![Dow Low [Brier Low]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Dow_Low_%28Brier_Low%29_Summit_Pano%2C_Earl_Sterndale_-_geograph.org.uk_-_7509673.jpg)
Peak District
Dow Low [Brier Low]
437M
1434FT
About Dow Low [Brier Low]
Perched above the village of Earl Sterndale, this limestone height offers a stark contrast between the natural beauty of the White Peak and the industrial scale of the neighboring Dowlow Quarry. Though relatively modest, it provides a superb vantage point for surveying the jagged "Dragon’s Back" ridges of Chrome and Parkhouse Hill.
Key Statistics
Rank
125th Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
The Peak District
Prominence
?
39
Nearest Town
Earl Sterndale
Geology
You are walking across the Bee Low Limestone Formation. This pale, sturdy rock was formed from the compressed remains of life in an ancient sea.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SK093675
Latitude
53.2045°N
Longitude
1.8622°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Low' is a common suffix in the Peak District, derived from the Old English 'hlāw', meaning a mound or hill, and often specifically referring to an ancient burial site.
- •The summit area at Brier Low is home to a Bronze Age bowl barrow, a protected scheduled monument that stands in precarious proximity to the massive limestone excavations of the Dowlow Quarry.
- •The summit provides an excellent perspective on the Upper Dove Valley, offering clear lines of sight to the distinctive pointed peaks of High Wheeldon and the gritstone edges around the Goyt Valley to the west.
- •Walkers will find that the hill offers a unique auditory experience, where the peaceful silence of the limestone plateau is frequently punctuated by the industrial rumble of the nearby Buxton to Ashbourne mineral railway.
- •While most visitors come for the views of the 'Dragon's Back', this hill offers the best seat in the house to watch the sheer scale of the Peak District's quarrying industry in action without having to wear a hard hat.