The Peak District (or as it is officially known, the Peak District National Park) is a very large region, covering a large part of northern Derbyshire as well as portions of greater Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Yorkshire.

The national park really is an area of outstanding natural beauty and gone are the days when agriculture or industry played the major role in the area.

Peak District Tourism is one of the major employers in the region now so you can rest assured there is no shortage of comprehensive Peak District tourist information available if you know where to look.

There is also an impressive amount of Peak District cottages to rent too , but book early to get the best ones.

The Peak District is the most heavily visited national park in the country (and reputedly the second most visited in the world), largely because of its location near to major urban centres.

It’s not just the English who love to visit the Peak District though; the park attracts visitors from every part of the world each and every year – this park is a global draw for nature lovers and those that love outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and rock climbing.

As well as the many cottages in the area there are also a number of barn conversions are available as lodgings for travellers; these are great for families and other larger groups of vacationers.

For those who have a romantic getaway in mind though will probably prefer a holiday cottage which are available to let and can be rented for extended stays as well.

The Peak District is not mountainous as the name might suggest, but rather made up of hills and uplands instead.

The Peak District is made of two parts – the northern moor lands, featuring much grit stone which are known as the “Dark Peak”. The other portion is the “White Peak”, the southern region made primarily of limestone.

The Dark Peak is mainly used as grazing lands for sheep. This is due to the Dark Peak having a lot of bog areas. This part of the park does have a lot of game hunting available to the sportsman, however, with grouse being a favourite prey.

By contrast, the White Peak is more agricultural in nature, including large scale dairy farming. Herds of cattle may be observed grazing throughout the southern regions of the Peak District.

Despite the more than 2,000 farms in this area, agriculture is only a small part of the economy in the region – this is due to that most of these farms are smaller family concerns.

When planning a trip to the Peak District, be certain to leave a little time in your schedule to pay a visit to nearby Sheffield, the 8th biggest city in England.

anastasiak :: Aug.16.2008 :: Travel Guide :: No Comments »

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