Peak District
The
Peak District is an upland area in central and northern
England, mainly spanning
Derbyshire, but also covering bits of
Cheshire,
Greater Manchester,
Staffordshire and
South and
West Yorkshire. Most of the area became the first
national park in the nation. It is conventionally split into the northern
Dark Peak, where most of the
moorland is found, and the southern
White Peak, where most of the population lives. The park's controlling authority claims it to be the world's second most popular national park.
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View of the Edale valley from Mam Tor. |
The White Peak is underlain with early
Carboniferous limestone, which produces numerous
caves - this is sometimes known as
Karst topography. Under the Dark Peak lie
shales and sandstones of the late
Carboniferous millstone grit. Much of the Peak, and its adjacent areas, approximates to the structure of an eroded dome. The coal measures of the carboniferous lie just outside the district, especially on the eastern edge. Then, moving inwards, come the gritstone edges, the shales, and in the central region the limestone of the White Peak.
For a detailed description of the geology of the area see Cope's monograph.
The Pecsaetan, peaklanders or peakrills were a Anglo Saxon tribe who inhabited the central and northern parts of the peak district national park. They moved into the area around the 6th century. Evidence suggests they moved into an almost empty territory, as there had been famine and plague and the native celts mostly died out. They give their name to the peak district national park and like with the other Anglo Saxon tribes they still live there, with a few normans mixed in. The area the tribes inhabited was part of the anglian kingdom of Mercia and they spoke the Mercian language. The etymology of the name 'Peak' District is a corruption of the word '
Pict', rather than referring to the topography of the hills. This name is a reference to the pre-iron age people of Britain whose culture may have persisted much later in the uplands of Derbyshire. Celtic and pre-celtic customs and festivals are reflected in the Peak District today in extant traditions such as
well dressing.
The area has been a tourist destination for centuries, with an early tourist description of the area,
De Mirabilibus Pecci or
The Seven Wonders of the Peak by
Thomas Hobbes, being published in 1636. Visitors increased during the Victorian era, with railway construction providing ease of access. Guides such as
John Mawe's
Mineralogy of Derbyshire (1802) &
William Adam's
Gem of the Peak (1840) generated interest in the area's unique geology.
The
Mass Trespass of Kinder Scout, the highest point in the Peak District, in 1932 was a landmark in the campaign for
national parks and open access to
moorland in Britain. The Peak District National Park became the
United Kingdom's first national park on
April 17,
1951.
The first
long-distance footpath in the
United Kingdom was the
Pennine Way, which starts from the village of
Edale in the heart of the Peak District.
The National Park covers 555 square miles (1438 square km) of Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire. The Park boundaries were drawn to exclude large towns from the park; however,
Buxton is nearly entirely surrounded by the park.
*
Rock climbing in the Peak District*
horse riding*
walking*
cycling*
caving* airsports (
hang gliding and
paragliding)
*
water sports
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Rock climbers on "Ellis' Eliminate" (grade VS 4c) on Stanage. |
Western Grit (Staffordshire, Kinder, Bleaklow, and the Chew Valley)
*
The Roaches* Hen Cloud
* Ramshaw
* Windgather
* Castle Naze
*
Kinder* Shining Clough
* Dovestones Edge
* Ravenstones
*
Rob's Rocks*
WimberryEastern Grit (
Derwent Valley,
Sheffield,
Derbyshire)
* Rivelin
*
Stanage*
Derwent Edge*
Burbage*
Millstone*
Froggatt*
Curbar*
Birchen*
Gardoms*
Black RocksPeak Limestone*
Beeston Tor* Chee Dale
* Deep Dale
* High Tor
* Pic Tor
* Raven Tor
*
Thor's Cave* Wild Cat
*
Derwent Valley*
List of peaks of the Peak District*
Official website of the Peak District National Park Authority*
Official tourism website*
Peak District National Park educational site -- includes useful interactive map
*
Peak District Accommodation Guide*
A Photo guide to walking in the Peak District*
Attractions, activities, geology and historical information on the Peak District*
Peak District Webcam*
Peak Literary Festival*
Professional Outdoor Instruction (inc. Caving, Bushcraft & Climbing) based in the Peak District*
A gallery of free wallpaper-sized photographs of the Peak District in winter*
The Derwent Gallery
