Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill from Earl Sterndale

DATE 19.02.2012 | DISTANCE 10.6KM | HIGHEST POINT 462M

Posted by Matt | Filed under PEAK district

 

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You have to love the start point of today's walk. In Earl Sterndale the drunkest person becomes the Mayor for a year. It also has a pub with a sinister history. Our route started around the back of the pub and out onto Hitter Hill. Fortunately the mud in the fields was frozen solid this morning and the sky was cloudless. We headed into Dowel Dale making a short detour to visit Dowel Cave. Noah was keen to squeeze his way into the depths of the cave but we had to settle for the first chamber as we didn't want to resemble 'Stig of the Dump' for the rest of the day.
Our next stop would be High Edge but first we had to pass a ferocious dog at Greensides. I considered throwing it my chicken stuffed pitta bread to buy us some time but fortunately the bark was a lot bigger than it's frame. After gazing out from the bunker at High Edge and a nice hot cup of coffee we turned south and headed for Chrome Hill. The nickname for Dragon's Back couldn't be more fitting. Noah loved the short scrambles and Paul showed he did stupid things.. even when his wife was present.
Our last ascent was a steep, muddy and very slippery route up Parkhouse Hill. As far as hills go, this is about as sharp and edge as they come. Paul believes he took his finest photo from the summit.. Well I am in it! We returned to Earl Sterndale and quenched our thirsts in The Quiet Woman.
Fingers crossed this good weather continues for me this year.

 

 

A nagging wife named chattering chatter is who's head was removed by her husband. the villagers approved and chipped in for her head stone. APPARENTLY THE DRUNKEST PERSON ON THE FRIDAY NEAREST 11TH OCTOBER IS ELECTED VILLAGE MAJOR FOR A YEAR.
pARKHOUSE HILL AND CHROME HILL SEEN FROM HITTER HILL
the wrong side of the wall. we hopped the wall to the drier side
chrome hill comes into view
looking over to the sheer side of parkhouse hill
a perfect nickname - dragon's back
dowel dale
noah just inside the entrance of dowel cave
we all squeezed into the first section of dowel cave and noah found a tunnel. we investigated the passage but were not keen to squeeze through it and get caked in dirt. paul suggested we come back another time with overalls. the remains of many people, a child and animals had previously been found in here ..signs of ritual activity
descending the slope from the cave. the ground here was very loose and slippery. we made our way down cautiously as noah rolled down laughing
what boys do best! heading back up dowel dale.
high edge. lunch destination up at the bunker on the top
an angry dog at green sides giving alan a telling off
noah leading the way up high edge
enjoying the view from high edge
looking south from high edge. high wheeldon can be seen rising behind earl sterndale and parkhouse hill on the right
sheltering from the wind behind the bunker
chrome hill ahead
tour rock and hollins hill
chrome hill (dragon's back)
taking it all in his stride. noah didn't seem to get tired at all.
fun little scrambles on chrome hill
windy at the top
Paul and berni
parkhouse hill
typical paul ..not recommended!
the first section of the climb on parkhouse hill is steep. the wet slippery mud made things messy
sugarloaf below. looking back to chrome hill
looking back from the summit shows the sharpness of this hill. hard to imagine it was once part of a coral reef
noah taking the lead again on the descent
eARL STERNDALE AHEAD WITH PLANS OF A DRINK IN THE QUIET WOMAN. INSTEAD OF RETRACING OUR STEPS OVER HITTER HILL, WE FOLLOWED THE ROAD THROUGH GLUTTON DALE.
STEEP SLOPES ALL AROUND ON PARKHOUSE HILL
BACK IN EARL STERNDALE