Castleton sits at the head of the Hope Valley where the limestone White Peak meets the gritstone Dark Peak, and the geology makes it the most dramatic village in the national park. Peveril Castle — a Norman fortress commissioned by William the Conqueror — stands on the ridge above the village, with views over Mam Tor and the Great Ridge. Peak Cavern lies directly below the castle, its entrance one of the largest in Britain.
The village has four show caves within walking distance, each with a different character. Blue John Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern are the source of Blue John stone, a rare banded fluorite found nowhere else in the world, which has been mined here for over 300 years. Speedwell Cavern involves a boat trip through flooded mine workings. All four are tourist operations but the geology is genuinely impressive.
Mam Tor, the "shivering mountain" above Castleton, offers one of the best short ridge walks in the Peak District — along the Great Ridge to Lose Hill, with views over both the Dark and White Peak. The road through the Winnats Pass, a steep limestone gorge, is one of the most spectacular in England.
The village gets extremely crowded on summer weekends and bank holidays. It is best approached from Edale or Sheffield on weekdays.