White Peak Walks: The Southern Dales: 30 Walks in the Peak District, Derbyshire and Staffordshire: 30 walks in Derbyshire and Staffordshire (Cicerone guides)

by Mark Richards (Author)

• Used

  Paperback
  2009

  $3.26

  A guide to walking the southern dales of the White Peak area of the Peak District, England UK, between Ashbourne, Matlock, Buxton and Leek. In 1951 the Peak District - 555 square miles of breathing space between the cities of Manchester and Sheffield - became the UK's first National Park and rightly so. This much-loved landscape has cultural integrity, geographical variety, treasured wildlife habitats and lots of recreational opportunities. Its rockier southern half, the White Peak, takes its name from the underlying limestone and is a charming mosaic of idyllic villages, pastures, woods and valleys. The walks in this guide explore both the high rolling plateau and the seclusion of the side dales, following the twists and turns of the Dove, Manifold and Hamps rivers. The book offers a wide selection of easy circular routes of up to 10 miles, illustrated with OS map extracts and forms one of the first two books in Cicerone's three-volume series on the Peak District.

• Used

  Paperback
  2003

  $3.26

  Even though increased mobility has extended the diversity (in terms of sights and sites) of beautiful countryside within range of the millions who inhabit middle England, the White Peak remains tremendously popular among casual walking visitors. The area offers an amiable landscape despite the vagaries of its climate, dissected by countless walls, abundant in pastures and woodland, its limestone outcrops completing the interplay of green and white. It also offers a well-maintained footpath network. The 'net' effect ensures that walkers feel at ease and relaxed in their wanderings as in few other places in England. The boundaries of this guide are defined on the east by the long spine of Axe Edge and Morridge, to the south by the Weaver Hills and Ashbourne, continuing north-eastward with the B5035 to Cromford and Matlock, cutting west via Youlgreave to Parsley Hay and Earl Sterndale back to the source of the Dove. This is predominantly limestone country, with only the shale uplands west of the upper Dove and lower Manifold and the gritstone of Harthill and Stanton Moors to lend contrast. To strong walkers, the selection of outings may seem of modest ambition, but for the majority of casual visitors they will be found to be of perfect length for refreshing exercise and a gentle introduction to this truly beautiful walking region.