As part of National Parks week – a series of events have been organised in the Peak District. Several of them have a theme – Peak into the Past – 3 of the events are almost on our doorstep, one down Dovedale, another from Hartington to Pilsbury Castle & the third from Minninglow Car Park. Others are just a drive away. The events look varied, interesting and can involve all the family. Please note that some events must be pre-booked and others you can just turn up on the day.
Monday 27 July
Dovedale at Dusk
2 mile easy going walk, ‘watching and listening’ as the sun goes down. Meet Milldale car-park (GR: SK137547) at 7.30 p.m. finish 9.30 p.m. Torch useful. (suitable for familes)
Tuesday 28 July
Hartington to Pilsbury – 1066 and All That
Family Activity – A dramatised 3½-mile walk for families and history lovers, from Hartington to Pilsbury, helping celebrate the Festival of British Archaeology. Meet characters from the past, hear about archaeological finds. Children can wear medieval costume, sample medieval food, make banners. Booking essential on 01298 84992, £2 charge. Meet 10am, Hartington village bus stop. Finish 4pm. Bring picnic lunch, sturdy shoes, waterproofs.
Family Earth Walk in Tideswell Dale
Family activity – 2 mile walk in Tideswell Dale for the Family, with activities for children. Level surfaced paths. Meet Tideswell Dale picnic site (GR: SK154742) 11.00 a.m. finish 2.00 p.m. Booking essential 01298 871869. Children must be accompanied. (suitable for pushchairs, wheelchairs)
Warslow Wander
2 ½ mile easy walk looking at the history and heritage around the old village of Warslow. Meet Warslow Village Hall (GR: SK086585) at 2.30.p.m. finish 5.00 p.m. (suitable for families)
Family fun activity day at Castleton Visitor Centre
Come along with the National Park’s Field Services Team to try ….
river dipping – find out what can be found in our rivers.
meadow sweep – swish a net across the grass and see what you can pick up.
tree shaking
bark/leaf rubbings
habitat discovery
help create a collage of animals and insects seen during the event.
dry stone walling demonstration by the National Trust.
Morning session 10.30am-12noon
Afternoon session 2pm-3.30pm Cost: free.
Contact: book for morning or afternoon session on 01629 816572 or castleton@peakdistrict.gov.uk
Wednesday 29 July
Family Day in the Goyt Valley
Come and join the rangers for a family day out in the Goyt Valley. Lots of activities for all ages including navigation, mini-beast hunt and a sensory trail. Under 1 mile. Bring your picnic! Meet at Errwood Hall car park (GR: SK012748) between 11.00 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. finish 4.00 p.m.. Assistance dogs only (suitable for families)
Burial Chambers, Brilliant Views and a Setting Sun
2 ½ mile walk to see one of the most spectacular views in the Peak District. Learn about past and present and see panoramic views as the sun sets. Some uphill and uneven terrain. Meet Minninglow car-park (GR: SK194581) at 7.30 p.m. finish 9.30 p.m. Torch useful (suitable for families)
Tree of life – family fun activity day at The Moorland Centre, Edale
Come along and find out about wildlife living in the trees – day and night.
Join the National Park’s Field Services Team to ….
identify the trees in the grounds of the Moorland Centre
help create a tree collage in the centre
join in games leading up to meeting Edale’s Veteran Tree
10:00am – 4:00pm Cost: free.
Contact: 01433 670207 or email: edale@peakdistrict.gov.uk
Friday 31 July
Fishermen, Farmers and some Feisty Beasts
3 mile easy walk looking at the wildlife and farming in the Hartington area. Meet Hartington Village Centre (GR: SK128604) at 10.30 a.m. finish 1.00p.m. (suitable for families)
From Ducal Splendour to Quarrymen’s Delves: An Archaeological Walk from Baslow into Chatsworth Park.
A daytime walk with an archaeologist, starting at Baslow Nether End and taking in the northern part of Chatsworth Park, including ancient oaks, the site of 16th century gardens, an ice pond and old drives. Much was swept away when Capability Brown created the park, but traces of what came before remain, including field banks, turnpike roads, older hollow-ways and millstone quarries. Led by John Barnatt. The walk is about 5 miles and is easy but includes one relatively rough section. Meet at the pay and display car park at Baslow Nether End, (GR: SK258721) for 10.30 a.m. start. Bring packed lunch. Finish about 4.00 p.m. BOOKING ESSENTIAL Tel 01629 816200. (suitable for families) Already booked, please ring to add name to reserve list.
Saturday 1 August
Peak District Exposed
8 mile easy moorland walk to introduce the Peak District – history, wildlife and views. Meet ‘Cat & Fiddle’ (GR: SJ962712) at 10.15 a.m. finish 3.00 p.m. Assistance dogs only.
A White Peak Wander
5 ½ mile walk along river, through dale, woodland and across the limestone plateau to the village of Sheldon, short ascents and descents with some rough ground. Meet White Lodge car park on A6 Bakewell to Buxton (GR: SK170705) 11.00 a.m. finish 3.30 p.m (suitable for families).
‘High Peak Hike’ – Glossop to Edale
11 mile high level, linear walk following a classic route. Strenuous, rough ground. Meet Torside car-park (GR: SK069983) at 10.30 a.m. finish 4.30 p.m.
Sunday 2 August
Morning stroll round Fernilee
3 mile easy walk round Fernilee reservoir on a mixture of surfaced roads and woodland paths (no stiles). Includes one climb. Can be combined with the afternoon walk. Meet at Street car park (GR: SK013756) at 10.30 a.m. finish 12.30 p.m. (suitable for families, pushchairs)
Afternoon walk in the Goyt Valley
3 mile walk in the Goyt Valley on surfaced roads and woodland paths (no stiles) but includes two ascents. Meet at Street car park (GR: SK013756) at 1.30 p.m. finish 4.00 p.m. Accompanied children over 7. (Suitable for families)
The Lakes of the Little Don
10 mile moderate walk around Langsett, Midhope and Underbank Reservoirs. Meet Langsett Barn, car-park, Langsett (GR: SE211004) at 10.30 a.m. finish 5.00 p.m. (Suitable for families)
To see the Guided Ranger Walks – ongoing throughout the year. Click here
PARWICH.ORG 
The Peak Park has issued a further press release on these events linked to the celebration of Diamond Jubillee of the National Parks Act:
PR 607
10 July 2009
Diamonds are forever – National Parks Week celebrates 60th anniversary
This year’s National Parks Week (July 27-Aug 2) is extra-sparkling as Britain’s national parks celebrate their diamond anniversary.
It is 60 years since the 1949 National Parks and Access to Countryside Act led to special protection for our most beautiful landscapes – and free family events, picnics and walks are happening at all 14 national parks throughout the country.
To launch the week, the Peak District – Britain’s first national park founded in 1951 – is hosting a free Picnic in the Park on Sunday July 26 at Losehill Hall near Castleton (10.30am-4pm). Families can bring a picnic and go pond-dipping, craft-making or wildlife-spotting – book on 01433 620373.
Children can explore wildlife and heritage at other free events including:
Family Fun Days at Castleton Visitor Centre on Tuesday July 28 (10.30-noon, 2-3.30pm, details on 01629 816572) and the Moorland Centre, Edale, on Wednesday July 29 (10am-4pm, details on 01433 670207).
Family Day in the Goyt Valley, between Buxton and Macclesfield, with a mini-beast hunt, a sensory trail and navigation clues on Wednesday July 29, starting 11am-1.30pm (Errwood Hall car park) and finishing 4pm.
“1066 and all that” on Tuesday July 28 (10am-4pm) – a walk with one of the national park’s top archaeologists from Hartington to the remains of the 11th-century Pilsbury Castle. Medieval characters will greet walkers, and children can dress up, sample medieval food and make a clay model of the castle (£2, bring a picnic, book on 01298 84992).
In addition, there are free guided walks with rangers every day, varying from easy-going strolls in the gentler White Peak countryside to strenuous hikes across dramatic Dark Peak moorlands.
Peak District National Park chair Narendra Bajaria said: “The 60th anniversary of the Act that founded our national parks really is something to celebrate. There’s no better way to appreciate its achievement than to visit these glorious landscapes during National Parks Week.”
For full details of Peak District National Parks Week events, go to http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/anniversary/npweek2009.htm or call 01629 816558.
To find events in 14 national parks across the country, go to http://www.diamondsinthelandscape.org.uk/anniversaryevents.htm
If people visit several UK national parks between now and August 2010, they can take part in a National Park Passport competition, offering a host of prizes, including short breaks and family tickets to attractions. To enter, pick up a passport from national park visitor centres, or print it off from http://www.nationalparks.gov.uk
Most events are accessible by bus or train – information on http://www.traveline.org.uk or 0871 200 2233.
Information on the events of this week keeps on coming:
PR 608 – 13 July 2009
Bring your family to the national park picnic
Residents across the Peak District National Park are being invited to a family picnic and fun day to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the legislation that created national parks.
The free event will take place at Losehill Hall, the Peak District National Park Authority’s learning and environmental conference centre, at Castleton between 10.30am and 4pm on Sunday 26 July.
The picnic and fun day will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act and launch National Park’s Week, which runs from 27 July to 2 August. People taking part can bring their own picnic to eat in the 27-acre grounds of Losehill Hall.
The packed programme of free events for people of all ages includes:
• Guided walks of differing lengths for people of all abilities
• Pond dipping
• Sensory walk
• Story telling
• Art in the park
• Activities with the youth rangers team
• A self lead history trail
• A session to create your own national park picnic day book
• Un-natural trail
• Making a boggart out of clay – a boggart is a fairy that causes things to disappear.
For the more adventurous there will be a three-hour walk from Losehill Hall to Winnat’s Pass, leaving at 12.30pm. It will be led by Terry Howard from the Peak District Local Access Forum. Anyone interested should bring walking boots and suitable clothing with them. Places can be pre-booked by ringing 01433 620373.
Narendra Bajaria, chair of the Peak District National Park Authority, said: “The picnic is a great opportunity for the whole family to spend a day together in the wonderful grounds of Losehill Hall.
“The whole day is free and there are lots of activities for children of all ages to enjoy. It will also be a fun way of finding out more about what a national park is and why they were set up 60 years ago.”
To help protect the environment and reduce the number of cars at Losehill Hall the authority is providing a free mini bus which will collect visitors from Hope railway station at 10.38am and 10.45am on Sunday 26 July. Return mini-buses from Losehill Hall to the railway station will start at 4pm.
Anyone wanting to bring a car must pre-book by ringing Losehill Hall on 01433 620373. Only guide dogs can be brought to the event.
Losehill Hall is off the A6187, just outside Castleton. A map of how to find Losehill Hall and a full address can be seen at http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/losehill
Further details about the 60th anniversary celebrations and events during National Parks’ Week can be seen by visiting http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/anniversary or http://www.diamondsinthelandscape.org