II.

Land and Resources

Derbyshire is very hilly in the north, where the southern end of the Pennine Hills forms a plateau that is sometimes called the Derbyshire Dome. The area is better known as the Peak District, and comprises a central plateau composed mainly of limestone (the White Peak), surrounded by gritstones (the Dark Peak) (see Peak District National Park). The area known as High Peak, lying between Sheffield to the east and Manchester to the west, reaches a height of 637 m (2,088 ft) at the flat-topped hill, Kinder Scout. On the eastern side of the county there is a coalfield, and in the south, which is mainly flat or undulating, the underlying material is marls, boulder clay, and pebble beds.

The main river is the Trent, which crosses the county in the south, entering from Staffordshire soon after Burton upon Trent. In the east, the Trent forms part of Derbyshire’s border with Leicestershire, before continuing into Nottinghamshire, just past Long Eaton. Other important rivers are the Dove, the Derwent, and the Erewash. The Dove forms the boundary with Staffordshire for most of its course, joining the Trent near Repton. The Derwent rises in the High Peak, then flows southward, joining the Trent near Long Eaton. The Erewash forms part of the boundary with Nottinghamshire. The Trent and Mersey Canal (Grand Junction Canal) crosses the southernmost part of the county.

The Peak District has been designated by The Countryside Agency as a national park. Dove Dale, in the Peak, presents some of the most beautiful river scenery in England. The valley of the Derwent also has great charm, especially at Derwent Edge in the High Peak, where there are curious rock formations, and from where the Derwent reservoirs can be seen. Miller’s Dale is where the River Wye runs between Buxton and Bakewell. There are several caves in the High Peak near Castleton, the most noteworthy of which is Peak Cavern, which, like Poole’s Cavern, near Buxton, has spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. Other caverns include Speedwell Cavern, which has a large underground lake at its centre (Bottomless Pit), and Treak Cliff Cavern. The Pennine Way footpath enters the north of the county and continues to the High Peak and the village of Edale. The High Peak Trail runs north-westward from High Peak Junction near Wirksworth. Mam Tor, known as the shivering mountain, is the site of an Iron Age fort.