The Derwent Valley Skyline is a demanding Dark Peak circuit in the Peak District National Park, linking Ashopton, Crook Hill, Alport Castles, Alport Moor, Bleaklow Stones, Bleaklow Head, Featherbed Moss, Margery Hill, Outer Edge, and Back Tor. A 46–50 km moorland expedition with relentless navigation, bogs, peat hags, groughs and featureless terrain, it tests endurance across one of the UK’s most remote-feeling upland landscapes.

A 20 km journey through the far North Peak District starting at Dovestone Reservoir, climbing Alphin Pike (Ethel and trig), crossing Saddleworth Moor to Saddleworth Trig, and sweeping past Raven Stones Brow and the dramatic rock formation of The Trinnacle. From Ashway Moss ethel to Dean Rocks and Great Dove Stone Rocks, with constant views over Greenfield and Dovestone and Yeoman Hey Reservoirs. Finished with an unplanned bonus Ethel at West Nab, completing the Far North regi

Circular hike from Crowden taking in the ethels Featherbed Moss, Black Chew Head, Black Hill, White Low. Also bags 3 trigs including Hey Edge. A summer-like day in April in the far north of the Peak District.

After weeks of grey skies, a sunny day in the Peak District was too good to waste. Starting from Whaley Bridge, this walk delivered two more Ethels, a beautifully positioned trig on Sponds Hill, a shiny toposcope pointing to distant peaks, and an intense standoff with four very large cows. The only thing missing? The elusive Ladder Hill trig.

Blue skies, brutal gusts, and the stubborn streak that carried me through nearly 8 hours of the Edale Skyline.

A solo circular walk from Grin Low to Oliver Hill, featuring Solomon’s Temple, panoramic views, spontaneous route changes and the quiet freedom of hiking alone.

Clockwise Edale Skyline in January was a choice. 31.6 km, 1,306 m, 3°C (feels like -4), five hours of fog and savage wind with no views until km 20. Hope Station to Lose Hill wasn’t a warm-up, the Lose Hill trig was being hogged, Brown Knoll was bog theatre, and Kinder Low tried to exfoliate my face. Somehow it turned into a PR by 3 minutes. Unplanned. Unhinged. Loved it.

A fog soaked November hike in the Peak District that turned bad weather into atmosphere. I set off from Tittesworth Reservoir and climbed the Ethel Gun, then wandered across the Roaches and over to Hen Cloud. Mist hid the world and revealed the landscape in a new way. Drizzle, silence and rock shaped the day, proving that visibility may disappear, but imagination and wonder certainly do not.

A violent-wind, bright-sky day in the Peak District ticking off four new Ethels: Mt Famine, South Head, Eccles Pike and Chinley Churn. A route from Hayfield with cow stand-offs, Highland cows, an overgrown “path”, a missing trig ripped out by a farmer, and a winter-grade wind that felt more like February than late October. Finished cold, feral and satisfied. Still convinced the Peak District is my endurance training ground and still full of surprises.