The biggest town within the Peak District National Park is Bakewell, famous for its pudding, historic bridge, markets, and role as a central hub for visitors and services in the White Peak area. While towns like Glossop and Buxton are larger settlements bordering the park, Bakewell is the primary town located directly inside the national park boundaries, serving as its "Capital".
Bakewell is the only town within the Peak District National Park and as such plays a critical role in the provision of facilities and services to the surrounding settlements and as a tourist destination for visitors to the National Park.
Most Popular Villages and Towns in the Peak District. Castleton. Bakewell. Buxton. Matlock Bath. Edale. Eyam. Hartington. Towns & Villages in the Peak District (A-Z) – Full List.
Cities & Towns just Outside of the Peak District. Sheffield. Manchester. Huddersfield. Leek. Chesterfield. Ashbourne. Macclesfield.
Top Ten Most Beautiful Villages in The Peak District
What is the best town to live in the Peak District?
Bakewell. Famous for its tart, Bakewell is the unofficial capital of the Peak District and an essential stop for sweet-toothed explorers. But there's much more to this market town than almondy goodness. Set on the River Wye, it's all handsome stone buildings, arched bridges, and gentle riverside walks.
What is the most expensive village in the Peak District?
Baslow, a charming village in Derbyshire's Peak District, gains recognition on the Telegraph's list of posh villages. A chocolate box village in the heart of Derbyshire named one of the poshest in the country by the Telegraph in 2024, continues to draw national attention.
However, Eyam's main claim to fame is the story of how the village chose to go into isolation so as to prevent infection spreading after bubonic plague was discovered there in 1665. In the later 20th century, the village's sources of livelihood largely disappeared.
Chesterfield is frequently named the happiest place to live in Derbyshire and the wider East Midlands, based on recent studies like Rightmove's annual survey (December 2025). Residents and articles highlight its community feel, friendly people, affordability, historic character (like the famous Crooked Spire), abundant green spaces (such as Queen's Park), and immediate access to the Peak District National Park for outdoor activities.
Welcome to the beautiful, historic village of Eyam (pronounced 'eem'), in the Peak District National Park in Derbyshire, England which became famous after the Black Death of 1665 and 1666.
The magnificent home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, and often referred to as 'the jewel in the Peak District's crown', Chatsworth House was used as the location for films such as Pride and Prejudice (film 2005, BBC TV series 1995), The Duchess (2008) and The Wolfman (2009), plus TV dramas such as the BBC's ...
Bakewell. Bakewell is the only town within the Peak District National Park, so it's got a lot going for it as far as location is concerned. To say it's picturesque is an understatement — it's is a superb spot on the River Wye with views of open moors in all directions.
Although the National Park designation applies to all land within the Peak District's recognised boundary (some 555 square miles), actual land ownership itself sits mostly with private individuals or organisations.
While beauty is subjective, Castle Combe (Wiltshire) and Bibury (Cotswolds) are consistently named England's most beautiful villages, famed for their idyllic Cotswold stone cottages, historic charm, and picturesque settings, with Bibury's Arlington Row being especially iconic and Castle Combe often called "the prettiest" and a film-set favorite. Other contenders include coastal Robin Hood's Bay (North Yorkshire) for its smuggling history and sea views, and Mousehole (Cornwall) for its quaint fishing village vibe.
There's no single "prettiest," but popular contenders for prettiest town/village in Derbyshire include Hartington, famous for cheese and charm; Wirksworth, an artistic hub with cool lanes; Castleton, the "Gem of the Peak" in the Hope Valley with caverns and Peveril Castle; and Edensor, a perfect estate village near Chatsworth, while Matlock offers classic spa town beauty.
Although there is evidence of earlier settlement in the area, Bakewell itself was probably founded in Anglo-Saxon times in the Anglian kingdom of Mercia. The name Bakewell means a spring or stream of a woman named Badeca or Beadeca, so deriving from a personal name with the Old English suffix wella.
