Walks Around Britain

The UK's first National Park is also its most popular - with an estimated 10 million visitors a year.

The Peak District covers around 555 square miles (that's 1,437 square kilometres) of hills and edges, and stradles the counties of Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and South and West Yorkshire.

It is conveniently divided into two areas :

• the Dark Peak, in the north, which is a mainly gritstone, sparsely populated area with the majority of the hills, and
• the White Peak, in the south, which is mainly limestone-based and where most of the population lives.

Some say the Peak District is the second most-visited national park in the world - and althought this probably isn't true, it's easy to see why the quote has come about.

The closeness to the major cities of Sheffield and Manchester, and the many surrounding counties, together with easy access by road and rail have all ensured the park's popularity.

The Peak District forms the southern end of the Pennines - the so-called "backbone of England", and much of the area is above 300 metres (1,000 feet).

The highest point is Kinder Scout, at 636 metres (2,087 feet) - a plateau made famous by the mass trespass in 1932, which resulted in a UK-wide rethink over access to the countryside.

Two long-distance walks feature in the Peak District...

Visit Peak District and Derbyshire
The official tourist board website.

Peak District National Park Authority
The official website of the park authority, packed with information.

Peak District National Trust on Facebook
Become a fan of the Trust's work in the area

Kinder Scout Mass Trespass.
The official site for the 1932 trespass on to Kinder Scout

Pennine Way Official Site

Official Trans Pennine Trail website

Derwent Valley Heritage Way
Website for the 55 mile (88km) long route through natural and industral landscape.

Peak District & Derbyshire Walking Festivals
Information about the various walking festivals in the area

Peak District Cottages and Hotels
Places to stay in hotels and cottages in the District and adjacent counties.

Peak Walker
A Photo Diary of Hillwalking