Traversing the Dragon's Back: A Hike in the Southern Peaks
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Join Outdoor Lads for a exhilarating rollercoaster of a hike in The Southern Peak District, as we traverse the spectacular 'Dragon's Back'. ridges. This is quite a strenuous walk with multiple steep ascents and descents on the walk.
Points of interest on the route:
Longnor: The ancient market village has evidence of human settlements as far back as 700 AD and is also mentioned in the Domesday Book in in 1086 AD. The village was also a favourite place of L.S. Lowry, who painted several pictures of the area.
Holinsclough: This pretty hamlet dates back to the 1600s and was once a popular stop for packhorses transporting silk to Macclesfield, with some of the original bridges and tracks being present.
Hollins Hill: At 451m, our first and highest hill gives fantastic views of the surrounding countryside, especially the north ridge of Chrome Hill. The summit is also scheduled monument, with a bronze age burial ground on top.
Chrome Hill: Here we start highlight of the walk, as we start to traverse the Dragon. The ascent is reasonably simple, with most scrambly sections having bypass paths; however the summit can feel quite exposed, especially if windy. Descending the hill is a little trickier, with steep grassy slopes leading down, which can be very slippy when wet. The hill itself is geologically fascinating, being a Carboniferous atoll, a 300 million year old tropical reef knoll, home to prehistoric invertebrates and corals, now fossilised on the hill.
Parkhouse Hill: The second part of the Dragon has a much steeper ascent, with the first section from the base being particularly steep, the descent is similarly so in sections. Like Chrome Hill, it is an atoll with interesting geological features to see.
High Wheeldon: Our fourth and final hill of the day is a dome shaped hill that offers fantastic views over the Dove and Manifold Valleys. The walk to the top is steep but not exposed, however the descent is a gentle meander down to Crowdicote is much simpler.
Other Information:
Dog Suitability:
Dogs are always welcome on my walks, though their behaviour and safety is their owners responsibility. This includes cleaning up after them, controlling their behaviour around other animals or people, and assisting them over any stiles or streams we may cross.
New Members
Please feel free to sign up as your first OutdoorLads event. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to message me, or go to the "My First Event" section under "About Us".
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Image / photo credits: All leader's own images - with permission for OutdoorLads to use and reuse.
What to bring
Water: bring plenty of water (~2 Litres)
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Footware: ideally designed for hiking, sturdy trail runners are OK too.
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproofs: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch
Food & drink
Please bring lunch, snacks and plenty of water. As the weather may be cold, you may want to bring a flask with a hot drink or soup too. After the hike, there is a local pub where we can go for post walk refreshments.