Peak District
Shutlingsloe
506M
1660FT
About Shutlingsloe
Known locally as the 'Matterhorn of Cheshire' due to its sharp, stepped profile, this gritstone peak overlooks Macclesfield Forest. The ascent involves a short, steep climb to a trig point summit, offering wide views across the Cheshire Plain toward Jodrell Bank and the high ridge of Shining Tor.
Key Statistics
Rank
43rd Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
Peak District
Prominence
?
133m
Nearest Town
Allgreave
Geology
Shutlingsloe is built from layers of hard sandstone, mudstone, and siltstone. These tough rocks, known as Millstone Grit, give the fell its iconic, steep-sided shape.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SJ976695
Latitude
53.2225°N
Longitude
2.0374°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Old English 'Scyttel’s hlaw', which translates to the hill or burial mound belonging to a person named Scyttel.
- •On a clear day, the distinctive white dish of the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank is clearly visible to the west, standing out against the flat expanse of the Cheshire Plain.
- •The hill is an outlier of the main Peak District gritstone edges, capped with a layer of hard Chatsworth Grit that has resisted erosion better than the surrounding softer shales.
- •The most popular approach begins in Macclesfield Forest, climbing through stands of larch and pine before emerging onto the open moorland for the final, rocky push to the summit.
- •Despite its grand 'Matterhorn' nickname, the ascent from the Wildboarclough side is unlikely to require an ice axe, though the steep gritstone steps will certainly remind your calves of the hill's 506-metre stature.