The Roaches, Peak District, England
© George W Johnson/Getty Image
A peek into the Peak District. The Roaches ridge in the Peak District, England
In today's image, the sun encroaches on the Roaches, a rocky ridge in the Peak District, northern England. But what is the origin of this strange name? It comes from the French 'les roches', which simply means 'the rocks.' Rising to a height of over 487 metres, it stands above the town of Leek in Staffordshire. The Roaches, part of the Peak District National Park, is a popular destination for climbers and hikers. It offers stunning views over the moorland and, if you're lucky, you may even 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. There's another habitat for a completely different sort of creature at the top of the ridge—local legend says that Doxey Pool—a small pond—is home to a malevolent mermaid who tempts people into the water.
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