PEAK DISTRICT (The)

The Peak District National Park was Britain’s first, in 1951.  It sits surrounded by major conurbations, broadly between Manchester and Sheffield, mainly in Derbyshire, but also partly in Staffordshire, Cheshire and South and West Yorkshire.  The Park covers an area of 555 square miles (1437 square kilometres) and the highest point is Kinder Scout in the north of the region at 2087 feet (636 metres).

The development of national parks has often seen conflict between landowners and the public.  Kinder was the scene of a mass trespass undertaken by ramblers in 1932, to raise awareness of the fact that the public was denied access to open country.  Some believe this act of civil disobedience, which amazingly resulted in some arrests, was instrumental in producing national parks legislation in 1949.

The Peak District is a park of two halves.  In the north, the ‘Dark Peak’ is characterised by millstone grit pokes through areas of moorland, whereas the central and southern areas, known as ‘White Peak’ are largely limestone country.  Neolithic man was here and the Romans used to export lead mined from the limestone areas, and admire the unique semi-precious Blue John stone found near Castleton.

Like most of Britain’s national parks, the Peak district is favoured by walkers, climbers, campers, cyclists – and so on. Beneath the ground, cavers enjoy exploring the natural caverns and old mine workings.

Villages in the Peak District are renowned for the tradition of well dressing in spring and summer.

The principal settlements within the National Park are Bakewell and Tideswell, though Buxton, just outside the park authority, is an important town, famed for its spring water since Roman times.