About the Region
The Peak District was Britain's first national park, designated in 1951, and remains one of the most visited landscapes in the world. Its contrasting Dark Peak gritstone moors and White Peak limestone dales offer entirely different walking experiences within a compact area.
Kinder Scout (636m) is the symbolic heart of the Peak District — site of the 1932 Mass Trespass that paved the way for the right to roam. The Edge walks — Stanage, Derwent, Curbar — are iconic gritstone classics beloved by walkers and climbers alike.
"Kinder Scout is sacred ground — where ordinary people fought for the right to walk free."
— Benny Rothman
Access Legacy
The Kinder Scout trespass by 400 walkers led directly to the National Parks Act 1949 and eventually the right to roam on open moorland.
The gritstone edges and peat moors of the north contrast sharply with the limestone dales and caves of the south — two parks in one.
The Pennine Way begins on Kinder Scout; the Dark Peak circuit and limestone trails provide weeks of walking variety.
When to Visit
Conditions improve and crowds thin. Snow may linger on the highest tops — check before heading above 700m.
Long days and warm weather, but popular fells can be busy. Early starts reward you with empty summits.
Many walkers' favourite season. Rich colours, stable weather windows and noticeably fewer people on the paths.
A serious undertaking above the snowline. Crampons and ice-axe skills required. Views on a clear day are unmatched.
Essential Routes
The classic high-level circuit of the Kinder plateau — via the Downfall and Snake Pass.
The finest gritstone edge in the Peak — a long dramatic escarpment above the Hope Valley.
The Shivering Mountain and Great Ridge — a superb half-day walk above Castleton.
A beautiful limestone dale walk with stepping stones and the shapely peak of Thorpe Cloud.
Ready to explore Peak District?
Browse all fells, plan routes, and track your progress.