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An Intro to The Peak District and Derbyshire

Welcome to ThePeakDistrict.net - the site for all things Peak District and Derbyshire related including local information, online links and holidays in this wonderful part of northern England.

For most people the name 'Peak District' is virtually synonymous with 'Derbyshire'. Not so, however; perhaps surprisingly, the Peak District National Park actually takes in areas of Derbyshire, Cheshire, Yorkshire and Staffordshire, curving away from, and round, the more relatively densely populated areas. In the north it reaches as far as the outskirts of Marsden and Meltham in Yorkshire, to the west it takes in Saddleworth Moor, Bleaklow (going round Glossop), Kinder Scout Edale, Peak Forest, Tideswell, Taddington, Chelmorton and Flagg. The area around and between Buxton, Dove Holes, Chapel en le Frith, Whaley Bridge and Hayfield is not included. The boundary then takes a turn west and north again to take in Combs, Kettleshulme and Lyme Park. Turning south again it encloses Pott Shrigley, Rainow, Macclesfield Forest, Wildboarclough, Wincle, then bending south east it carries on to Waterhouses and turns north east just to the north of Ashbourne, taking in Fenny Bentley, Tissington, Parwich, Winster (missing Ashbourne), Stanton in Peak, Bakewell, Beeley, Gridndleford, Hathersage, Bamford and Bradfield (skirting the outer suburbs of Sheffield). It then turns north and west taking in Broomhead Moor, Dunford Bridge and Holme before finally coming back to the starting point.

The Peak District (as opposed to the National Park and taking in more of the outskirts) presents many different faces to the visitor, depending on the area in which you travel. It is often roughly divided into 2 distinct areas that are known as the 'White Peak' and the 'Dark Peak'. The White Peak, a limestone plateau, particularly characterised by green fields and white stone field walls, encompasses the areas around Bakewell, Matlock, Ashbourne and the Dales. This part of the region tends to sustain the more closely grouped Derbyshire villages and the ones most frequently attracting tourists. Another part of the region has the rivers Derwent, Wye, Dove and Manifold running through it and it is here, also, that the beautiful and impressive dales have been carved out. Visit Millersdale, Dovedale, the Manifold Valley, Chee Dale, Monsal Dale, Lathkilldale and the Matlock Gorge to enjoy the majestic grandeur of the limestone rocks and steep sides that have been created by Nature's own hand. The Dark Peak lies around the north, east and west of the White Peak and is of a quite different character. Here the villages and hamlets are more widely separated. It includes areas of dramatic upland beauty as the wild moors stretch into the distance. Peat and heather are underfoot and, often, the only other living things are the hardy sheep. These are the magnets that draw the walkers. The gritstone edges that break through and dominate the skylines are the challenging rocks that draw the climbers. However, it doesn't have to mean a 20 mile hike before you can enjoy these places, some parts, mainly the more southerly, are criss-crossed by many minor roads, packhorse routes and bridleways, so that even if an easy ramble is on your agenda you can still take it on these majestic and dramatic uplands.

The Peak Distirct attracts millions of visitors every year, from both home and abroad as, apart from the glorious landscape, there is so much else to see and enjoy. No introduction to the Peak District would be complete without mention of the Well Dressings that take place throughout the summer months in dozens of the villages. They are unique to the Peak District and involve whole communities who make the elaborate pictorial set-pieces using flower heads, seeds and leaves, held together in a clay base. There are fabulous stately homes, 2 castles, caves and caverns, mines, ( including the world famous Blue John Mines), pretty villages, industrial archaeology, mills, watermills and so on and on. Ramble, cycle, drive, climb, watch the wildlife, study, explore caves, ride, discover, wander, and you'll find the Peak District offers something for everyone to enjoy. Visitors to the Peak District will find Visitor Centres at Castleton, Bakewell, Upper Derwent at Bamford (central to the Howden & Ladybower Reservoirs) and the Moorland Centre at Edale (close to the start of the Pennine Way long distance walk).