High Wheeldon Short Trig Walk From Earl Sterndale | 3-Mile Route

High Wheeldon is a short but steep hike with lovely views. You might be out of breath on the way up, but there’s a handy trig point to lean on at the top so you can stop and take it all in!

This walk is also on the Peak District Ethels list , so you’re ticking off both a Trig and Ethel in one walk! Click here for more Trig walks and Ethels walks. It’s a lovely view for a sunset walk too.

From the small village of Earl Sterndale, the route takes you out of the village and heads uphill towards the quarry. Looking behind you can see the iconic shapes of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill. Continue on the track before heading across towards High Wheeldon, an equally recognisable shape as you walk towards it.

There’s a small road section before the steep uphill to the trig point. Then it’s a steep downhill picking up the road and a track through farmland. One last uphill push before you finally descend back into the village of Earl Sterndale.

Here you will find details on how to get to the start of the walk at Earl Sterndale, route information, map, GPX file, plus a detailed step by step guide of the walk.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve done this trig walk up High Wheeldon and what you think!

Buy a printable/downloadable PDF route guide for the walk here.

More trig walks for beginners here.

High Wheeldon Trig from Earl Sterndale

gps file

High Wheeldon walk map

© Crown copyright and database rights (2024) OS 002572460

Walk start point

Start grid reference: SK 09004 67011

Car parking address: Main Street, Earl Sterndale, Buxton, SK17 0BX

There is no car park in Earl Sterndale but there’s a small village green area near the Church where you can park for free on the road. This is in between the Quiet Woman pub and church so easy to spot – Google location.

Please note – this can be busy during peak times so consider starting from a different location to respect local residents.

Public transport

Nearest train station: Buxton train station (5 mile/8 km)

There’s a bus service from Buxton with High Peak – no. 442 bus which runs a Summer service.

Facilities on the walk

There are no public toilets available at the start of the walk at Earl Sterndale. The nearest public toilets are at Parsley Hay car park (Google maps), about 4 miles/10 minute drive so an option to stop on the way to or from your walk.

Water on your walk – I recommend a filter water bottle for your Peak District walks, it saves you from carrying extra weight and you can fill up safely and drink water from the streams on your walk.

Other useful information

The ascent and descent from High Wheeldon is steep and grassy, so in wet weather it can be slippy.

There’s a couple of short sections along the road on this route so please take care. 

Please note that this can be a popular walk at peak times so please be conscious of local residents when parking.

There are no stiles on this walk, however there are a few narrow gaps with stone steps that may be difficult to navigate over! See photos below for examples. If you’re looking for more walks without stiles then check out these routes – Stile-free walks

Would you know what to do in an emergency situation?

We have a guide with what to do, who you need to call and also some useful kit that should be in your backpack. Ask us any questions in the comments or via our social media.

Happy hiking + stay safe

read here

Peak District weather

Check the weather for your walk location and hills. We’d recommend that you check a few resources and for hill walks look at the weather conditions in the valley and on the hilltop as they can greatly vary.

• BBC Weather for Earl Sterndale
• Met Office weather for Harpur Hill (nearest hill)
• Met Office weather and/or MWIS (Mountain weather information service) for the Peak District

Ordnance Survey walk map

The map required for this walk is the Ordnance Survey OL24 – Peak District (White Peak Area). Check prices here with Ordnance Survey or Amazon. If you’re hiking in all weather the Active OS maps are good to have as they are laminated so better on rainy days.

View both Peak District map options here.

And don’t forget your compass, I recommend the Silva Expedition or the Silva Classic compass.

For online maps, I recommend OS Online App (I have been using it for many years and it is worth getting if you want to start walking more). Check prices here for the one-month or annual option with OS Online App. All the walks on the website are created using OS Online + you can download them to the App.

See both maps that cover the Peak District here.

Want to learn more map skills? Check out our Guided Walks with map reading skills here.

High Wheeldon walk route

Stage 1 – Earl Sterndale to High Wheeldon

Distance: 1.8 miles/2.9 km

Grid reference SK 09004 67011

From the village green, facing the church, walk left then turn right heading up the side road alongside the church. You walk past a school, but continue to the top and turn right down the wide track above the houses (photo below). Walk down here and turn left at the end where you begin to head uphill on the track, with views of High Wheeldon hill on your right.

The track bends round to the right, still heading uphill, then you’ll see the fences around Hindlow Quarry. Continue walking alongside the boundary of the National Park. You’ll go through a small wooden gate then, after about 100m, look for another small wooden gate on your right (photo below). Go through here and walk across the field heading towards a small building and High Wheeldon hill beyond.

Walk across the next couple of fields, through small gates in the wall (hard to spot until you’re closer) until you reach the road. Turn left and walk up the road for about 500 m. It can be busy at times so please take care on this section. Look for a metal public footpath sign on the right (photo below) and shortly after there’s a small wooden gate.

Head down towards the top corner of the field and through the gate, from here, it’s now a steep uphill hike on the grassy/muddy path to High Wheeldon summit and the trig point at the top.

Stage 2 – High Wheeldon to Earl Sterndale

Distance: 1.6 mile/2.6 km

Grid reference SK 1001 6611

From High Wheeldon trig point, you have two options.

Option 1 – Head back down the same path to the wall at the bottom and turn left continuing alongside the wall all the way to the road. Or, Option 2, the steeper way down is you can walk directly down off the nose of the hill, it takes you on a winding route so not too steep, but if it’s wet then I’d go with option 1 as the grass can get slippy.

The path alongside the wall (photo above) leads all the way to the road, where there’s a National Trust signpost for High Wheeldon. Go over the small wooden stile (there’s a gap here where dogs could squeeze through). Turn left and walk down the road, then take the next road on your right, followed by another right again.

Walk down the road, you’ll go through a farm, there are smaller gates to use as you enter and exit the farm area. Next there’s a wide metal gate (photo above), go through and down the track. Next it’s through a small wooden gate and another wide wooden gate which brings you out at a house. Almost, directly opposite the house there’s wooden signpost (Earl Sterndale), go up the stone steps and through the wooden gate. 

Begin walking uphill towards the top right corner, there’s another set of stone steps with a wooden gate. Follow the path and go past another wooden signpost for Earl Sterndale and Hollinsclough, then it’s through a narrow gap in a stone wall, with more stone steps either side (photo above). You can do a quick detour 50 m off the path here up to Hitter Hill, with nice views of Chrome Hill and Parkhouse Hill.

Then go through the newer wooden gate and follow the path back to towards Earl Sterndale, via another small gate before coming out back at the village green area.

Ask me any questions about this High Wheeldon trig walk in the comments below.

More walk options

Extend the walk

You could add on the second walk we have from Earl Sterndale that takes you up Parkhouse Hill and Chrome Hill, a lovely 5-mile route, which would make it an 8-mile walk with this one!

Read the guide here, add it before or after this walk – Parkhouse Hill + Chrome Hill Walk From Earl Sterndale

More walks in the Peak District

Love the trig walks in the Peak District? You might like these shorter circular walks.

• Wolfscote Hill Short Trig Walk From Hartington | 4-Mile Route
• Birchen Edge Trig Walk Near Baslow | 2-Mile Route
• Shutlingsloe Hill Short Walk From Wildboarclough | 3-Mile Route

Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here

View walks directory here

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