Bellringers will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Peak District National Park.

On Friday, April 17, bells will be rung at 26 churches in the traditional English style of full-circle change ringing. The celebration will start at 9.30am and end at 9pm with timings in each church tower in Derbyshire and Staffordshire as follows:

Tissington – 9.30am-9.50am; Baslow – 9.30am-10am; Butterton – 10am-10.30am; Hartington and Edensor – 10.20am-10.50am; Castleton – 10.30am-11am; Warslow – 10.45am-11.15am; Beeley – 11.10am-11.30am; Elton – 11.20am-11.50am; Hope and Sheen– 11.30am-12noon.

Winster – 12.15pm-12.45pm; Bamford in the Peak – 12.30pm-1pm; Stanton in Peak – 1.10pm-1.40pm; Hathersage – 1.30pm-2pm; Alstonefield – 2pm-2.30pm; Great Longstone – 2.30pm-3pm; Wetton – 2.45pm-3.15pm; Ashford in the Water and Ilam – 3.30pm-4pm; Taddington – 3.40pm to 4pm; Monyash – 4.30pm-4.50pm; Waterfall – 4.30pm-5pm; Youlgreave – 6pm-6.45pm; Wormhill – 6.30pm-7pm; Tideswell – 7.30pm-9pm

placeholder image — Church bellringers in action in Hope.

A total of 151 bells will be rung in churches throughout the two counties.

The Peak District National Park was the first National Park to be set up in Britain. Its first ranger, Tom Tomlinson, was appointed in January 1954.

Highights over the 75 years include The Peak District National Park Authority purchasing the Stanage-North Lees estate and opening the Tissington Trail as a traffic-free route for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders in 1971, followed by the launch of the High Peak Trail two years later.

1981 was a big year for the Peak District National Park when Severn Trent Water in partnership with the then Peak Park Joint Planning Board pioneered the opening of Ladybower Reservoir. The Monsal Trail also opened that year.

Hathersage is one of the Peak District villages where church bells will ring to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Peak District National Park on Friday, April 17, 2026.

In 1987 Princess Diana attended The Festival of National Parks at Chatsworth, an event which attracted 15,000 people and was the largest public event the National Park has seen.

The 40th anniversary year of the Peak District National Park was significant as it increased access land on the eastern side. Agreements were reached with Chatsworth Estates covering the moors above the parkland and with Sheffield City Council for 2,073 acres of Houndkirk, Burbage and Hathersage moors.

A £16million MoorLIFE 2020 project aimed at conserving and protecting the Peak District and Pennine moors was launched in 2016.