The best Ethels to begin your peak bagging journey

Peak Bagging Peak District is out now, and that means the first copies will be arriving very soon! If you're excited to get out there and bag those peaks, here are my top suggestions to get you off on the right foot:

Looking towards Thorpe Cloud from near Musden Low. © Anna Paxton.

Best Ethels when you’re short on time

At 13.2km, Thorpe Cloud is one of the shorter routes in Peak Bagging Peak District, so if you don't have a full day this is an ideal choice. The route visits three peaks in the White Peak area; an Ethel at Musden Low above the Ilam Estate, an exciting but optional ridge on Bunster Hill, and the popular summit of Thorpe Cloud itself (also and Ethel). Even better, like most of the routes in the book, it can easily be split into shorter sections so if you’re really short on time you can tick them off one by one.

Looking from Cats Tor to Shining Tor, with Shutlingsloe beyond. © Anna Paxton.

Best Ethels for views

All the routes in Peak Bagging Peak District visit places with amazing views, but if you want a walk with the wow factor there’s a good chance The Tors will deliver. Located in the South West Peak, the Staffordshire Moorlands are right on the border of flatter land, so panoramic views are plentiful. The Tors visits five peaks (including four Ethels) over 16.6km, and the final stretch takes in the wide ridge from Shining Tor to Cats Tor, then on to the viewpoint at Pym Chair. At over 500m above sea level, these high peaks have stunning, far-reaching views. Since they’re toward the end of the route, with a bit of careful timing you can aim to arrive in the ‘golden hour’ before sunset and see the Peak District bathed in beautiful evening light.

Posts guide the way along Snailsden Edge. © Anna Paxton.

Best Ethels for a quiet spot

If you’d like to escape the crowds, Dead Edge End visits four peaks, including three Ethels, in the remote-feeling grouse moors of South Yorkshire, in the Dark Peak North. With only 430m ascent over 19km, the route has a satisfying rolling feel as it follows a series of broad moorland ridges. Much of it follows handy fencelines, but you do need to be confident in navigating across two pathless boggy sections for this route. If you’d like a little reassurance that you’re on the right track, every route in Peak Bagging Peak District comes with GPX files of the route and any shorter variations, so that you can download and follow on an app or sports watch.

Ford at Cumberland Brook. © Anna Paxton.

Best Ethels for a challenging day out

If you enjoy a challenging day out with plenty of ascent, Peak Bagging Peak District gives you several options. In the South West Peak, Three Shires covers 22.9km with just under 1000m to climb, making it a great option for trail runners looking for a longer run. The route visits Ethels and peaks in the three counties of Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, bagging six peaks (including five Ethels) on the way. Shutlingsloe is a short sharp challenge of a hill with absolutely stunning views, but the route also searches out summits in quieter moorland, with Birchenough Hill, Oliver Hill and Whetstone Ridge taking you off the beaten track. 

The Pennine Bridleway. © Anna Paxton.

Best Ethels using public transport

It’s true that it can be tricky to get to some parts of the Peak District without your own wheels, but with trains running from Sheffield and Manchester, and regular buses into popular towns and villages, Peak Bagging Peak District has plenty of peaks to be bagged using public transport. The Dark Peak route Chinley Churn starts right at Chinley train station, before making its way through beautiful green valleys to the peak at Mount Famine, then across high moorland to bag Brown Knoll. This 21.1km route has four peaks in total with 785m of ascent, and is great value for Ethel baggers, as every peak visited is also an Ethel.

Peak Bagging Peak District is available to order now.

– Anna Paxton