Stanage Edge

The climb from Hollin Bank car park onto the edge is short and steep, gaining height fast before the path settles onto the escarpment top for the rest of the walk. From there the route runs along three miles of gritstone, weathered into the rounded shapes that gave the rock its climbing reputation, with the Hope Valley dropping away to the south and open moorland rolling back to the north. High Neb, at 458 metres, is the high point of the edge and carries a trig point; abandoned millstones, cut and left when the trade collapsed, lie scattered along the base of the rock in several places.

Underfoot, the edge-top path is rocky and uneven rather than technical, though one stile partway round is steep enough to need care, and dogs in particular can find it awkward. The exposure is more psychological than real: the path stays back from the drop in most places, but the wind funnels along the top of the edge and can be strong even on a calm day in the valley below.

The edge and the ground below it form the Stanage-North Lees estate, 542 hectares the Peak District National Park Authority bought in 1971 and still owns. This is as much a climbers’ venue as a walkers’ one. Expect company on the rock on any dry weekend, and be aware that on parts of the edge, temporary restrictions can apply during the bird nesting season when ring ouzels are present, managed through on-site signage rather than a blanket closure. As a walk, it suits anyone reasonably fit and comfortable with a short, sharp climb at the start; it does not suit pushchairs or wheelchair users, and the rock underfoot rules out anyone unsteady on rough ground.