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The Peak District is the start of the famous Pennine Way. It is divided into two areas known as Dark Peak and White Peak. Dark Peak gets its name from the dark hue of the underlying geology of millstone grit. The most dramatic landscapes are undoubtedly the areas around Kinder Scout with its smooth and weird boulders and craggy cliffs, but these paths are also very popular and so the other less dramatic areas such as Bleaklow and Black Hill which are no less beautiful are better for the walker seeking solitude. Many of the Dark Peak footpaths run along high ridges giving uninterupted panoramic views of distant reservoirs and conifer forests. White Peak also gets its name from local geology. The most well known area of White Peak is undoubtedly Castleton. It was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, who first described the countryside around Castleton as a ‘hollow country’. ‘Could you strike it with some gigantic hammer, it would boom like a drum or possibly cave in altogether’, he wrote, showing a keen appreciation of the local geology.

The Peak District mountain range boasts more aircraft wreck sites than anywhere else in Britain and searching for them, especially the World War 2 ones, has become a hobby in its own right and is a fine way of testing navigation skills or putting your GPS to good use.

There is an abundance of wildlife in the area, with red grouse and mountain hare being quite common and often startling unaware walkers. Heather moorland is everywhere, giving a pink hue in summer and mottled effect in winter.

History is everywhere with prehistoric barrows, stone circles, roman roads and pack horse trails. Many of the place names such as tumulus are of Celtic origin. Many areas have their own stories and a good guide book will tell you of these so that you are aware of them as you walk through.

Hillwalking is very established here, in fact, it was born here. The famous mass tresspass took place here and a plaque on the rock face in the car park in Hayfield approaching Kinder reservoir marks its starting point. The Pennine Way is the Dark Peaks motorway with a steady stream of day walkers and long distance Pennine Wayers. The adjoining footpaths are less used but also less maintained, and take you through wild country whilst areas such as Bleaklow are wilder still, and (especially midweek) can be utterly deserted.

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