The Dark Peak is mostly gritstone and moorland. The gritstone was formed 300 to 350 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, when the area was located near the Equator and covered by a large river delta system.
This is the largest area of the Peak District and I’ve split it into Northern and Eastern. The Eastern section includes numerous gritstone edges as well as the famous Chatsworth Estate. The gritstone was quarried for the production of millstones which can be found scattered throughout this area.
