On the surface, folklore seems to be a collection of fairy tales populated by mythical beings, designed to scare or fascinate children at bedtime. However, there is often a grain of truth in these tales. In pre-literate societies, oral traditions package events and deeds into easily remembered stories that are passed down and modified by succeeding generations. Folklore is the history and traditions of the common people of these lands.

When you look out over the splendid vistas that the Peaks have to offer, bear in mind that as little as 100 years ago, the landscape was viewed very differently to how we approach it today. In the past, much of the Peaks were working landscapes populated by masons and miners. Cross-country packhorse routes were often dangerous and slow. People moving over the moors between villages often became lost in bad weather and sometimes died. This resulted in the stoops and way-markers that we see dotted around the Peaks today. For every millstone that you find up on the edges, abandoned due to a flaw in the stone, this represents a significant loss in wages for one unfortunate mason, as they were paid by piece rate.

Going further back, into prehistory, before a decline in climate during the Bronze Age into the Iron Age, the moors were cultivated by farmers. Many of these field systems can still be found in places such as Hathersage Moor, Big Moor and Gardom’s Edge. It seems that nearly every hilltop has a cairn and stone circles are scattered throughout both the White and Dark Peaks. Thousands of years of occupation have left rich layers of history and folklore behind.