2024年05月07日
The Roaches ridge in the Peak District, England
The Roaches, Peak District, England (© George W Johnson/Getty Images)
In today's image, the sun encroaches on the Roaches, a rocky ridge in the Peak District, northern England. Its strange name comes from the French 'les roches,' which means 'the rocks.' Rising to a height of over 1,600 feet, the ridge is a popular destination for climbers and hikers in the Peak District National Park. It offers stunning views over the moorland and, if you're lucky, you may spot a wallaby! A number of these Australian marsupials escaped from a nearby private zoo in the 1930s, and there are still recorded sightings of the descendants of the original wallabies.
The Roaches is a protected habitat for other animals too; its blanket bogs and upland moorlands are home to a range of birds, including curlews, red grouse, tree pipits, and peregrine falcons. A very different sort of creature is said to live at the top of the ridge. Local legend has it that Doxey Pool—a small pond—is home to a malevolent mermaid who tempts people into the water.