If you ever get the chance to explore some of England’s incredible countryside, a trip to the Peak District should absolutely be on your list of things to do first. This incredible national park is home to some seriously hilly climbs and green pastures – and there’s a reason why millions of us flock to the area every year for some fresh air and much needed relaxation.
That is, even if you want a relaxing holiday here! Peak District trips don’t have to be spent in the cabin – strap your hiking boots on, grab a walking pole, and get exploring. Before you do, however, here’s Fact City’s complete guide to the Peak District with some fascinating facts for you to digest.
1. The Peak District stretches across an impressive distance.
If you were to suggest the Peak District resides in one specific county, you’d be wrong! This truly immense park actually spans an impressive six different county areas across England, taking into account areas in West and South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and Cheshire.
That means any visitors heading from these areas can easily start exploring with a short drive – there’s no wonder it’s such a popular park when it’s so accessible! In fact, it’s considered the most accessible of all the national parks, particularly because you can get here easily via cities in the midlands and the north.
And, let’s get technical about its size – it covers six counties because it’s truly enormous, measuring around 555 square miles or 1,438 km total.
2. It was the very first national park to be established in the UK.
Yes, believe it or not, of all the UK’s breathtaking national parks, it was the Peak District that got the official status first. It had the honour bestowed upon it all the way back in April 1951.
Since then, 14 more parks have joined the ranks with national status. There are ten in total in England, including the Peak District. Other popular national parks in England include the North York Moors and the Lake District. Why not try and explore them all if you can?
3. There are plenty of hikes in the Peak District, but no mountains.
Ok – full disclosure – I wasn’t joking when I mentioned that there are hikes and hilly walks out here, but there aren’t actually any mountains in the area! The name’s a bit misleading, but it actually has a historical significance.
It’s thought that the Peak District was named after the people who first settled in the region all the way back in 500 AD. They were called the Pecsaetan tribe – and, as it happens, have also been known as the Peak Dwellers! So now you know – don’t expect mountains if you’re booking a trip out here any time soon.
4. That said, it’s a fantastic training ground for many climbers.
There’s technically a lack of mountains here, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t hills to climb! In fact, many seasoned climbers flock to the Peak District to train and challenge themselves.
For a start, there’s amazing hilly walks and climbs across Gardoms Edge, Laddow Rocks, Forggatt Edge, Kinder Downfall, and Valkyrie. If you take a look at some Peak District hashtags on social media you’re likely to find all kinds of photos and videos exploring some of the toughest climbs in the park.
5. It’s home to scores of different listed buildings.
One of the main reasons why people explore the Peak District is its incredible protected buildings and historic housing. England has something of an international reputation as far as incredible architecture goes, and the Peak District arguably has some of the best to offer.
For example, if you have enough time over the years, you can explore 2,900 different listed or protected buildings in the region. That includes world-famous, historically significant spots such as Bolsover Castle, Sudbury Hall, Biddulph Grange, Biggin Hall, and Chatsworth House.
These buildings are scattered across the counties, so make sure to build a list of what to visit when you’re crossing the borders!
6. It’s regularly frequented by millions of people.
No – I wasn’t kidding when I said that millions of us love to explore the Peak District. At the last estimations, it’s thought that the park welcomes more than 13 million visitors every single year. And, that’s just people specifically coming to the park – what about the locals?
It’s thought that around 20 million people have access to the Peak District thanks to being within an hour or less away. That’s almost 30% of the whole population of the UK!
7. Millstones are very important here.
Millstones, which are flat circles traditionally used to help grind and mill flour, have a significant historical presence in the Peak District. Specifically, the symbol of the park is a millstone – mainly because of the area’s history of hosting quarries, dating back millennia.
Yes – it’s true! Historians and archaeologists have dug deep into the park’s history going all the way back to prehistoric times – and it’s thought that you can still spot some ancient millstones across the park while travelling. Try to take photos of as many as you can when you visit!
8. A whole area of the Peak District fell prey to the plague back in the 17th century.
If you recall the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, spare a thought or two for the poor people of Eyam, a village in the Peak District, back in 1665. It was at this time that the bubonic plague was running rampant.
In fact, it’s thought that cloth delivered from London was infested with fleas – causing the whole village to lock down until the threat had passed.
9. There are two main parts to the Peak District.
Although there are tons of towns, villages, and country walks for you to explore across the Peak District, the whole area is usually divided into two – the Dark and White Peaks.
The Dark Peak area of the district covers the moorland areas – while if you want to see the park’s dales, you will need to head to the White Peak half.
10. It’s home to some very famous water!
When exploring the Peak District, you might want to head towards Buxton, a world-famous spa town that produces bottled water from its natural springs. You can enjoy this water up and down the UK from supermarkets, but it might be even better to enjoy up close!
Buxton has also been famous as a holiday resort going back centuries – even to the time of the Roman Empire! It might be worth booking a night or two out here to see what the fuss was all about…
In fact, if architecture interests you more than H2O, you might want to take a look over at the Old Hall Hotel in the heart of Buxton – which dates back to 1573.
11. There are some spectacular dry stone walls.
That might not sound too exciting, but you really need to see them in person! Dry stone walls have been used in the Peak District for countless years – specifically to divide up fields in a criss-cross fashion (they look particularly interesting from overhead!).
In fact, there are thousands of miles of these walls across the district – some believe there are enough to build a wall around the Earth!
12. Certain legends are thought to be buried here!
Do you believe in the legends of Robin Hood? Regardless, it’s widely assumed that the body of one of the outlaw’s most faithful friends – Little John – is buried in Hathersage, a village in the Peak District.
He’s buried under a yew tree and his grave is marked – but, much like Robin Hood himself and the remaining merry men, not much evidence is out there regarding John’s existence otherwise!
13. If you like Jane Austen adaptations, you’ll probably recognise chunks of the Peak District.
It’s well-known that the Peak District has provided a spectacular backdrop or two for films and TV shows over the years. Perhaps most notably, “Pride and Prejudice” was filmed for the BBC in the area of Lyme Park.
If you look carefully at the sets of other adaptations of Austen’s novels, you might well recognise Chatsworth Hall and North Lees Hall, too!
14. It really is a walking paradise with thousands of miles to traverse.
Walkers flock to the Peak District frequently for its incredible trails of footpaths. It’s thought that there are more than 1,600 miles of footpaths for you to navigate across the region, as well as a variety of traditional bridleways.
You’ll find these paths going uphill, downhill, and across the woods and moors. One of the most famous paths in the park is the Boundary Walk, which takes you around the whole of the park’s circumference. You can break the trail down into stages, don’t worry!
15. The tallest point in the Peak District is well worth it for the views.
Kinder Scout is the highest point across the whole of the Peak District – the peak of the Peaks, if you like! It measures around 2,086 feet, or 636 metres tall.
It’s a popular trail for avid climbers and hikers, and not only that, it gives incredible views across much of the park. Again, it’s well worth exploring Peak District hashtags on social media to see what you’re missing out on!
16. There’s a spot in the Peak District that has a rather cheeky name.
Believe it or not, there’s a cave in Castleton, in the Peak District, called the Devil’s Arse! As unappealing as the name might be, it still pulls in plenty of visitors – but why would you call such a natural spot by this kind of title?
Legend states it’s called the Devil’s Arse thanks to rude-sounding noises that the cave is known to emanate after flood water starts draining out – stick around, and you might be able to hear it!
17. The Peak District is sometimes referred to as a living landscape.
The living landscape term refers to the fact that the Peak District is more than just wilderness. With many national parks across the world, you’re likely to find spaces to be completely wild or conserved with no built-up areas.
However, that’s where the Peak District differs. It’s called a living landscape because many people have set up homes here – at present, it’s thought that around 38,000 people call the area home, meaning there’s more than just flora and fauna to be found out here! Could you imagine living somewhere as idyllic as this?
18. The Peak District used to be a lagoon.
Yes, weirdly enough, history suggests that the Peak District actually used to be a fairly tropical area – we can tell this thanks to fossils of sea creatures that experts have dug up over the years.
However, it’s been more recently used as wide-open farmland, and by more recently, I’m talking 6,000 years ago, plus! There’s still evidence that Roman farmers used to use the areas to cultivate fields and raise livestock across the region.
19. One of the world’s most famous paintings has the Peak District to thank.
The Girl with a Pearl Earring, the globally famous Vermeer painting, actually uses some paint that’s derived from the Peak District! In particular, it’s the lead in the paint used in the artwork that comes from the region. Could we call it a Peaks creation? Maybe not completely, but the area at least contributed.
20. There are lots of traditions and festivals that take place across the Peak District.
Just as you’d expect generally from quaint English scenes, the Peak District is home to a huge variety of traditions and folklore that are well worth exploring if you ever want to visit.
For example, on the 29th May every year, there’s a traditional Garland Day, where a King and Queen are selected from the village to ride horseback with flowers. There’s also well dressing ceremonies, where people choose to dress local wells to give thanks for fresh water. It’s thought that more than 70 of the villages in the Peak District take part in this ongoing tradition.
21. It’s an animal spotter’s paradise.
The Peak District is a wonderful natural habitat for all kinds of furred and feathered creatures. If you take your binoculars on a careful walk around the park, you’re likely to spot critters such as water voles, red deer, and mountain hares. The Peak District is the only place in England where you’ll find these hares, as they mostly hail from the highlands.
You’ll also be able to spot scores of orchid varieties as you explore the dales – meaning if you’re a fan of all things that bloom, there’s lots to take note of here, too!
22. The tallest cave in the Peak District really is a sight to behold.
The Peak District isn’t just known for its high-altitude walks and hilly spots. It’s also famous for its staggeringly tall Titan Shaft, a cave which you’ll find out in Castleton.
This truly goliath cave stands at around 141.5 metres or 464 feet tall – making it taller than many of London’s monuments.
23. The nation depends on the Peak District for plenty of water.
Remember I mentioned that Buxton was a hotspot for spa water? The Peak District in general helps to supply various cities, towns, and villages with hundreds of millions of litres every year. The area is well-known for its fantastic water quality, and for the fact there are seven waters flowing across the park!
Rivers you’ll find flowing in and out of the Peak District include the Dove, the Wye, the Bradford, the Manifold, the Lathkill, the Derwent, and the Trent. Of all these, the Derwent is the longest.
24. There are also a few reservoirs to watch for.
Fans of reservoirs – we know you’re out there – have plenty to rejoice about when exploring the Peak District, too! For example, there are three – the Howden, the Derwent, and the Ladybower – that were built to help control the waterways.
The Derwent and Howden in particular look fantastic – they’re built in a Gothic Victorian style – there are even towers attached to the dams!
FAQs About The Peak District
Why is the Peak District so famous?
The Peak District is world famous for its rugged countryside, its rolling hills, and its effortlessly green dales. It’s a popular filming location and encompasses many different traditional villages across the English midlands. It’s a famous holiday destination for many British people, and is easily accessible from several cities.
What food is the Peak District famous for?
One of the most famous dishes to come from the Peak District is the Bakewell pudding or tart. Since adopted en masse by the Kipling’s company, you haven’t tried a true Bakewell tart until you come to the Peak District! There’s also Staffordshire oatcakes to try in nearby villages, too.
What was filmed in the Peak District?
Famous productions for the small and big screen to have been shot in the Peak District include Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, The Dambusters, and Elizabeth. It’s typically popular with costume drama adaptations that make the most of quaint English locations.
Further reading
https://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/home
https://www.visitbritain.com/en/destinations/england/peak-district
Do you know any interesting facts about The Peak District? Share them in the comments below!