High Peak – Landscapes, Trails and Heritage

In High Peak, you’ll find vast moorland landscapes, a distinctive ridge and historic landmarks. The area includes the Kinder National Nature Reserve, the Vale of Edale and the Snake Moors as far as the Derwent Edges. For a sense of direction, explore a range of themes: the geology of Mam Tor, archaeological traces, walking trails and Edale’s heritage.

Landscape and Geology at Mam Tor

Mam Tor is a steep-sided, tail-shaped ridge formed from alternating layers of sandstone and shale. It lies at the boundary between the northern gritstone moors and the limestone plateau of Derbyshire. Here, you can consider the landform, rock strata and the transition between two types of landscape together. If you’re interested in geology, Mam Tor offers a clearly identified point of reference. The High Peak Estate adds to the landscape: it is an estate at high elevation, at the beginning or end of the Pennines, and characterised by dramatic scenery.

Archaeological Traces

Mam Tor is home to a well-preserved, single-rampart hillfort and two round barrows. These traces give the landscape an archaeological point of reference alongside its geological features. The themes are easy to distinguish when choosing what interests you: the hillfort and barrows belong to the site’s archaeological history, while the steep-sided ridge and its rock strata are part of its geology. This can help you decide which perspective best suits your trip.

Moorland Access and Trails

The High Peak Estate offers walkers open, unrestricted access to the moorland throughout the year. Occasional closures for land management may be announced on site. This is part of the access policy: if you’re planning a walk, look out for the relevant notices on site. The access information applies to the estate’s moorland.

The Peak District GeoWalk includes a section from Edale to Birchen Clough Bridge. The first two-thirds of this section follow the beginning of the Pennine Way. The reference point matters when comparing trail names: the overlap applies to the first two-thirds of the specified GeoWalk section. Edale is regularly served by trains on the Hope Valley Line to Sheffield and Manchester. These are two different points of reference for planning: the GeoWalk identifies a specific section, while the rail connection links Edale with the two cities. Check the timetable before travelling.

Heritage in Edale

Edale Parish Church is a Grade II listed building. It was completed in 1889 and has remained largely unchanged since then. The church has three stained-glass windows by Ninian Comper. There are also heritage information panels and short videos about the region and the church’s history; these resources may be updated over time. The details each highlight different aspects: the completion date and condition provide an architectural history context, while the windows have a specific artistic attribution and the panels and videos add regional and church history content. In contrast to the hillfort and round barrows at Mam Tor, the focus here is a listed church building with a history of its own.

Discover more destinations: Tansley, Baslow, Codnor, Brimington, Ticknall, Froggatt, Ripley, Chapel-En-Le-Frith.

Return to the main travel overview: Derbyshire.