The Amber Valley is a local government district and borough in Derbyshire. It takes its name from the River Amber and covers a semi-rural area with a number of small towns formerly based around coal mining and engineering.
The village of Crich and the Amber Valley area were the setting for the ITV drama series Peak Practice.
Towns in the Amber Valley include
Alfreton,
Belper,
Heanor and
Ripley.
Many attractions in the Amber Valley give a nostalgic glimpse of an earlier time including Crich Tramway Village, the Midland Railway - Butterley and Heage Windmill. The venues along the National Heritage Corridor are highlighted at Strutt's North Mill which is home to the Derwent Valley Visitor Centre, now part of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. For those who enjoy shopping there are numerous factory outlets including the superb Visitor Centre at Denby Pottery.
Rail: There are railway stations at Ambergate and Belper, served by East Midlands Trains Local, who operate the service from Nottingham to Matlock via Derby, hourly from Monday to Saturday.
Eating and drinking: The Amber Valley offers many excellent places to eat, from small cafes and village pubs, to a la carte restaurants and hotels. Choose from a diverse range of international cuisines including Indian, Cantonese, Chinese, Italian and traditional British foods including award-winning fish and chips.
Many venues continually win both National and Local competitions for excellence, including the Derbyshire Quality in Food and Drink Awards. Many restaurants are increasingly using locally sourced produce in their restaurants giving a real flavour of the region.
Sports and leisure: There are leisure centres at Alfreton, Ripley, Belper and William Gregg VC (formerly Heanor). The brand new centres at Ripley and Heanor include spacious reception areas, a four-court sports halls for activities including badminton and football, a high-tech gym housing over 50 pieces of equipment, a workout studio and new changing rooms.
Alfreton also has two glass-backed exhibition squash courts, a café serving a range of food and drinks, a six court sports hall, a sauna and an indoor bowls facility with a licensed bar.
