Pictures of Edale

About Edale

Gloriously situated in the lofty heights of the Peak District National Park, the lovely village of Edale is the start for the torcherous 250 mile trek along the Penine Way to Scotland. The village is in outstanding countryside wedged between the towering limestone peak of White Peak and the gritstone, Dark Peak, it is a landscape of unimaginable beauty and splendour. The village streets are lined with ancient cottages and houses of differing styles but built with the uniformity of stone as the main building material, as if in defiance of the icy winds that blast through these bleak upland regions. The old church is strongly built of stone, its steeple soars skywards as if to dominate and dwarf the rest of the village.

Edale was first recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 and so it is an ancient place. In Elizabethan times much of village life centred around five cattle farms and it was not until the 18th-century that the vast lands were broken up into parcels of fields bounded by stone walls, and flooded with sheep. Sheep, graze these lands to this day. In sprintime, the vista is of frolicsome baby lambs amid rich green fields, while autumn brings a dramatic change the hills aglow in a mixture of glorious russet and rich purple. Winter brings its own delight with snow capped peaks and icy water tumbling down ragged ravines that can only be crossed by old rustic bridges. The long lazy days of summer are special, the land takes on a radiance, the views so clear, it6 is almost like the words to the song ' on a clear day you can see forever more'.

A stay in Edale can be as hectic or as peaceful as you wish. You can join organised walks or take a gentle stroll. There is a local Riding and Pony Trekking centre that offers varied activities, or you can simply relax and soak up the peace and quietness, hard to find in the world busy world beyond.

Attractions close to Edale include; Blue John Cavern, Treak Cliff Cavern, the village of Castleton, Speedwell Cavern and Peak Cavern.