Cheeks Hill

About Cheeks Hill

Rising from the peat hags of Axe Edge Moor near Buxton, this gritstone swell marks the historic boundary between Derbyshire and Staffordshire. While the terrain is notoriously sodden, the summit offers clear views across the headwaters of the River Dane toward the jagged gritstone edges of The Roaches and Hen Cloud.

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Did You Know?

• •Though the actual summit lies in Derbyshire, the hill's southwest slope contains the highest point in the county of Staffordshire, making it a frequent destination for county-top baggers.
• •The hill forms part of a major English drainage divide; rainfall on its western slopes feeds the River Dane and flows toward the Irish Sea, while eastern runoff eventually reaches the North Sea via the River Trent.
• •The name likely derives from the Old English 'ceac', which in a topographical sense refers to the 'jaw' or 'cheek' of a hill, describing the way the land slopes away into the surrounding moorland cloughs.
• •Its proximity to the Cat and Fiddle Road makes it one of the more accessible high points in the area, though the lack of defined paths means walkers must often negotiate 'groughs'—deep channels cut into the peat by erosion.
• •Approaching the summit requires the nimble footwork of a ballet dancer and the waterproof seals of a submarine, as the surrounding Axe Edge peat bogs are famously keen on reclaiming stray hiking boots.