Posts tagged Staffordshire
West Midlands High Points

The West Midlands, a Ceremonial County in the heart of England, was formed ass result of a series of political and administrative changes that took place over centuries. Before the creation of the West Midlands, the region was divided into Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, The Local Government Act of 1974 marked a significant turning point in the history of the West Midlands. This legislation abolished the existing county boundaries and created a new county, the West Midlands. Today the 7 sub-divisions of the West Midlands are Metropolitan Boroughs.

For county-top hill-baggers, the region is, be honest, not very interesting. There’s a few good views but they’re mostly drive-bys in areas you’re not likely to go to unless you lived there or had an obscure hill-bagging obsession. If you’re in the latter camp, here’s a guide to the high points of the West Midlands. Click on the Blog Post link for each summit shown below for details on each.

Birmingham

Highest Point: Rednall Hill North Top, 250m
Historic County of High Point: Worcestershire (of which Worcestershire Beacon is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP4411 - Lickey Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Birmingham), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the official flag of Birmingham

Coventry

Highest Point: Corley Moor, 167m
Historic County of High Point: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP2413 - Corley Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Coventry), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the official flag of Coventry

Dudley

Highest Point: Cawney Hill, 251m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP1060 - Barrow Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Dudley), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Sandwell

Highest Point: Turner’s Hill, 271m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP6743 - Warley Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Sandwell, Turner’s Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Solihull

Highest Point: Meigh’s Wood, 185m
Historic County of High Point: Warwickshire (of which Ebrington Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP3975 - Hollyberry End
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Solihull), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of jet_man1990

Walsall

Highest Point: Barr Beacon, 227m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: TP1049 - Barr Beacon Resr
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Walsall, Barr Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

Wolverhampton

Highest Point: Sedgley Beacon, 235m
Historic County of High Point: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP5243 - Orton Hill
Links: Blog Post, Wikipedia (Wolverhampton, Beacon Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging
Flag shown is the work of Andy Underscore

The Metropolitan Boroughs of West Midlands, with the highest points grouped by Historical County.
Note that not all of each Metropolitan Borough was fully inside each Historical County shown here.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, West Midlands, EnglandComment
Turner’s Hill: Sandwell High Point

View to Birmingham from Turner’s Hill

Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Sandwell
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: The Four Stones
Historic County: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 271m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 29' 46'' N, 2° 2' 57'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP6743 - Warley Resr


Route Start / End: Dudley Golf Club, Turner's Hill, Rowley Regis, B65 9DP
Route Distance: 1.2 km (0.75 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 6m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Map: Wolverhampton & Dudley Map | Stourbridge & Kidderminster | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 219
Links: Wikipedia (Sandwell, Turner’s Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

At 271m elevation, Turner’s Hill is the highest point in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell and the West Midlands Ceremonial county. We’d had an afternoon of bagging the boring high points of other West Midlands UAs and saved the “big one” to the end. We parked at Dudley Golf Club although it’s probably for members only. It was late in the afternoon and a party was kicking off in the clubhouse so no-one seemed to notice.

From the Golf Club walk south down Turner’s Hill road until you get to the gates of the transmitter station. This is the furthest you can get to the summit on a public right of way. We managed to get a bit closer though, by re-tracing our steps back towards the club house and taking the footpath on the right. This passes the north edge of a field of horses where we found a hole in the fence where we could cross the field to get right up to the transmitter. It’s still not the absolute highest point but close enough for us. There’s also good views from the field.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Staffordshire, EnglandComment
Cawney Hill: Dudley High Point

Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Dudley
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Turner’s Hill
Historic County: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 251m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 30' 19'' N, 2° 4' 14'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP1060 - Barrow Hill


Route Start / End: On-street parking at Shirley Road, Dudley, DY2 7DH
Route Distance: <1 km (<1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 5m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Map: Wolverhampton & Dudley Map | Stourbridge & Kidderminster | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 219
Links: Wikipedia (Dudley), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Cawney Hill is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, within the Historic County of Staffordshire and Ceremonial County of West Midlands.

This was the dullest of an afternoon of dull high points in the West Midlands. It was the quickest one too as there’s free on-street parking a few metres from the “summit”. From the corner of Bennett’s Hill (road) and Shirley Road take follow the steps up the hill then take the footpath on the left heading north west. After a couple of metres take a right onto a small path that leads to a bench. Apparently this is the high point of Dudley but there appeared to be (inaccessible) higher ground further to east. Note that Hillbagging posts have the high point at the fence of the Cawney Hill transmitter compound at the end of East Street. Alternatively there’s the access road to the transmitter off Hilltop Road. All of these are at 251m elevation and, given the dullness of the area, I didn’t feel the need to bag all the possible points.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Staffordshire, EnglandComment
Sedgley Beacon: Wolverhampton High Point

Also known as: Sedgley Beacon - East Slope
Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Wolverhampton
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Cawney Hill
Historic County: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 235m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 32' 51'' N, 2° 6' 51'' W
OS Trig Pillar: N/A, nearest is TP5243 - Orton Hill


Route Start / End: Parking spot near 62 Beacon Ln, Sedgley, Dudley DY3 1NA
Route Distance: <1 km (<1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 6m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Limestone Walk
Map: Wolverhampton & Dudley Map | Stourbridge & Kidderminster | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 219
Links: Wikipedia (Wolverhampton, Beacon Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Sedgley Beacon is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Wolverhampton, within the Historic County of Staffordshire and Ceremonial County of West Midlands.

This is definitely one for the completists as you’re highly unlikely to visit this place unless you live there or are high-point bagging. We noted the line in the Wikipedia article: “By 2024, the area was being plagued with anti social behaviour, vandalism and car thefts.” and decided not to hang around. You can drive almost to Beacon Tower, however you need to park at the gates at the end of Beacon Lane and take the footpath for the final few metres. However, bagging the Beacon doesn’t mean that you’ve got the high point of Wolverhampton as the border with Dudley is on the other side of the tower. You can’t get to the actual Wolverhampton high point but you can get close if you walk or drive around the corner to the #38 Monument Lane, a small cul-de-sac off the main Monument Lane. There’s some metal railings at the end of the road where you could imagine a nice view.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Staffordshire, EnglandComment
Barr Beacon: Walsall High Point

Barr Beacon War Memorial

Significance: Metropolitan Borough High Point for Walsall
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Turner’s Hill
Historic County: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 227m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 34' 24'' N, 1° 54' 40'' W


Route Start / End: Parking at Beacon Road, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 0QW
Route Distance: 0.8 km (0.5miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 4m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Beacon Way
OS Trig Pillar: TP1049 - Barr Beacon Resr
Map: Birmingham Map | Walsall, Solihull & Redditch | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 220
Links: Wikipedia (Walsall, Barr Beacon), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Barr Beacon is the high point of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, within the Historic County of Staffordshire and Ceremonial County of West Midlands.

After our Wrekin walk earlier in the day we got talking to a guy in a pub where we were having lunch. He overheard our conversation about the day’s hill-bagging and offered us some advice. For Barr Beacon his main advice was “don’t go there unless you want to have your car stolen” … and especially don’t go there at night. We couldn’t really tell if he was joking or not but we were definitely going to bag it and had no intention of going there at night anyway.

Barr Beacon is a high, narrow ridge with views to the east and west. There’s a large car park at the top and the summit, near the War Memorial, can be done in a few minutes. We got there early afternoon on a Saturday and, although there were some dodgy looking cars, there were also families around having picnics.

The OS Trig Pillar is a little further north from the high point and in private land protected by a metal fence. There’s a spot in the fence with a post missing to the right of the road where it curves down the hill. If you can find that you can squeeze through and climb through the hedge into the field to bag the pillar. It’s fairly unpleasant as you need to climb over some fly-tipped debris and avoid the tree that has been used as a toilet.

Having bagged the high point and Tig Pillar we were happy to see that our cars were still there.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Trig Pillar, Staffordshire, EnglandComment
Castle Ring: Cannock Chase National Landscape High Point

Significance: National Landscape High Point for Cannock Chase
Parent Peak: Walton Hill
Nearest Higher Neighbour: Cawney Hill
Historic County: Staffordshire (of which Cheeks Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 242m
Date climbed: July 27th 2024
Coordinates: 52° 42' 49'' N, 1° 56' 15'' W


Route Start / End: Parking area for Castle Ring Scheduled Ancient Monument Holly Lane, WS15 4RN
Route Distance: >1 km (>1 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 10m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): E2 Hiking Trail Birmingham
Map: Cannock Chase & Chasewater Map | Stafford, Rugeley & Cannock | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 244
Links: Wikipedia (Cannock Chase, Castle Ring), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Castle Ring is an Iron Age hill fort and the highest point of the Cannock Chase National Landscape. I’ve heard that there’s a lot of great walking in Cannock Chase but that will need to wait for another day as we were on a mission to bag a lot of high points that day.

We did this as a quick drive-by with a 15 minute walk from the free car park. According to the coordinates in peakbagger the Cannock Chase high point is right in the centre of the ring. The man-made outer circle is higher so we walked round the top of it to the high point on the western edge. You can take a faint path through the vegetation to cross the centre, bag the high point and exit on the south-eastern side.

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, National Landscape, Staffordshire, EnglandComment
Peak District County Tops

On the Pennine Way between Black Chew Head and Black Hill

Our Peak District trip was the latest in what was now becoming an annual County Top bagging long weekend. We based ourselves at YHA Castleton and did day trips to conquer the historic and some present day county tops in the area.

First up wit Kinder Scout, the County Top of Derbyshire and the hugest peak in the area. We started from the car park at Edale station and too an anti clockwise route taking in Grindslow Knoll and Crowden Tower. We had to divert from the route to find the actual summit. With low visibility, drizzly rain and an ambiguous high point we relied on following a GPS bearing. With no Trig Pillar or obvious summit market we decided that the big stick on a clump was the summit and declared victory.

Although neither an historic nor present day County Top, Mam Tor was too iconic to miss. It was also close to our YHA and a quick and easy Trig Point bag, so we ticked it off in the way to Cheeks Hill.

This was the underwhelming peak of the trip. The high point of the historic county of Staffordshire is a short walk across boggy ground to a lonely corner of the county market by a sheep pen. One for County Top completists but at least it’s in the way to Shining Tor. This one makes up for the underwhelm of Cheeks Hill. It’s a short walk but rewarded by a Trig Pillar and good views on a clear day.

We saved the best walk for last on this trip. In one 8 mile walk you get an historic county top, a present day one and a scenic section of the Pennine Way. This was a point to point walk but we had the advantage of having 2 cars between the group so we could do a 2 car shuffle. We left one in a lay-by on the A635 and parked the other at our starting point at Crowden. For much of the walk we followed the Pennine Way, with a diversion after 3 km to visit Black Chew Head. If Black Hill is all you’re interested in then an out and back from the A635 is simpler.

Kinder Scout

Significance: Highest peak in Derbyshire (Historic CT), Peak District National Park High Point
Member of: Marilyn, Hewitt, Hardy, Nuttall
Parent Peak: Cross Fell. NHN = Fountains Fell South Top
Elevation: 636m
Date climbed: 23rd September 2017
Coordinates: 53°23′0″N 1°52′2″W 

Route Start / End: Car park at Edale Train Station, anti-clockwise circular route via Grindslow Knoll, Crowden Tower and back via Jacobs Ladder
Route Distance: 14 km (8.7 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 480m
Subsidiary tops on route: Grindslow Knoll
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Pennine Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Map: OS Explorer OL1 The Peak District - Dark Peak area
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Derbyshire), Wikipedia (Kinder Scout), Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust

Kinder Scout is an icon of the Peak District and extremely popular walk. Strangely though, the summit is amazingly hard to find and most walkers don't stray far from the footpaths to find it. We gave it a good go, taking a bearing from the main trail just west of Pym Chair. After 10 minutes of faffing around we found a pile of stones a stick which may have been the summit. That was good enough for us to call it the peak and celebrate with a 1 kilo, now frozen, gummy bear. 

elevation_profile.jpg

Mam Tor (and Lords Seat)

Significance: N/A
Member of: Dewey
Parent Peak: Kinder Scout. NHN = Lords Seat, then Brown Knoll
Historic County: Derbyshire (of which Kinder Scout is the County Top)
Elevation: 517m
Date climbed: 24th September 2017
Coordinates:  53°20′57″N 1°48′38″W

Route Start / End: Mam Nick Car Park, Sparrowpit, Buxton, S33 8WA
Route Distance: 4.2 km (2.6 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 145m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP4623 - Mam Tor
Map: OS Explorer OL1 The Peak District - Dark Peak area
Links (Mam Tor): Wikipedia, Peakbagger, Hillbagging, National Trust
Links (Lords Seat): Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Cheeks Hill

Also known as: Cheeks Hill-South Slope
Significance: Highest peak in Staffordshire (Historic CT)
Member of: N/A
Parent Peak: Shining Tor. NHN = Whetstone Ridge
Elevation: 520m
Date climbed: 24th September 2017
Coordinates: 53°13′31″N 1°57′44″W

Route Start / End: Where Dane Valley Way crosses country road between A53 and A54
Route Distance: 1.5 km ( 0.9 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 25m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Dane Valley Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Map: OS Explorer OL24 The Peak District
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Cheeks Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagger

A competitor for the least interesting County Top prize at less than 1 mile and 30 metres of ascent. Only makes sense if done whilst in the area.

IMG_5156.JPG
elevation_profile - Cheeks Hill.jpg

Shining Tor

Significance: Highest peak in Cheshire (Present Day CT), Cheshire East Unitary Authority High Point
Member of: Marilyn, Dewey
Parent Peak: Black Hill. NHN = Brown Knoll
Historic County: Cheshire (of which Black Hill is the County Top)
Elevation: 559m
Date climbed: 24th September 2017
Coordinates:  53°15′39″N 2°00′34″W

Route Start / End: Car park of Peak View Tea Rooms, A537
Route Distance: 3.3 km (2.0 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +/- 75m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: None
OS Trig Pillar: TP5950 - Shining Tor
Map: OS Explorer OL24 The Peak District
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)
Links: Wikipedia (Cheshire), Wikipedia (Cheshire East), Wikipedia (Shining Tor), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Black Chew Head

Significance Highest peak in Greater Manchester (Present Day CT), Oldham Unitary Authority High Point
Member of: Dewey
Parent Peak: Black Hill. NHN = Black Hill
Historic County: Yorkshire (of which Mickle Fell is the County Top)
Elevation: 542m
Coordinates: 53°30′57.96″N 1°55′17.76″W
Links: Wikipedia (Greater Manchester), Wikipedia (Oldham), Wikipedia (Black Chew Head), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

Black Hill

Significance Highest peak in Cheshire (Historic CT), West Yorkshire (Present Day CT), Kirklees Unitary Authority High Point
Member of: Marilyn, Dewey
Parent Peak: Kinder Scout. NHN = Bleaklow Head
Elevation: 582m
Coordinates: 53°32′18″N 1°52′53″W
OS Trig Pillar: TP3980 - Holme Moss
Links: Wikipedia (Cheshire), Wikipedia (West Yorkshire), Wikipedia (Kirklees), Wikipedia (Black Hill), Peakbagger, Hillbagging

For both peaks:

Date climbed: 25th September 2017
Route Start / End: Point to point walk along Pennine Way from Crowden to Greenfield Road
Route Distance: 12.9 km (8 miles)
Route Elevation Change: +531m / -296m. Net 235m
Subsidiary tops on route: None
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched: The Pennine Way
Map: OS Explorer OL1 The Peak District - Dark Peak area
Guidebook: The UK's County Tops (Jonny Muir), Walking the County High Points of England (David Bathurst)

Two County Tops for the price of one in a scenic section of the Pennine Way. The 11 km trek started in Crowden, finishing at the junction of the Pennine Way and the A635. A short diversion from the main path at Laddow Rocks takes you up to Black Chew Head, the high point of Greater Manchester and Oldham. It was a clear day and we found it easily. Be extra careful in low visibility, especially when re-joining the Pennine Way as the path follows a cliff-edge here. Black Hill, the (Historic) County Top of Cheshire is right on the Pennine Way path at around 8km into the trip.

elevation_profile.jpg

Other High Points In Cheshire

Other High Points In Derbyshire

Other High Points In Staffordshire

Richard gowerTrek, UK County Tops, Mountain, Trig Pillar, National Trust, Peak District, National Park, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, EnglandComment