UKC

Just a few bits and bobs on my completion of the Ethels (not intended to be a description of the Ethels themselves, as others have done that).

• some (probably approximate and they’re a best guess using a Garmin watch, and they might not stand up to serious scrutiny) statistics: 29 days’ walking (mostly day trips, but some weekends), spread over 3 years; cumulative totals: 295 miles walking, and 50,500 feet of ascent.
• I really enjoyed being able to do quite a number of Ethels by train (mostly the Sheffield to Manchester line through Edale), and a few from Chesterfield & Matlock.  This was quite novel since my only other previous “list” is the Wainwrights, and there is no equivalent easily available train route for (m)any of the Wainwrights (although people do complete the Wainwrights using public transport).
• Upside: going to some unusual, quiet and out-of-the-way hills, valleys and places that otherwise I might not have visited.
• Downside: a small number of Ethels do not have public access.  I’m not looking to start a debate about access, just recording the fact (not forgetting there is one Wainwright Outlying that is on private land too!).

Wiki for info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ethels

In reply to yorkshire_lad2: My wife and I did them all within ten months as part of her cancer rehab.and really enjoyed seeing some interesting parts of the Peak in a new light. Who knew parts of Cheshire could be interesting ?

We were able to access all tops without too much problem 

Id really recommend the Ethelready app to actually locate some of the tops though. 

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

I am currently just over half way round, using the app, I've done 50 odd.

Did you manage to download GPX files in advance?  I am run the majority of my ethels as opposed to hike, but have really struggled to find a decent site to download Ethel routes!  Any tips you have here would be great, I found the wandering wildflower website good, but the GPX routes not long enough. 

In reply to waterfall:

I downloaded a GPX of the Ethel locations from here.  

But only the way-points, not any routes

https://www.haroldstreet.org.uk/waypoints/download/?list=ethels

In reply to waterfall:

Hi, I didn't really get into downloading GPX files in advance (I did log my own walking on a Garmin so had GPX in retrospect).  I tended to use the Ethel Ready app for route finding/planning (which is a good resource), and an old fashioned paper maps (!), both in paper and on my phone for navigation (but then I'm something of a geek, a grumpy old man, and a map addict!).  haroldstreet.org.uk (mentioend elsewhere on this thread) is a good resource that I have used for other projects.  HTH, and enjoy the rest of your Ethels!

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

I bet if you start a thread on here asking for route suggestions you'd get a reasonably helpful response.  Perhaps specify the length of run you're looking for, and any Ethels in particular you want to include. 

You'd probably have to ignore a bit of willy waving mind.  ("I know you were asking for 10-12km routes, but here's my 84km ultra that I do most weekends" kind of thing.)

Edit to add:
Oops, sorry, I'm not really replying to you here am I.  I mean waterfall and/or the OP.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Congratulations on compleating the Ethel's. I've just got Thorpe Cloud to do. Saving it for a good day sometime this winter. I've been doing them a few at time over the last two winter. It's been a rewarding little project.

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

Congratulations n'all that, and anything that gets people out having fun hillwalking is fine by me, but I wasn't impressed by the Ethels as a list. It felt like it was put together by someone who was technologically adept but who didn't know the Peak that well.

For instance:

Chelmorton Low and Sough Top are basically the same hill, with hardly any reascent between them (and Sough Top is in a ploughed field, not just pasture). Ditto Howden Edge and Margery Hill.

Lost Lad, White Low and Ashway Moss are very insignificant tops, and three summits for Stanage is overkill.

Harthill Moor has little reascent and is in a warren of stone walls with no public access, while only a mile away is Anthony Hill, which is higher, more prominent and easy to access (as well as being a much more dramatic summit)

The Cloud is a bit of an oddity as it's well outside the Peak (though a cracking little hill)

If Higgar Tor why not Carl Wark?

If Alphin Pike why not Alderman's Rocks?

Loads of good prominent hills are missed out - Narrowdale, Gratton and Wetton SW Hills near Hartington, Bunster Hill near Ilam, Gradbach Hill near the Roaches, Outer Edge and Horse Stone in the upper Derwent to name a few.

A number of the listed hills have access problems and the list has led to a noticeable increase in barbed wire around them, as where farmers turned a blind eye to the odd maverick bagger they are less tolerant now numbers have increased. I can see why the compiler wanted to include Durham Edge and Lees Moor, both very prominent hills, but several of the minor non-access tops could have been left out with no great loss.

Recommend a look at the Peak 75 list. It's on Haroldstreet, and I think it's available as a booklet too. It includes pretty much everything with 30m drop that's either in access land or close to a right of way. A far better list IMHO.

Happy bagging🙂

In reply to Iain Thow:

FYI

... 'The Ethels were devised in early 2021 by a CPRE volunteer, who then built the Ethel Ready smartphone app for hill bagging.' ....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ethels

In reply to ChrisJD:

Yes, I know, Doug Colton. It's been a brilliant piece of marketing but I still think it's a poorly constructed list. The Peak District 75 list was put together by Barry Smith and is a far more logical set of hills. His book is called The Hills of the Peak District (disclaimer: I have no connection with either of them)

In reply to yorkshire_lad2:

"going to some unusual, quiet and out-of-the-way hills, valleys and places that otherwise I might not have visited."
This is what I like about these lists.