Updated February 2007
The most visited of the UK National Parks. Between Sheffield and Manchester. The first National Park in the UK, designated in 1951. The latest figures are that it received 22 million visitor days per year, many of which are facilitated by the car.
A recommended book is 'The Peak: Past and Present' by photographer Gordon Stainforth (his book on 'The Cuillins' is wonderful..) - includes photo of one of my Boiled Onions conquests: the pinnacle in Tegness Quarry
PEAK DISTRICT INFORMATION ONLINE
The most obvious place to visit is the PEAK DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK website (new URL as of 2007)
LOCATION
TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
BENEFITS BROUGHT BY TOURISM
PROBLEMS CAUSED BY TOURISM
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS
Once you've done this, you could try the VIRTUAL TOUR of the village, with photos to show different areas. Click on National Parks and then look for the link.
Try to find out more about one of the caverns. The caverns are a key attraction of the village, in addition to Peveril Castle.
TREAK CLIFF CAVERN: also used as one of the locations in 'The League of Gentlemen'
SPEEDWELL CAVERN
BLUE JOHN MINES
PEAK CAVERN
BAGSHAWE CAVERN
There's another set of photos and information from WHITBY school in Cheshire. There are some useful ones amongst the less useful ones.
VISITOR information at this Cressbrook site: named after one of the local mills. This is a great site for details on the PEAK DISTRICT - has some useful details on Geology, and tourist 'honeypots' such as Dovedale.
An excellent animation at this NATIONAL TRUST site. It's likely that you'll need a fast connection to use it with a group of students, but it's got a FLASH based game looking at a decision to develop an area of farmland, and at the various viewpoints surrounding the decision, and the influence of NIMBYs. There is an interactive series of exercises to work through, along with a series of PDF format worksheets which are suitable for Key Stage 3 age group. Go there now and work through the activity which is called WHOSE LAND ? Excellent graphics. Well done to the National Trust for taking a lead on this. Recommended.
NIMBY: standing for 'Not in my backyard' - an attitude held by some people that development is needed, but that they wouldn't want it next to their house e.g. people objecting to wind farms they may see from their bedroom window, despite the obvious need to increase the use of alternative energy
Some walks in the PEAK DISTRICT are available HERE. This has images of the walks and PDF downloads of the route. Well worth a visit to get a feel for the range of landscapes available in the area, notably the difference between the White Peak and the Dark Peak areas: limestone and gritstone exerting their influence on the landscape.
There are some good images of the PEAK DISTRICT at the PHOTOTRAVELS site. This is a good general photo site to visit for images on other themes and areas.
Try COUNTRYGOER for a general description of the area and some public transport information. Which bus do you catch to get to Castleton.
There are some particularly useful details on the area on the documented travels of J BUTLER.
The area around Castleton has LIMESTONE as its 'country rock'. This produces a specific kind of scenery when weathered which is called KARST, after a region in the former Yugoslavia (which reminds me, where is it now ?) The SHOW CAVES page linked to from here has useful geological map of the area.
Some good images on the site of some local accommodation: the THORPE BUNK BARN. Good images of Castleton and cement factory from Hollins Cross and along the ridge.
1. PEAK DISTRICT PROJECT
You could also use the following lesson plan. You will need Factsheet No. 7: Castleton: A Tourist Village from the PEAK DISTRICT website (link at the top of the page)
Answer the following questions in full sentences.
1. In which National Park is Castleton ?
2. Describe the location of Castleton.
3. Which main road runs through Castleton, and what happens to it just to the west of the village ?
4. What job opportunities are there in the area ?
5. How has the population of Castleton changed since 1951 ?
6. Look at the list of services. Which of these would you not expect to find in a small village in a rural area ? Which have been provided for the sake of the tourist visitors ?
7. What are the main tourist attractions in the area which are a) physical and b) human ?
8. What problems does the large numbers of tourists create ? (Use evidence from the sheets such as the numbers of people using the car park at certain attractions..)
9. Imagine you lived in Castleton. What would your view be on the increasing numbers of visitors to your village ?
Look at some of the other fact zones, and see if they can offer any further insights into the area.
2. QUARRYING
Thanks to SLN for the following links: http://www.virtualquarry.co.uk/virtualquarry.htm
Thanks to Dr. Stuart Hitch for this information:
Whiston (ST10 2DZ) village is under threat from the proposed expansion (doubling) of a Silica Quarry (Monneystone) run by WBB minerals.
It is proposed that the extension will continue for upto 25 years and that there will be an increase from 120 to 150 per day heavy lorries through a village that does not even have footpaths along the main road for it's residents to walk safely on.
The Whiston Action Group are oposing the
development and request epople to write to Bill Cash (MP) at the House of
Commons and to:
Mark Willis
Pricipal Planning Officer
Staffordshire County Council
Riverway
ST16 3TJ
to complain.
Aerial photo of the site at:
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=405000&Y=346000&scale=25000&width=500&height=300&gride=404555&gridn=345692〈=&db=pc&coordsys=gb
There is news reporting on the issue (top
right link):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2005/12/02/tv_archive_2006_1_feature.shtml
Parish Council not too pleased either:
Cllr. Ellis reported on Public Meeting called by Kingsley Parish Council re: proposals at Moneystone Quarry. 77 Whiston parishioners, press, Kingsley Cllrs., Cllrs. Cresswell, Ellis and Clerk present.
Great opposition to development, which would not benefit parish in any way.
Action Committee formed.
http://www.nestaffsregen-oakamoor.org.uk/minutes.htm
Environmental concerns as there are apparently some significant environmental sites bordering the current workings.
Great possibilities for a case study: check FACTSHEET 11 from the PEAK DISTRICT website.
Go HERE for some fieldtrip data from Castleton e.g. Car park data on visitors
Students can get a number of PANORAMIC VIEWS with moving Java applets from the excellent CRESSBROOK page - head for the 360 degree views on the website.
Some images from April 2006 of Castleton and the Peak District
Images by Mister P
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| Carl Wark near Hathersage | One for those 'tourist management' powerpoint slides | Peveril Castle from outside the visitor centre. | Descending Winnat's Pass into Castleton, as I have done on numerous occasions.. |
3. PRETTY POOR
This was a useful article in The Guardian in July 2006 - useful for students to explore the impression they gained from reading it, and also to compare it with a letter published later in the week by the Chair of the Peak Park Authority responding to it.
Some good quotes in the article.
4. Countryfile: Hope Valley (February 2007)
Programme from the Hope Valley featured details on:
Possible topics for investigation on a trip to the area.
PHYSICAL / GEOLOGICAL
Structure of the Peak - Dales and edges
Limestone features - caverns, Winnat's Pass above Castleton, Thor's Cave, Tissington Spires
Shale - Mam Tor
Gritstone edges: Stanage
Rivers: Burbage valley, good meanders near Hartington, Dove, Manifold, Noe, Derwent etc.
HUMAN
Quarrying
Honeypot issues: Bakewell, Castleton
New industry: areas around Buxton - spring water....
Transport - provision / sustainability
Tourism provision
Adventure sports
Reservoirs: Carsington Water, Hope valley
Jobs related to house prices - ratio ?
