The Peak District

The Peak District National Park was Britain's first national park established in 1951. It became a national park because of its varied landscape and because it was under considerable pressure from the ever-expanding towns and cities around it. It is an area of nearly 1,438 km² and stretches from the Pennine Moors in the north to the rolling limestone hills in the south. Bakewell is the National Park's largest town with around 4,000 residents, Tideswell has around 1,800 residets and Castleton 600. The total population of the national park is 38,000.

The Peak District is a year-round destination with activities and events happening throughout the year. A list can be found on the Visit Peak District website.

The Peak is a Mecca for the outdoor enthusiast whether you're into walking, climbing, caving, cycling, horse-riding, ballooning, hang-gliding, gliding, or para-gliding (I must have missed one or two out!).

Relax you're on holiday!

If the above has left you out of breath just reading it, then don't worry. There are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself without stretching the mind or working up a sweat. Chatsworth and Haddon Hall aren't far away along with lesser known but equally impressive 'piles', like Eyam Hall.

The beautiful Derbyshire Dales boast Cressbrook, Wye, Lathkill and Bradford Dales with their sparkling rivers, rich in wildlife are a short hop away and wonderful villages like Tideswell with it's Cathedral of the Peak and Litton, Foolow, Eyam and Edale are all worth visiting. There's some great shopping to be had and even some stunning lay-bys to sit in and watch others tire themselves out.

Don't forget, it's your holiday, spend it how you want to!