Those looking to find out about the Peak District and how to best protect it may wish to visit one of the Moorland visitor centres within the park. The flagship visitor centre is the Moorland Visitor centre in Edale, which specialises in moorland research, and provides visitors to the park with a range of interesting information.
The centre itself hosts a number of interactive exhibitions and has been designed in an eco-friendly manner. The roof of the building consists of living turf, with a waterfall which runs over the roof of the building providing a fantastic natural display. The waterfall runs into a pool found at the entrance to the building. Power in the building is provided by a ground source heat pump, which boasts an energy saving design. Edale is also the location of the Southern starting point of the Pennine Way so receives a significant amount of visitors.
A number of facilities are also available at the visitor centre due to its location at the beginning of the Pennine Way. These include toilets, as well as a campsite in the surrounding grounds. Water is also available for hikers, which comes from the waterfall.
A lot of work in the centre also goes towards providing visitors with information regarding animals which live within the park. This information helps highlight how visitors to the park can help ensure they do not damage the sensitive ecosystems of these animals found within the Peak District.
The educational and informative nature of the visitor centre makes it a firm favourite among schools in the surrounding area. The staff from the centre are both open and friendly and can provide school children with a useful insight into the park. Teachers interested in taking children to the centre should contact the centre in advance.