Peak District Towns & Villages
Buxton
Buxton As the Gateway to the Peak District, the historic spa town of Buxton should feature in the itinerary of every visitor to this area. It has something for everyone, with stunning Georgian and Victorian architecture, beautiful parks, quirky shops, top-class theatre, and fantastic dining. For the kids there are caves to wonder at, woodland trails to explore, and a Go Ape experience with thrilling aerial rope walks. Places to see The Romans settled in Buxton from around 78AD, naming it Aquae Arnemetiae, meaning the Spa of the Goddess of the Grove, and it has been renowned for the healing properties of its spa waters ever since. The town grew in size...
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Calver
The pretty village of Calver lies on the border between the White Peak and the Dark Peak, situated on the River Derwent and surrounded by the most beautiful scenery. There is evidence that this part of the Derwent Valley has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and Calver itself is an ancient village, mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is made up of three distinct areas: Calver Bridge, Calver Sough (pronounced ‘Suff’) to the north, and the main village itself. The older part of the main village has a cluster of lovely stone cottages gathered around an ancient village cross. There is also a lovely pub, the Derwentwater Arms,...
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Castleton
Castleton A day in the beautiful village of Castleton should feature in the itinerary of every visitor to the Peak District. It is surrounded by stunning scenery, nestled in the hills at the western end of the Hope Valley, Castleton has something to offer for everyone. Castleton for outdoor adventures For outdoor enthusiasts Castleton is the perfect gateway to the moorland and hill trails over Kinder Scout, Mam Tor and the Great Ridge, and its many cave systems will appeal to adventurous kids of all ages. Visitors who prefer a gentle pace of exploration will enjoy wandering through its narrow lanes, browsing the independent shops and sampling the fare in the many...
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Crowdecote
The picturesque hamlet of Crowdecote lies on the River Dove, which divides the Derbyshire Peak District from the Staffordshire Peak District. It is a small place, but very pretty – and situated in the most stunning scenery. An ancient settlement, it is believed that the name comes from Cruda’s Cot, Cruda being a Saxon landowner. Today the hamlet is made up of a cluster of lovely stone cottages and a warm, welcoming pub, aptly named The Pack Horse, located on the charming little packhorse bridge that spans the River Dove. The bridge dates from 1709. Close to the distinctively pointed Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill, as well as the justifiably...
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Curbar
The very pretty village of Curbar lies on a hillside, perfectly positioned overlooking the River Derwent, sheltering under the mighty gritstone edges of Curbar Edge and Baslow Edge. This is an ancient village, growing at a crossing point of the River Derwent and the packhorse route between Sheffield and Manchester. Bar Road, one of the main roads through the village, is an old Roman packhorse road. The village has an interesting history in more modern times too; the Great Plague came to Curbar in the 1630s, more than 30 years before it broke out in London and in the famous local plague village of Eyam. The Cundy Graves, found...
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Earl Sterndale
The small but pretty village of Earl Sterndale is situated amid beautiful Peak District countryside in the Upper Dove Valley in Derbyshire, close to the Staffordshire border. It is a popular base for walkers, lying in the foothills of the distinctive Parkhouse and Chrome Hills, and within pleasant walking distance of Dovedale. The village economy is mostly based on farming and quarrying, as it has been for centuries. The farms surrounding the village were originally monastic granges maintained from Basingwerk Abbey in Flintshire, Wales, which owned significant amounts of land in Derbyshire. The village today is a busy, friendly community, with a thriving school, as well as a lot of...
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Peak District Towns & Villages by County
Click on the interactive map to view Peak District Towns and Villages by County
