The 95 hills known as the 'Ethels' are named in honour of a pioneering Peak District conservationist. What was her full name?

The government’s Project Gigabit is set to transform broadband access for rural communities across the Peak District, one of England’s most underserved regions.

Openreach has secured a contract to deliver full-fibre broadband to isolated areas of Derbyshire, including the High Peak, where many homes and businesses have long struggled with poor connections.

Engineers will install new infrastructure that promises speeds up to 1 Gbps—over 100 times faster than current rural averages—aiming to fuel local growth and overcome a key barrier for residents, farmers, and small enterprises in villages like Hayfield, Whaley Bridge, and Chinley.

While the exact schedule is not yet announced, Openreach’s rollout marks a major step forward in bridging Derbyshire’s digital divide and supporting the future of the region’s remote and rural communities.

The Lee Wood Hotel in Buxton, a historic 40-bed Georgian property owned by the same family for seven decades, has been acquired by HF Holidays following a record financial year for the co-operative.

This comes after a £4 million investment in Shropshire Hills and the reopening of HF’s house in Snowdonia National Park.

Nestled in Buxton’s spa town, the hotel offers excellent access to Peak District walking trails and convenient rail links, suiting HF’s growing number of guests who prefer public transport.

The hotel is expected to reopen under HF Holidays’ brand in early 2027, after a light refurbishment embracing the group’s nature-inspired, members club-style interiors.

Holiday bookings for 2027 will open in summer 2026, with early access for HF Members.

The acquisition means HF’s lease on Peveril of the Peak near Dovedale will end in spring 2027, but current team members will be supported with new roles across the estate.

Still At Large, coming to Buxton Opera House on Saturday, 9 May 2026, is a dynamic blend of stand-up, storytelling, and open conversation.

Celebrating the many sides of Sir Lenny Henry—impressionist, comedian, actor, author, and fundraiser—the show promises entertainment and inspiration.

Lenny Henry became a household name after debuting as a teenager on New Faces in the 1970s, rising to fame through Tiswas, The Lenny Henry Show, acclaimed dramatic performances, and co-founding Comic Relief, which has raised over £1.5 billion for charity.

Audiences can expect a rare and intimate look into his remarkable journey, spanning British TV, theatre, and Hollywood, with warmth, honesty, and unexpected moments.

Tickets are limited, so early booking via the Buxton Opera House box office is highly recommended.

Despite warnings and evidence from local campaigners, at least three active swift nesting sites in Chapel Milton were sealed during recent Network Rail works.

Campaigners had identified nine spots and submitted 38 photographs before construction, urging protection for the birds.

Swifts are fiercely loyal migratory birds that return each year to the same nesting holes, with some families using identical stone gaps for generations.

If nesting entrances are blocked, swifts rarely adapt, often failing to breed when displaced.

The UK swift population has dropped by 66% since 1995, mainly due to vanishing nesting spaces in buildings.

Campaigners insist that the outcome was avoidable and argue the solution was simple - keep the access points open.

Network Rail says it will consider installing nest boxes, but wildlife groups counter that real action is needed now to save next season’s birds, rallying public support with a new petition.

Tamara Keeling, 50, fell in love with Bolsover’s striking Art Deco tower after seeing it on Grand Designs in 2003.

After years of persistence, she and her husband bought the concrete structure in 2016 and began transforming it in 2020.

Originally built in 1938, the 15-metre tower had been used as a garden shed and even a skate ramp before its ambitious makeover.

Now, the renovated hideaway boasts a dramatic spiral staircase, king-sized bed, cozy log burner, handcrafted kitchen, and a showstopping glass-floored shower suspended above the original concrete void.

Set across six acres on the edge of the Peak District, The Tower sleeps two, offering couples a romantic escape near Bolsover Castle.

Guests can enjoy dramatic countryside views and experience the fresh new life of a once-forgotten local landmark.

Keeping the High Peak Powered and Protected

Luben's Bar & Kitchen, Buxton

Ethel Haythornthwaite - a passionate campaigner for access to the countryside who helped establish the Peak District as the UK's first National Park in 1951.