As you round the crest of the grassy ridge, the sleeping dragon comes into view for the first time. From this distance and angle do those two green hills remind you of a dragon?
The smaller one to the left is Parkhouse Hill and the larger one to the right is Chrome Hill. Nothing to do with rare metals, Chrome is pronounced as in broom and comes from an Old English word meaning bent, or twisted. Parkhouse has also been known as Little Chrome.
It is more than their shape which makes them so impressive, it is as much the setting; these two jagged beasts in the otherwise open valley of the famous River Dove, full of graceful curves. So how on earth did these dramatic contrasts come into being? Keep walking to find out!
Continue on the footpath, over the ridge, descending in a series of loops, over stiles and through gates to the narrow B road. Directly opposite, the path continues through another small wooden gate, but take instead the concessionary route, slightly to the right of this, over an open field and straight towards Parkhouse Hill. The hill itself is open access land, but our trail follows the well-worn way, steeply up the ridge, all the way to the top.
This trail was originally developed by Simon Corble for the Royal Geographical Society’s Discovering Britain.
Simon Corble is a theatre director, playwright and actor based in Derbyshire’s Peak District, is passionate about the countryside and discovering the hidden secrets of the natural world.