Altripiani continuously seeks for suggestive places between nature and people who live and respect the environment.

This time we went to the Peak District – England, with two of our friends who are betting on their lives working in London for several years now.

Bank Holiday Weekend for them, a new adventure for us.
To reach the Peak District from London there are about 4-5 hours by car, it depends on the coffee breaks.
The Peak District is a hilly part of central-north England, southeast of Manchester, and it’s known as the Peak District National Park, Britain’s first national park.

It is the country’s longest hilly chain, ranging from the borders of Scotland to the Midland plains, and can be divided into two morphologically distinct areas: the White Peak in the south and the Dark Peak in the north. The first one is characterized by deep valleys and green fields, the second one for the moorland, the peat and the sandstone heights.

The word “peak” makes you think of something dramatically high, but the highest point in the Peak District is the Kinder Scout, which reaches 636 meters in height. In fact, height differences are not that challenging and plateaux surround us at anytime.
A distinctive feature of this area are the long distances to walk: you can trek for a couple of hours as well as for many days. The whole site provides many camping areas and small stone houses fully equipped in order to host the hiker.

Before it became a National Park, the Peak District was a destination for the workmen of the area to relax from the tiring work of the factories. Initially, however, most of the lands belonged to private citizens grazing their sheep and therefore, many areas were inaccessible to the public. After several struggles, in 1951 the Park was established and thanks to its centrality and proximity to half of the English population, it is very much appreciated for the outdoor life.

Our advice is to make a little web research at home, then book a cottage in the green and visit the town of Buxton on your first day. Don’t miss the Pavilion Gift Boutique where you can find some information, useful advices from the experts and you can also buy geographic maps on different scale.

It’s always nice to see groups of independent teenagers equipped with huge dangling backpacks getting lost in the roundness of these hills looking for adventure.
The wind blows strong here, but you immediately get used to it. People wear high boots even if they don’t need them as the difficulty levels are very low. Of course, there is always mud to consider, but that actually doesn’t discourage enthusiasm.
The rain is not a problem at all, but the sun on your pale skin could be an issue.

Even if it’s such a popular destination, given the vastness of the Peak District, it is always possible to enjoy peace and solitude. Occasionally you meet someone and, as on any mountain, you wish them a good day and a safe hike.

The Park is a simple place, where hospitality is synonymous of cheerfulness. There are just some simple rules to follow, one of which is to keep the dogs on a leash while crossing the courtyards near the farms.

At the end of the day you can enjoy one of the several craft beers with your friends.