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The Peak District has a long history of public
access for a variety of purposes. The heritage of the moorlands
can be experienced in a many ways, for example: viewing the landscape,
observing wildlife, following ancient trackways, climbing prominent
rock crags, walking the Pennine Way, or visiting key observation
and archeological sites. Many regular visitors know and love particular
upland paths and open moors, or historic climbing routes, or popular
and accessible path networks in valleys such as the Derwent and
Edale. However, surveys have shown that few visitors are aware of
much of the unique moorland heritage features that surround them.
New interpretation giving information on the unique landscape, history
and wildlife of the locality is therefore being developed. Moors
for the Future commissioned new surveys on the archaeological heritage
of the Edale and Burbage Valleys and the reports (Nos 3 & 8)
can be downloaded from our publications
page.
A total of 157 archaeological features and
19 artefacts findspots were identified by the recent survey of the
Burbage Valley. Download the full report
'From Cairns to Craters' or read the fascinating summary.
This represents a 785% increase in known archaeological features
as a result of this survey!
The international and national importance
of the moorlands is due to the unique range of heritage qualities
of the landscape. To provide the level of information that adequately
interprets the importance and diversity of these qualities, we commissoned
in conjunction with the Peak District Interpretation Partnership,
a set of area-wide interpretation plans. Telltale and Countryside
Training Partnership were contracted to carry out this work.
These plans include local community views,
expertise from a number of fields including nature conservation,
archaeology, cultural history, etc. and representatives of visitor
services and local tourism. In order to recognise the main landscape
diversities of the Peak District moorlands (identified in the Countryside
Agency's Countryside Character Areas report) each area was considered
independently: the Dark Peak, the South West Peak, and the Eastern
Moors. These plans are now complete and integrated into one document
- see
final report.
New interpretation for the Peak District
moorlands is a key part of the Project in order to encourage people
to appreciate the range of natural and historic landscape features
they pass through.
The range of projects is listed below:
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