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Walk to Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks from Hathersage

By Dave Chick   

on February 6, 2021    3/5 (1)

Posted as a walk in – Dark Peak, Derbyshire, England, Europe, Peak District National Park

Walk to Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks from Hathersage

Route Essentials

Route Summary

Stanage Edge is one of the most popular adventure areas in the Peak District, home to a number of excellent hiking routes. See some of the area’s best views on this circular hike from Hathersage.

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

16.2km

Ascent

520m

Time

5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

Hathersage village

Difficulty

Moderate Walk

Hazards

Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks are unfenced along their entire length, be careful when exploring

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Peak District Weather.

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

Walk to Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks from Hathersage Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Walk to Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks from Hathersage

Forming the boundary between the High Peak of Derbyshire and South Yorkshire, Stanage Edge is a magnet to outdoor enthusiasts of all types, climbers in particular; drawing them in from the nearby cities and providing a spectacular setting that is fairly unique in the UK. Stanage Edge is one of a number of rugged edges that can be found throughout the Peak District and probably the best known and the most visited. This walk, starting in Hathersage, climbs up to Stanage before walking the ridge to Burbage Rocks and returning via Mother Cap and Over Owler Tor.

Walk to Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks from Hathersage Route Description

1 – Starting from Baulk Lane (next to to the Alpkit shop) head north along the lane past the village cricket club and allotments on your left. Walk north along the track until you reach a fork – bear left here to pass around Brookfield Manor. When you reach Birley Road, head through the gate, cross the road and continue along the footpath northwards to the woodland.

2 – Cross Hood Brook via a wooden footbridge at SK 23165 83468 and follow the path to a drystone wall and gate at Green’s House (SK 23037 83631). Use the public footpaths to get around Greens House to reach a ladder stile at SK 22971 83968. Follow the path north until you reach North Lees road then turn left along the road, crossing the cattle grid.

2 – At the bend in the road is a small car park (Dennis Knoll) and the bottom of the Long Causeway, the ancient packhorse route which crosses Stanage Edge. Head through the metal and concrete barriers (designed to stop vehicles using the track) and follow the Long Causeway as it climbs up onto Stanage Edge.

3 – As you approach the top of the Long Causeway, bear right onto a path (SK 23852 84578) which runs along the top of Stanage Edge. You will get some of the best panoramic views of the escarpment from here. Keep following the edge of the Stanage Escarpment alongside White Path Moss to the Edge’s southern trig point (457m)

4 – From the pillar, follow the path east as it descends gradually from Stanage Edge to meet Cam Height/Ringinglow Road at Burbage Bridge (SK 26064 83013). Cross the bridge but ignore the first metal gate, instead pass through a small wooden gate a little further on, beneath a Public Footpath sign (SK 26222 82936). This path will follow the top of Burbage Rocks, rather than underneath them.

5 – The Burbage Rocks path is a little bit more rough and ready than Stanage as it heads along the moor though it should be obvious to follow. After 1.5km, the path will begin to turn east until it reaches a junction of paths (SK 27064 81508). Carry straight on to keep on top of Burbage Rocks. From the junction, the path turns south then southwest – follow it until you reach the southern end of Burbage Rocks.

6 – The path emerges next to the A6187 (SK 26282 80563). Carefully cross the road to the bus stop on the opposite side and follow the road downhill along the pavement until you reach a wooden gate just before the road turns left. Pass through the gate then follow the path through the woods to Burbage Brook. Follow the path along the stream to a meeting point of several paths (SK 25747 80064).

7 – Take the first path on your right, almost doubling back on yourself before it turns west to climb past Owler Tor. A climb to the top of the tor is an optional extra but worth the effort. The path will reach A6187 once again, close to the Surprise View car park. Cross the road and follow the path to a gate in the fence. Pass through and keep following the path as it clambers up the jumble of large boulders and then on to the prominent Mother Cap, a tall isolated block of Gritstone (SK 25132 80528).

8 – From Mother Cap, continue northwest for 100m then take a left to descend to the top of Millstone Edge. Turn right then follow the path for approximately 100m where a smaller path branches off to the left (SK 24915 80701). Take this path, descending to a stone wall. Cross the wall and follow the path across a field, meeting the road at a wooden gate in the corner of the field (SK 24430 80881).

 

9 – Cross the wall via the stile and turn right along the road. Almost immediately, take a left on to a farm track marked by a wooden fingerpost. Follow the track uphill for 260m and, as it turns right, bear left and follow the wall towards the woods (SK 24155 81196). Follow the path through the woods until it reaches a lane which emerges at the A6187 Sheffield Road. Cross the road and follow it downhill into Hathersage.

 

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

Stanage Edge is one of the most popular adventure areas in the Peak District, home to a number of excellent hiking routes. See some of the area’s best views on this circular hike from Hathersage.

Route Start Location: Hathersage village

Distance
 Ascent
 Time
16.2km 520m 5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: Moderate Walk

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

All facilities are located in Hathersage village

Hazards

Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks are unfenced along their entire length, be careful when exploring

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking : S32 1BN (Hathersage village)

There is a car park in the centre of Hathersage village. Dennis Knoll, Burbage Bridge and Surprise View can also be used for this hike.

Public Transport:

Rail – Hathersage is on the Hope Valley local stopping service between Manchester and Sheffield. Trains run every 1 or 2 hours all week, with the most frequent service on Saturdays. Full timetable at www.northernrail.org

Buses – 271 and 272 run seven days a week with around an hourly service. West to Bamford, Hope, Bradwell, and Castleton and eastwards to Sheffield. Bus 275 provides a 6 day a week service to Sheffield and Bakewell (40 minutes) via Grindleford (6 minutes) and Eyam

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Peak District Weather.

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps: 

Guidebooks:

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Dave Chick

Dave is our Lake District local expert, often found in the depths of Cumbria he’s the author of his own part on the web, All the Gear but no Idea.

More Posts by Dave Chick

1 thought on “Walk to Stanage Edge and Burbage Rocks from Hathersage”

  1. stuart smith

    Hi
    Not sure whether anyone has mentioned it before, but regards your walking route from Hathersage to Stanage Edge / Burbage Edge. Your written description does not match your printed GPX file in that the description takes you from Birley road up to Stanage Edge via Dennis Knoll car Park and Buck Stone, whereas your printed map and GPX file show a route from Birley Road up to Stanage Edge via North lees. This might confuse someone who is navigating by gps file but looking at the printed map
    I have modified my GPX file to the Dennis Knoll route.
    Regards

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