Alport Height

Rising above the village of Shottle, this gritstone hill marks the southern edge of the Peak District. Dominated by the impressive Alport Stone—a twenty-foot pillar of rock—the summit offers an expansive vantage point over the Derwent Valley and towards the distant towers of the Trent Valley power stations.

• •The name Alport likely derives from the Old English 'Aldport', meaning 'old town' or 'old port', suggesting the presence of an ancient market or settlement near the historic trade routes that crossed these heights.
• •In 1930, Alport Height became the first property in the Peak District to be acquired by the National Trust, purchased after a local appeal to preserve its famous views and gritstone features.
• •The summit's centrepiece is the Alport Stone, a distinctive 6-metre-high pillar of weathered gritstone that has stood as a landmark for centuries, though its soft surface is easily damaged by climbing.
• •From the top, you can see the distant Weaver Hills to the west and the silhouette of Derby to the south, while the nearby Ecclesbourne Valley Railway often sends up plumes of steam from the valley floor.
• •Despite being a modest 315 metres high, the exposed position ensures the summit is a reliable place to test the wind-resistance of your gear while looking at the nearby telecommunications mast.