Peak District Villages

The Peak District is scattered with a potpourri of pretty villages and market towns containing stone-built houses and cottages established over several centuries, mainly constructed of locally sourced limestone and gritstone with occasional mellowed red brick imported from the south of the region.

Settlements became established on the banks of Peak District rivers to utilize water for domestic use or to harness its power for mills and commercial enterprise. It is known from archaeological remains that the rich and fertile pasture of the southern Peak District and sheltered hollows in the north of the region were cultivated and farmed thousands of years ago, with many Peakland villages thereby being formed. However, in the last couple of centuries transport has played an important part in the creation and expansion of Peak District villages, especially with the introduction of the railways during the 19th century.

Peakland villages come in all shapes and sizes from quaint little hamlets to a more modest residential sprawl, many striving to retain their community spirit and individual characteristics with age-old local customs and traditions that make Peak District villages so very special and a fortunate and often fortuitous place to live.

Our collection of ‘LetsGo’ websites are intended to inform and assist visitors and residents of Peak District villages through a wealth of information and a directory of references.

Bakewell is undoubtedly the capital of the Peak District National Park, receiving countless visitors each year who all marvel at its markets, take pleasure in walking around Bakewell’s individual and interesting shops or simply enjoy staying in an assortment of B&B’s, hotels, holiday cottages and camp sites. They often take advantage of fabulous walks and cycle paths around the town, as well as enjoying a range of visitor attractions and places of interest. Visit www.letsgo-bakewell.co.uk which is packed with information, advertisers and providers with a street by street guide to minimize your search.

Buxton considers itself to be the ‘gap’ in the Peak District National Park – look at a map and you will see that the boundary encircles the town. This is due to the hills immediately surrounding Buxton being exploited by quarrying for their mineral content, an unfortunate but essential necessity for the economic balance of the area and a constant demand for stone. www.letsgo-buxton.co.uk tells the true story of this attractive and architecturally fascinating town which serves as the cultural capital of the Peak District with its Festival Fringe, museums and galleries.