The Peak District National Park, Britain's first when it was established in 1951, embraces a rich variety of landscape and wildlife, history and culture. Although it is close to large urban conurbations such as Sheffield and Manchester, its 1400 square kilometres provide abundant walking possibilities in beautiful surroundings.

The landscape includes the dramatic, muscular shapes of the internationally significant high moorlands mainly in the north of the Park, generally known as the Dark Peak, which you can explore with GRATE Little GUIDES' titles Kinder Scout, Ladybower, Hathersage, Goyt Valley, The Edges, and The Roaches. This contrasts with the steep-sided gorges known as dales cutting through the mellower limestone plateau of the centre and south, usually referred to as the White Peak, explored by GRATE Little GUIDES for Dovedale, Lathkill Dale, Hartington, Tissington, Carsington Water and Monsal Trail. The remaining titles, Bakewell, Calver, Chatsworth, Hope Valley, The Manifold and Matlock Dale, straddle the boundaries of these two main landscape types.

Peakland wildlife is characterised by upland species at the southern edge of their range, cloudberry for example, and lowland species at their northern extremity, such as limestone bedstraw. Some of the species and habitats which

the Peak District Biodiversity Action Plan is helping to conserve include Golden Plover, Twite, Merlin and Short-eared Owl in the Dark Peak, and some of the finest ash woodlands in Europe, together with flower and invertebrate-rich grasslands, in the White Peak.

Historical and cultural features which contribute to the distinctive Peak District heritage include the striking network of stone wall boundaries of the 19th century field enclosures, the sombre lead-mining remains from the 18th, and, looking much further back, the many signs of Bronze Age activity so apparent on the Park's Eastern Moors. There are halls and houses, of which the most famous is Chatsworth, and ancient, attractive towns and villages, many of them excellent bases for walking and covered by GRATE Little GUIDES.

Like all National Parks in the UK people live and work within its boundaries. While a primary statutory duty is to provide the means by which visitors can explore, enjoy and better understand the Park, that objective must have regard to the presence and privacy of local communities, as well as observing over-riding conservation objectives. Visitors are increasingly significant contributors to the local economy.