Peak District National Park Rangers
Our rangers look after the Peak District National Park and are our eyes and ears on the ground. They help and advise visitors and make your visit safe and enjoyable.
There are six ranger hubs spread across the National Park:
Ranger hubs
| Hub location | Area | Outreach areas |
|---|---|---|
| Central: Aldern House | Bakewell | Buxton, Stockport |
| Northern: Longdendale | Longdendale, Dovestones | Greater Manchester, Oldham, Tameside, Huddersfield |
| Western: Macclesfield Forest | Macclesfield Forest, Goyt, Hayfield | Macclesfield, North Staffs, Stockport, Buxton |
| Eastern: Brunts Barn, Moorland Discovery Centre | Sheffield Moors, Langsett | Sheffield, Rotherham, Chesterfield, Barnsley, Huddersfield |
| Hope Valley, Fairholmes | Upper Derwent, Castleton, Edale | Sheffield, Glossop |
Ranger events
Walking is one of easiest and most enjoyable ways to keep fit and healthy – and you can discover some amazing places and make great memories in the Peak District National Park. From the wind in your hair amongst our uplands, to a first taste of the outdoors on foot with the family, there’s a ranger walk to suite everyone. Join us to get closer to nature spotting enigmatic mountain hares or delicate wildflowers, step into history with experts or learn how to stay safe with our navigation courses.
View our full list of events.
National Park Rangers - role and responsibilities
Alongside our wider public engagement role and maintenance tasks, our National Park rangers also assist with:
- Undertaking routine safety inspections on our properties such as tunnels on our all-access routes, maintaining rights of way infrastructure and car parks;
- Patrolling our 45 car parks and key ‘honeypot’ visitor sites covering issues such as litter and BBQs/fires and 'wild' camping and advising the public;
- Supporting observations for wildfire, and assisting other agencies when major incidents take place.
Tasks that are not part of our role:
- Enforcing behavioural issues/anti-social or criminal activity: This remains a matter for the police, and our rangers will speak with officers where we believe there is a concern for public safety or a risk to the National Park.
- Highways and traffic control: Issues concerning vehicle speed, illegal parking and road blockages also remain a police matter. Penalty charge notices and fines are issued by local authorities and not national park rangers. Our pay and display car parks are monitored by an independent agency.
- Fly-tipping and litter: Although the national park authority does service a small number of public bins in our car parks and other properties, major incidents or those on private land would not be a role for our teams. Where cases are reported to us directly, we will pass the information on to the relevant organisation.
- Wildlife crime: our rangers do not have any powers or remit in respect of the monitoring or enforcement of activities such as species control traps or snares. Legislation for these activities is set at a national level and not by national park authorities.
- Anti-social behaviour: our rangers will always seek to engage constructively with those who choose not to respect the national park, however we do not expect our teams to put themselves at risk at any time or be subjected to violence or verbal abuse. Criminal activity will not be acceptable and will be reported.
- Public toilets: these facilities are serviced by external contractors or separate teams and are not a matter for rangers.