Some 360 million years ago the Peak District was a coral reef lying under a shallow sea. The hills, valleys limestone gorges and gritstone edges you see today are made up of millions of sea creatures, plants and shells from that time.
Subsequent geological processes raised this rock well above sea level. Thereafter the action of water streams eroding and dissolving the limestone created dramatic steep sided valleys above ground and cave systems below.
People first lived here between 10,000 and 8,000 BC, around 10,000 years ago and have since added other characteristic features to the peak district, lime kilns, dry stone walls , farmsteads and livestock.