Parkhouse Hill

About Parkhouse Hill

Often described as part of the 'Dragon’s Back', this sharp limestone reef knoll rises abruptly from the Upper Dove Valley. Though modest in height, its steep, shark-fin profile provides an exhilarating scramble and airy summit views over its twin, Chrome Hill, and the quiet hamlet of Earl Sterndale.

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Did You Know?

• •This distinctive peak is a 'reef knoll', formed roughly 340 million years ago when the White Peak was a tropical lagoon. The limestone is composed of the skeletal remains of ancient sea creatures, left standing as a sharp ridge while the softer surrounding shales eroded away.
• •The name likely refers to its historical proximity to a medieval deer park once held by the Duchy of Lancaster. It remains a notable landmark on the boundary of the ancient parish of Hartington.
• •While it is almost always paired with its neighbour, Chrome Hill, Parkhouse is the more challenging of the two. Its north-eastern face is exceptionally steep, requiring a brief hands-on scramble that feels surprisingly adventurous for a hill of this height.
• •The narrow summit ridge offers a focused view of the winding Upper Dove valley and the peculiar, rounded summit of High Wheeldon, which sits directly across the flats to the south-east.
• •The gradient is so persistently vertical that it provides an excellent opportunity to inspect the tread on the boots of the person climbing directly above you.