Living in the Peaks

Country Living: Life in the Peak District

The Peak District is home to dramatic gritstone landscapes, wild heather moorlands and gentle limestone dales, all of which have made it one of the best-loved landscapes in Britain. It is a ‘living landscape’ that has been shaped by humans over thousands of years and is home to a wide variety of culture, heritage and wildlife. Here are our tips for those who are interested in buying a home in the Peak District.

An Upland Area

The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England which was designated the first national park in the British Isles in 1951. It is an area of great diversity and is conventionally split into the northern Dark Peak, where most of the moorland is to be found, and the southern White Peak, which is home to most of the region’s population.

There are many great reasons to move to the Peak District. You get to enjoy all of the benefits of countryside living, such as a slower, quieter and more tranquil lifestyle, while at the same time being close to the major cities of Manchester and Sheffield. There is also good access to the counties of Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Staffordshire and South West Yorkshire due to strong road and rail links. These aspects make the Peak District a great choice of place to live if you have children to educate or if you need to earn a living.

Range of Amenities

There are a variety of towns and smaller villages in the Peak District, each with their own range of amenities. The region is also home to a number of good schools. Bakewell is the capital of the Peak District and popular villages include Chatsworth, Eyam, Dove Dale, Castleton and Padley. Smaller settlements such as Ible, Pike Hall, Parsley Hay, Oker and Bretton are just some of the more tranquil spots. For those who are in the mood to experience bigger city attractions, the city of Derby is just half an hour’s drive away from the national park.

The diverse and unique wider region of the Peak District and Derbyshire is home to some of the UK’s finest stately homes, such as Chatsworth House, Hardwick Hall and Haddon Hall. Other attractions include Heage Windmill, Alton Towers theme park and Bolsover Castle. Another popular attraction is the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site.