Peak District
Whetstone Ridge
547M
1795FT
About Whetstone Ridge
Rising above the iconic Cat and Fiddle road near Buxton, this expansive gritstone moorland offers a wilder experience than its popular neighbour, Shining Tor. Its peat-scarred plateau requires careful navigation, rewarding walkers with a true sense of Peak District isolation and sweeping views across the Cheshire Plain.
Key Statistics
Rank
14th Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
Peak District
Prominence
?
40m
Nearest Town
Buxton
Geology
The underlying geology is Carboniferous Limestone, forming a landscape of deep dales, light grey rock, and fossil-rich strata (White Peak).
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SK001708
Latitude
53.2342°N
Longitude
2.0000°W
Did You Know?
- •The name refers to the local gritstone, which provided a source of whetstones for sharpening agricultural tools; evidence of small-scale quarrying can still be found in the surrounding hollows.
- •It forms part of the high ground between the Goyt Valley and the River Dane, offering a clear perspective of Shutlingsloe’s sharp profile and the distant telescopes of Jodrell Bank on clear days.
- •Walkers often reach the summit via the 'Cat and Fiddle' road, which sits just below the ridge and was historically famous for serving the second-highest pub in England.
- •The ridge is situated near the chimney of the abandoned Danebower Colliery, a reminder of the high-altitude coal mining that once took place in this seemingly desolate landscape.
- •The terrain is famously uncompromising; 'Whetstone' might refer to tools, but the ground itself is more likely to blunt your enthusiasm with its persistent peat hags and hidden bogs.