Holly Bank

Rising above the hamlet of Brook Bottom on the western fringes of the Peak District, this modest Tump provides a gritstone-flecked vantage point over the Tame Valley. It sits on the cusp of the rugged Pennine moors, offering a manageable ascent with clear views across to the prominent tower of Hartshead Pike.

• •The name likely derives from the Old English 'holegn', referring to the holly trees that still cluster in the sheltered cloughs and field boundaries along the Tame Valley's lower slopes.
• •From the summit, walkers can look directly east to the steep gritstone face of Alphin Pike, which marks the start of the high moorland plateaus of the Dark Peak.
• •The hill overlooks the historic textile town of Mossley; from this height, the layout of the 19th-century mills and the winding course of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal are clearly visible in the valley floor.
• •At 308 metres, the hill comfortably exceeds the 1,000ft mark, providing just enough elevation to escape the valley mist without requiring a full day's expedition into the high moors.