Mills. The hotel is kindly offering workshop delegates a 15% discount for bookings for Monday and Tuesday nights. The promotion code will be live from 01 Feb and will be found on this page.

In Cromford there is the Oakhill Hotel, plus there are many Airbnbs in and around Cromford.

In Matlock/Matlock Bath, there are the Premier Inn, High Tor Hotel and the New Bath Hotel.

Further afield are The Lion Hotel in Belper and Makeney Hall Hotel in Milford.

Alternatively, go to the Visit Peak District & Derbyshire or Visit Derby websites for more ideas.

Do Your Bit for the Environment – we invite attendees of the Spring Workshop to support the Flow Country Partnership’s mission to restore the world’s only Peatland World Heritage Site – inscribed for being the world’s largest intact blanket peat bog. This vital ecosystem stores over 400 million tonnes of carbon, playing a crucial role in combating climate change. If you are travelling to the conference, please consider a donation to help facilitate future carbon sequestration. Your donations will directly aid in the restoration efforts, enhancing the peatland’s capacity to sequester carbon and support biodiversity. Please note, this initiative is not currently structured as a carbon offset programme; however, there is potential for it to evolve into one in the future, subject to interest from the World Heritage community and feasibility.  Your support today contributes to meaningful environmental impact and may pave the way for future carbon offset opportunities.

Click here to donate…thank you.