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In 1951 the Peak National Park became the first National Park in Britain. It covers 1438 square kilometres (555 square miles) of beautiful and often wild countryside from the high (636m) moorlands in the north to the green farmland in the south. The great majority of the National Park is still in private ownership and most of it is farmed. The earliest travellers to the Peak District did not appreciate the natural landscape of mountain and moorland. The 7 WONDERS OF THE PEAK were described first in 1636, but Daniel Defoe, travelling in 1725 described the moors above Chatsworth as “a waste and a howling wilderness”. Gradually the taste for wild scenery grew and Ruskin enjoyed the “clefts, glens and dingles of the Peakland dales” just as modern visitors do. The Peak District National Park is now one of the most visited areas in the world. There are up to 30 million visits to the Peak Park each year - only Mount Fuji National Park in Japan has more visits! THE VISITORS Why do People Visit? Most people visit the Peak District to enjoy the spectacular landscape and also because of the peace and quiet they find there.
Where do People Come From?
Over 60% of all recreational visits to the Park are made during the months of May to September. In a typical summer week over 500,000 visits are made, while a typical low season week may have over 250,000 visits. Sundays are the busiest day. In the visitor survey of 1994, it was found that 9 out of 10 day visitors had been to the Peak Park before and 70% of visitors come to the Park once a month or more in the summer (many do not come at all in the winter) |
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WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TOURISM?
Employment
Tourism is one of the world’s most rapidly growing industries and an important part of the Peak Park economy. It is estimated that tourism in the Park provides around 500 full-time jobs, 350 part-time jobs and 100 seasonal jobs. There are also many more people working in shops and other service industries, whose jobs are also related to tourism.
Income
Tourism provides the income to keep many of the great houses in good hands. Chatsworth, home of the Duke of Devonshire, is one example. Here, paying visitors to the house and garden are supplemented by a popular Farmyard and Adventure Playground as well as events in the grounds.
Tourism provides an income and a livelihood for many local people. Visitors bring in an income to farmers with caravan and camping sites in their fields, to local villagers offering Bed & Breakfast in their homes and also to hotels and those renting out self-catering cottages. Farming in the bleak upland areas of the Peak Park is not a profitable occupation and many farmers can only continue to farm because of the additional income from visitors.
Tourism provides an increased income for local shops, which might not remain open if they had to rely on local trade alone. The popularity of honeypot villages, such as Castleton, means there is a greater level of local employment than is usual in a village of this size.
Preservation and conservation
Tourism can encourage the preservation of historic buildings and sites. Former mills such as Caudwells Mill have been restored in anticipation of the number of visits by tourists who are interested in such places. Other industrial sites such as Magpie Mine have also been preserved. Redundant farm buildings have found new uses as holiday accommodation, camping barns etc.
Continuation of traditional crafts is also encouraged. Thousands of visitors admire the well dressings in Peak Park villages and money is raised for local causes.
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