[1] The Peak District and South Yorkshire branch of the CPRE countryside charity announced The Ethels in May 2021.
The Ethels were devised in early 2021 by CPRE volunteer Doug Colton, who then built the Ethel Ready smartphone app for hill bagging.
[5][6][7] The Ethels featured on BBC North West TV broadcasts on 27 May 2021 and 7 Sep 2021.
[8][9] Clare Balding presented '95 Ethels in the Peak District' on the Ramblings programme on BBC Radio 4 on 10 Mar 2022.
[10] The Ethels were featured in the Peak District episode of Countryfile on BBC One on 15 Dec 2024.