Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill

Saturday 23rd February 2019

The sustained spell of good weather last February reached a peak on this date that saw temperatures more akin to May so, as throughout the month, I was keen to take advantage of it and do a long walk in the fabulous weather. This walk in the Peak District was inspired by the winning entry in a photography competition that was taken from the slopes of Chrome Hill looking south towards the distinctively shaped Parkhouse Hill. I have previously been up this hill twice both times in 2005, in January and in November, soon after access to the hill was opened up for the first time. Apart a brief visit to Parkhouse Hill with my sister in 2011 while on a family holiday in the area, I have not been back since so that was to be my target. I drove up in very misty conditions that are typical when warm, moist air sits above cold ground, but I was hopeful that it would soon clear. The mist made it a bit difficult to find the village of Hollinsclough, where I had started on my previous walks, but eventually I found the right turning and the exact spot where I parked before. I had decided to do a different walk to fourteen years ago and headed steeply uphill on a narrow, stony lane that was quite challenging to walk upon.

At the top of the hill I joined the route of the Manifold Trail on a bit of road walking down into the Manifold valley and then back across the river to climb back up and into Longnor. By the time I reached this iconic Peak District village the sun had begun to burn through the mist revealing blue skies overhead, however the distant views were still very misty and failed to improve throughout the rest of the day. This was a shame since it was photography that had inspired this walk and the mist would mar any pictures that were taken. Coming off the Manifold Trail I came down off the Longnor ridge and into Dove Dale where I followed the valley below limestone-encrusted rocks that line the ridge on the far side until I reached the remains of the motte-and-bailey Pilsbury Castle. There is not much to see now of the fort, but there is a steep limestone outcrop and I had great fun climbing and walking along the crest of the short, narrow ridge that juts out from it. This was a foretaste of the delights that I had to come on Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill.

From Pilsbury Castle my easy walking was over as I climbed the northern slopes of the valley, slogging all the way up, getting hotter than is reasonable in February, until I reached the summit where I found a grassed-over cairn that is marked as a tumulus on old maps. Turning around I headed along the ridge keeping as high as I could while staying within the open access land, which is generally only on the steep slopes that overlook Dove Dale. After crossing a road I climbed up to the top of High Wheeldon, which I had previously visited only during my family holiday in 2011. The views north, though misty, were enticing me on towards Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill, however onward progress proved difficult with a deep cutting before me and no access to the hill opposite. After a steep descent I followed a lane around Aldery Cliff until I was able to climb up to Hitter Hill where a scattering of limestone outcrops fails to detract attention from the two hills that I had come all this way to climb. Limestone abounds on all the hills in this area and there were fabulous views all around of the white rocks that seem to be bubbling out of the ground in many places.

There were now a lot of people around, drawn by the warm weather and the distinctively shaped hills. When I climbed them in 2005 they were still little-known as access had until recently been restricted, but now they are justly drawing in the crowds. After descending steeply from Hitter Hill I began climbing yet again, very steeply, up to the top of Parkhouse Hill. Slowly I made my way up to the top from where I see the shapely dragon-back of Chrome Hill wagging its tail at me and drawing me on down the steep, slippery, shadowed slopes of Parkhouse Hill before I could begin the ascent. With Parkhouse Hill basking in the sunshine behind me I began to climb Chrome Hill soon reaching the tip of the tail and slowly made my way along the ridge before the real climbing began up the spine of the dragon. At the point where the winning photograph had been taken a line of photographers were attempting to copy the achievement, but in very different weather. Even though they might have the right location the weather and the light was completely different so they were never going to get as good a picture. The right time is far more important than the right place, which is why photographers will wait many hours in the same place waiting for the light to be just right, though I don’t think that was ever going to happen on this day.

Eventually I managed reach the top of Chrome Hill and as I continued along the serrated ridge I couldn’t help thinking I must have tackled this ridge with a lot more energy in 2005, but this time I had already walked a long way and climbed a lot of hills so I was now rather tired. Gradually I descended onto the concession path that cruelly forced me to climb once more to pass Stoop Farm where I took a path around the top of the short Swallow Brook valley to Booth Farm and for one last climb up to the tumulus at the top of Hollins Hill. With stunning views to my left of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill I followed the ridge high above Swallow Brook until eventually I descended back down to the River Dove and in to Hollinsclough. This tiring walk was a lot longer than the walks I did in 2005 with a lot more climbing repeatedly up and down hill, but the star of the walk was the weather that was so warm I was eventually only wearing a thin base layer such as I’d usually be wearing in the summer. It was great to be able to do a walk in such weather and great to return to such amazing hills that look fabulous in any weather.