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Celebrating 70 years of the Peak District National Park
April 17, 2021Archives
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Happy Birthday to The Peak District National Park!
Did you know that today, 17th April 2021, is the 70th birthday of the Peak District National Park, which was the first National Park in the UK?
During the early 1930’s there were proposals to make Dovedale the first national park. As a result of the Depression the only escape from misery for many unemployed people was to get out into the countryside for cheap and healthy exercise. As we have recently been in lockdown we can all appreciate the positive effects getting outdoors can have on your mental health during difficult times.
At the time the northern moors were strictly preserved for grouse shooting. This led to protest meetings with demands for access to the countryside and the growth of the right to roam movement.
In 1931 a government inquiry recommended the creation of a ‘national park authority’ to select areas for designation as national parks. However no further action was taken, so discontent amongst the working classes grew.
Kinder Scout Mass Trespass
Things came to a head when on 24th April, 1932, hundreds of men and women defied the law to walk over hills and moorland to the plateau of Kinder Scout, in Derbyshire.
Gamekeepers challenged the protesters and scuffles broke out resulting in five arrests. The Kinder Mass Trespass and harsh punishment of their leader , 20 year old Benny Rothman, and his associates unleashed a huge wave of public sympathy.
As time passed leisure enthusiasts and nature conservationists banded together to lobby the government for measures to protect – and allow access to – the countryside for the benefit of the nation.
Over time this led to The Peak District being designated as the first national Park in 1951. The Lake District, Snowdonia and Dartmoor National Parks also became designated parks later that year. The Royal Mail have introduced a set of stamps depicting the National Parks, including one for The Peak District. 
In March, Campaign for National Parks led hundreds of individuals and organisations, including Campaign to Protect Rural England on a special walk in the Peak District. Debs from The Outdoor Guide joined the party with Matt Baker and the CountryFile crew, at the viewpoint at Hollins Cross to celebrate the 70th anniversary and show how the parks are truly accessible for all.
20 Fascinating Facts about The Peak District
- The name ‘Peak’ does not relate to mountains! It comes from the Pecsaetan, an Anglo-Saxon tribe who settled the area.
- The Peak Park covers 555 square miles, taking in parts of Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Greater Manchester.
- The Peak District is divided into three areas; the Dark Peak with it's dramatic moorlands and gritstone ridges, the South West Peak, with the iconic Roaches and rich rush pastures, and The White Peak, where Hoe Grange is situated, with steep limestone valleys.
- Around a third (20,000,000) of the UK population live within an hours drive of the park.
- It is very much a working landscape with 1,800 farms covering 90% of the area and 70 quarries suppling the finest limestone for construction, animal feeds, pharmaceutical and cosmetics.
- The park has 13,000,000 visitors a year and Covid has seen a marked increase in the use of the parks many trails.
- It has 34 miles of disused railways – the High Peak Trail above Hoe Grange, originally built in 1837 was opened as a trail in 1973 and has spectacular, panoramic views.
- There is 1,600 miles of footpaths, 65 miles of which are wheelchair accessible. Miles without Stiles are suitable for people of all fitness levels and those with limited mobility, including wheelchair users, families with pushchairs, and the visually impaired
- The Peak District Boundary Walk is 188 miles and circles the entire Peak District National Park.
- There are 55 reservoirs in the Peak District, which supply 450 million litres of water a day.
- The Peak District has the only UK population of mountain hares outside the Scottish Highlands. Take a My Guided Walk with Paul and you may be lucky enough to spot one!
- Did you know many films have been located in the park? These include The Duchess, Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, The Other Boleyn Girl and Robin Hood.
- The Peak District was the location for the TV series Peak Practice, one episode of which was filmed at Hoe Grange – as filming was taking place in our kitchen our children loved eating breakfast on the double decker canteen bus!
- The Peak District is also famous for Blue John stone, which is unique and only found in Blue John and Treak Cliff caverns in Castleton.
- Kinder Scout is the highest peak at 2086ft (636m). Kinder Scout was the location of the 1932 mass trespass, which lead the way for the Right to Roam movement giving access to the countryside to the mass population.
- The park is the home of the tradition of Well Dressing, with Tissington, just a few miles from Hoe Grange, being the best known. It was originally a pagan ceremony to honour water gods, and is now a summer tradition. Sadly due to Covid the well dressings at Tissington have been cancelled this year, but I am sure they will be back bigger and better than ever next year!
- Chatsworth House, known as the Jewel of the Peak District, is just one of the 2,900 listed buildings and one of many stately homes open to the public.
- There are stone circles at Arbour Low and Stanton Moor, as well as 450 historical monuments.
- Local artist, Sue Prince, created 180 paintings during three lockdowns. Sue started her paintings the day after the announcement of the first lockdown - on March 16th 2020 - depicting daily experiences familiar to us all.
- And of course Hoe Grange Holidays is the ideal base from which to explore all that the Peak District National Park has to offer!!
At Hoe Grange we supported the Peak District National Park Foundation's project #70kfor70 contributing to the Moors for Future project to help conserve this special landscape and ensure it is accessible for all to enjoy.
The Peak District National Park Foundation believe "Our right to enjoy the National Park was hard won by ordinary folk. In that spirit, let’s fight to make it ever more accessible, for everyone to enjoy. But it is also unique and very fragile; we must always strive to keep it special. This is what we believe – and why we exist. With your support, we can start to make good things happen."
Our national park is a very special place, so if you have enjoyed exploring our unique countryside whilst on holiday why not help preserve it for future generations?
You can make a small donation to the Peak District National Park Foundation - they have a range of projects including "Peak District Proud Fund" which organises volunteer conservation work, such as tree planting, dry stone walling and footpath maintenance. There is also a specific Access Fund to enhance the accessibility of paths, improve signage, and replace stiles.
Here's to the next 70 years!
Felicity
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Hoe Grange Holidays Tripadvisor Comments...
- ElizabethA717
It's been three years since we last visited but once we arrived it certainly didn't feel like it!
We stayed in Hipley again which had had a refurbished wet... read more
September 21, 2019plopster1 We had a lovely time staying in one of the incredibly well equipped pods. I bought my pony along and we had some great rides on the high peak trail.... read more
June 7, 2019Charlotte M Second visit to the accessible holiday cabins at Hoe Grange. David and Felicity were as helpful and friendly as ever. We had a welcome pack of freshly baked bread, butter,... read more
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