Last Updated on February 27, 2024 by Natalia
The walk up Parkhouse Hill was one of our most memorable moments in the Peak District – largely thanks to the stunning views, but also because we couldn’t find the path and ended up scrambling up the side of the hill! Fortunately for you, there is a much easier way to reach the top. Parkhouse Hill stands at a height of 360 metres above sea level, and has two reasonably steep routes leading to the summit – so it’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s a unique looking hill that offers some brilliant views of its neighbour, Chrome Hill, and there’s a lovely circular walk if you want to visit both hills in one go. Find out everything you need to know before your visit with this guide to the Parkhouse Hill walk in the Peak District!
Parkhouse Hill Parking
There is no designated car park at Parkhouse Hill, but fortunately there is free parking nearby in Earl Sterndale and Hollinsclough. The hill is located in between the two villages, so both are convenient places to park.
If you’re only planning on climbing Parkhouse Hill then the closest parking is in Earl Sterndale, at postcode SK17 0BX. There is free roadside parking nearby to ‘The Quiet Woman’ pub, which is unfortunately closed.
If you want to climb both Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill during your visit then we recommend parking in the village of Hollinsclough, at postcode SK17 0RH. There is a small lay-by with free parking just a short distance from the Methodist Church and Hall.
Free Parkhouse Hill Parking Postcode – SK17 0BX (Earl Sterndale) or SK17 0RH (Hollinsclough)
Walking Routes
The Parkhouse Hill Walk
If you’re planning on only climbing Parkhouse Hill which has a height of around 360m or 1180 feet then it’s probably slightly easier to park in Earl Sterndale. With your back to ‘The Old Woman’ pub, turn left and then walk until you reach Dale View road.
Just before the bus stop you’ll see a gate on the left hand side, besides which there is a small gap in the stone wall for you to pass through. After you’ve climbed through this gap you will need to walk through the field in the direction of Parkhouse Hill.
As you follow the public footpath towards Parkhouse Hill you will go through several gates, and at one point will cross the B5053. At this point you are relatively close and should already have a good view of the hill.
Continue on the path and it won’t be long until you’re at the start of the trail up the hill. Fortunately, coming from Earl Sterndale the footpath leads you to the easier side of Parkhouse Hill to walk up.
It will take around 15-20 minutes to climb Parkhouse hill, and you will probably need to scramble at times. It’s a tougher climb than Chrome Hill, but it’s still easily manageable if you have a reasonable level of fitness.
Once you reach the top of Parkhouse Hill you’ll have some incredible views of the Peak District, rolling hills and green countryside. In particular you get a pretty amazing view of the nearby Chrome Hill, and for this reason we put it on our list of the best views in the Peak District!
There are two options when it comes to getting back down the hill. The easier option is to go back the route you came, and then you can follow the same public footpath back to Earl Sterndale.
Alternatively, if you continue along the ridge of Parkhouse Hill it will lead you down the other side. This route is quite steep towards the end, so it depends if you’re up for the challenge. It looked a bit too steep to us so we just decided to take the easier route!
If you do take the harder route then once you reach the bottom you will need to walk around the base of the hill to find the route back to Earl Sterndale. The alternative is to continue onwards to do a circular walk including both Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill, as detailed below.
Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill Circular Walk Route from Earl Sterndale
It’s possible to enjoy a circular walk from Earl Sterndale to Parkhouse Hill then Chrome Hill and then back to where you started. There are a couple of different routes you can do, but at first just follow the instructions on the route detailed above.
Once you’ve reached the top of Parkhouse Hill then for the sake of the circular walk it’s quicker to take the harder route down, as it brings you out closer to the start of the path up Chrome Hill. It’s still possible to go back the way you came up, but then you’ll have to spend a bit longer walking around to the trail up Chrome Hill.
The next step of the walk is to climb Chrome Hill itself, and it should take around 20-30 minutes to reach the top. From there you’ll get more stunning views of the area, as well as an amazing view of Parkhouse Hill.
Carry on down the other side of Chrome Hill and once you’ve reached the bottom continue onwards for a little while. You will then need to decide whether you want to turn left and circle back to Earl Sterndale via Hollinsclough, or whether you want to take the path to the right.
Click here to view the Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill circular loop on AllTrails!
Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill Circular Walk from Hollinsclough
If you’ve parked in Hollinsclough then it’s possible to do a circular walk from there which visits both Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill. From the lay-by in Hollinsclough walk towards the village, take the road to your right and head past the primary school.
After around 5-10 minutes you will come to a farmhouse on your left. Take the public footpath beside the farmhouse and follow this until it splits in two, at which point you’ll want to take the path to the right.
Keep following this path for a while and you will end up coming to a single track road near the base of Parkhouse Hill. Turn right and follow the road along until you reach a stone wall.
Once you reach the wall, follow along the inside of the wall and you should come to the trail up the hill.
It takes around 10-20 minutes to walk to the top from there, partly because it involves a bit of scrambling at times. Take your time to enjoy the views at the top before heading down to continue the circular walk.
Continue on the path down Parkhouse Hill, but be careful as it is quite steep. If it looks a bit too step for you then had back down the way you came and walk round to Chrome Hill from there.
Climb the stile that marks the start of the Chrome Hill footpath, and then from there it will take around 20-30 minutes to reach the summit. When you do, you’ll have more lovely views of the Peak District.
After you’ve enjoyed the views, continue down the other side of Chrome Hill and make your way towards Stoop Farm.
It’s also easy to do the same walk in reverse. The walk starts around 100 metres away from the parking in Hollinsclough, where there is a gate with a signposted public footpath.
Parkhouse Hill is one of the best hills you can visit in the Peak District and whichever way you decide to do it the view is definitely worth it!
For some other beautiful walks in the Peak District make sure to visit Thor’s Cave and Alport Castles!
Click here to view the Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill circular loop on AllTrails!
Tips for visiting Parkhouse Hill
Avoid peak times – Although it’s not quite as popular as Chrome Hill, Parkhouse Hill still can get busy at times. Avoid crowds by visiting on a weekday, preferably early or late in the day as well as outside the summer holidays.
Visit in dry weather – The route up Parkhouse Hill can be dangerous and slippery if it’s been raining, so it’s best to visit in dry weather. We personally wouldn’t have felt the most comfortable navigating the path up on a rainy day, so we suggest planning your trip for a dry day if possible.
Sunrise/Sunset – Parkhouse Hill is a nice spot to visit for sunrise or sunset, much like the nearby Chrome Hill. Both offer lovely views of each other and the surrounding Peak District, so if the sky lights up with colour then the view is even more special.
Stick to the path – We couldn’t find the right path up Parkhouse Hill, so decided to scramble up the side of the hill. Don’t make the same mistake as us, as it’s unsurprisingly pretty hard to go up the hill’s side without a proper path to follow!
It’s steep – Both paths up Parkhouse Hill are reasonably steep, especially the one closer to Chrome Hill. Once you’re at the top the path is quite narrow too, so if you’re afraid of heights it may not be the walk for you as it can seem a bit dangerous! If you’re looking for something easier, make sure to check out our list of easy Peak District walks!
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