The UK's first national park, the Peak District offers some of the most diverse landscapes in the country. From rolling hills and limestone gorges to rugged moorland and river-cut valleys, the Peaks really do have it all. But above all, it's the gritstone ridges that cut through the landscape that make this national park so unique. And the Roaches, in Staffordshire, are among the most iconic.
A series of rocky outcrops carved by the wind, the Roaches are part of a curving escarpment which extends for several miles. The cliff faces are tall and steep, drawing climbers from all over the country. At its highest point, the ridge is some 500 metres above sea level - from here, on a clear day, the views stretch as far as Snowdonia. But these heights are not for the faint-hearted!
This design shows the Roaches at sunset, the sheer cliffs catching the orange evening light. In the distance is the Tittesworth Reservoir, and a bird of prey circles overhead - since 2008, peregrine falcons have nested at the site, and can often be seen scouring the skies. Who could resist a breath-taking landscape like this?
