After two years of research, walking over 650 miles and visiting over 100 pubs, Mark Reid's latest guidebook – The Inn Way...to the Peak District – is published (July 2007)
The Inn Way... to the Peak District is a celebration of all that is great about the Peak District, Britain's first and most popular National Park, from its breathtaking landscapes and exhilarating walks to its many attractive villages and cosy pubs, its rich culture and heritage as well as its strong regional identity that ranges from vernacular architecture to local accents, food and beer.
Mark Reid has walked nearly half of all the footpaths in the Peak District National Park during his research and visited over 100 pubs. The result - the complete and unique guide to a new long distance circular walk that captures the very essence of the Peak District from the wilds of Kinder Scout to the dramatic Eastern Edges, gentle pastoral landscape of Chatsworth, mystical landscape of Stanton Moor and the beautiful limestone dales of the White Peak, not to mention a clutch of classic country pubs.
The Inn Way... to the Peak District offers a wonderful way to spend a week's holiday, a unique experience that provides exercise, inspiration and nourishment for your mind and soul – a heady combination of Peakland's stunning natural environment, great country pubs, local food and ale.
WALKING FROM INN TO INN
"The Peak District stands as one of our treasured landscapes, a region of incredibly contrasting scenery ranging from the wild moors of the Dark Peak to the limestone valleys of the White Peak, all of which can be found in a relatively compact area. It is this intense natural beauty that draws millions of people to visit each year" explained Mark Reid.
"For thousands of years, trade and industry was carried out on foot along the network of packhorse routes and drovers' roads that criss-cross the landscape. This tradition is all but lost, but there is something to be said for travelling slowly on foot. It allows time to think, to understand yourself and appraise your place in the natural world around. For countless generations, we travelled on foot from village to village and pub to pub; this walk through the Peak District is simply continuing that tradition" added Mark.
"For me, the pubs are just as much a part of the Peak District as the hills and valleys, an irreplaceable part of the area's culture and heritage that provide shelter and refreshment for walkers, just as they did hundreds of years ago."
FORGET CARBON FOOTPRINTS – LEAVE MUDDY BOOTPRINTS INSTEAD!
By spending six days walking from village to village and pub to pub you will not only enjoy fresh air, beautiful scenery and hearty exercise but you will make a positive contribution to the local economy and the upkeep of the National Park as you have no choice but to walk, eat, drink and stay locally. In addition to this, a percentage of the profit from book sales will be donated to local conservation and recreation projects within the Peak District National Park.
"I firmly believe that it is all about adding much more than you take. Long distance walking offers a uniquely different approach to exploring this wonderful area, and by undertaking this walk will you gain nourishment for your soul whilst unwittingly making a positive contribution to the future of the Peak District. You can forget about carbon footprints as the only ones you will leave behind will be muddy ones!" explained Mark.
The Inn Way... to the Peak District contains all of the information needed to complete this walk including details of where to stay, local inns, background information, historical points of interest, detailed route descriptions and hand-drawn maps.
