Peak District
Thirkelow Rocks
451M
1480FT
About Thirkelow Rocks
Rising above the village of Harpur Hill, this limestone Tump offers a quiet perspective on the White Peak's industrial heritage. While much of the landscape is dominated by the vast quarries nearby, the summit provides an excellent vantage point over the distinctive jagged silhouettes of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill.
Key Statistics
Rank
103rd Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
The Peak District
Prominence
?
34
Nearest Town
Harpur Hill
Geology
You are walking on a foundation of solid limestone, layered with gritty sandstone and fine mudstone. These varied rocks create the rugged landscape beneath your boots.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SK049691
Latitude
53.2189°N
Longitude
1.9281°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Old English 'hlāw', meaning a hill or burial mound, a common suffix in the Peak District for summits that often served as ancient interment sites.
- •The summit provides one of the best profile views of the 'Dragon’s Back'—the sharp limestone reef knolls of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill—located just to the west across the Dove Valley.
- •The hill sits on the periphery of a landscape heavily shaped by the lime industry; it directly overlooks the deep excavations of the Harpur Hill quarries, including the brightly coloured, flooded Hoffman Quarry.
- •Despite its modest height, the hill is an excellent spot for birdwatching, with wheatears and skylarks frequently seen around the limestone grasslands and gritstone edges.
- •Despite the grand-sounding 'Rocks' in its name, your primary company at the summit is more likely to be the distant hum of quarry machinery than a throng of fellow hikers.