| Start : | Hooks Car Park - Roadside Parking. Roadside parking is at the junction of the two minor roads. There is ample parking but it can get busy with climbers. Payment is now required. [SK244829 360m ] |
| Summary : | Hooks Car Parking - White Path Moss trig point - Cowper Stone - White Path Moss trig point - Stanage Pole - Long Causeway - High Neb - Stanage End - Long Causeway - Hooks Car Parking |
| distance : | 14.0km. |
| ascent : | 230m. |
| time : | 4hr. 30min. |
The gritstone edges running along the east of the Dark Peak are unique to the Peak District. Stanage is the grandest of all these gritstone edges, running some 6km in length. Best viewed from a distance. This route takes you along the full length, walking above and below the crags. Stanage Edge is a popular rock-climbing area, busy with climbers in all weathers. The edge can be accessed from various places. This route starts at the southern edge and follows above the edge for its full length. The return journey starts below the cliffs providing some extra interest viewing the rock climbers in action.
Hathersage
Current Weather
Last Updated today at : 15:56:24
| Overall : | moderate rain |
| Temperature : | 10degC. |
| Wind Speed : | 17km/hr. |
| Wind Direction : | NNW |
| Clouds : | overcast clouds |
| Precipitation : | rain 1.43mm. |
| Sunrise : | 04:08:51 |
| Sunset : | 19:57:13 |
| : | Times are GMT add 1 hour for BST |
Data from openweathermap.org
From the parking, follow the thin path that climbs over the lower slopes below the edge, to then reach the top of Stanage Edge. Turn right, south, and along the top of the edge by the good path to reach the south Stanage Trig Point, named White Path Moss trig point. The trig point is set on top of some significant gritstone boulders that require some clambering to get to the trig point. On a good day, there are excellent views north along the edge as well as over to the Hope Valley. For the full Stanage Experience, continue south and then east to reach Cowper Stone, which marks the end of Stanage Edge. The views here are down Burbage Valley and further down south towards Chatsworth. (1.5kms. 100m. 0hrs. 40min.)
Return the way you have come to get back to White Path Moss trig point. From here, look north and see the great wide vista that is Stanage Edge. This is where the route takes us, along the top of this magnificent edge. Leaving the trig point, follow the path north along the top of the edge. Keep an eye out for the magnificent views west along the Hope Valley, east over Broomhead Moor and indeed north along the edge. At SK241841, there is a promontory made famous from Pride and Prejudice, where Kiera Knightly looked out over the view, worth doing the same to get a good view up the edge and over to the Hope Valley to the west. At about 2km. the Long Causeway coming from Redmires Reservoirs is visible. The large pole, Stanage Pole is clearly visible over to the east. Go through the wall at the broken stile and fence, then immediately take the small path that leads to the Long Causeway. Then follow this track to reach Stanage Pole. The view east here is of Redmires Reservoirs, the western suburbs of Sheffield then over to Sheffield itself and much of South Yorkshire (and beyond). Return by the Long Causeway, and once this starts to descend, follow the surprisingly narrow path to climb up to the height of Stanage Edge. Follow the path on top of the cliffs to the high point of Stanage Edge at High Neb trig point. (4.5kms. 50m. 1hrs. 30min.)
The route now continues along the path on top of the edge. The edge is less popular in this area; there are fewer walkers and climbers on this northern section of the edge. Even on a busy day, the north end of Stanage is a quiet and tranquil place. Follow the top of the edge until the rock becomes less distinct over Stanage End. Eventually, a wall is reached where the top path meets the lower path. Here are the remnants of an old quarry. Look out for two distinct marker stones with WW and WM carved on them. These indicate the boundary between shooting estates. This is the time to turn around and maybe have a coffee, looking west over the northern moors of the Peak District. (2.5kms. 20m. 0hrs. 50min.)
The first phase of the return is along the paths at the bottom of the crags. Walk down a few meters to meet the path along the bottom of the crags. Turn left and follow the narrow and sometimes confusing path along the bottom of the edge. If the wind was in your face, it is now at your back; the sun is likely to be straight ahead, giving a different aspect to the edge. There are several paths along the bottom of the crags, and there are a few wet areas to negotiate. It matters not which you take. But towards the Long Causeway, there is one definite path to follow. Cross the final fence by the gate and walk up Long Causeway to the top of the edge. (3.5kms. 40m. 1hrs. 10min.)
From Long Causeway the return is by the outward route. From the top of the edge at Long Causeway, walk south on the path, then through the wall by the broken fence and stile. Follow the path along the top of the crags to reach the uphill path just before the White Path Moss trig point is reached. Now take this path back to the Hooks Car parking. (2.0kms. 20m. 0hrs. 40min.)
20th April 2026. Today I attacked the northern part of this route. Parking at Dennis Knoll I walked up the Long Causeway to get to the top of Stanage Edge. Then it was a walk north along the edge to Stanage End. The return via the path along the bottom of the crags. This was a lovely sunny day in mid-April. The paths were dry, most notably the path below Stanage, which is prone to boggy areas. A great return to Stanage.
25th December 2025 & 1st January 2026 My planned Stange walks on Christmas Day and New Years Day. On Christmas Day walked from Redmires to the edge then to White Path Moss trig point. New Years Day, again from Redmires to the edge but this time to High Neb. Both times set of early, and it was not busy but by the time I was back at the car it was busy. Especially NYD where there seemed no parking left. Great tradition to keep going.
21st November 2025 Winter appeared in November 2025. A beautiful day with perfect blue sky but cold. A great walk to Stanage Pole and then onto White Path Moss, and back. Really clear with views of snow over Kinder.
13th November 2025 A beautiful blue day, to start with, after a long period of rain. Walked up Stanage from Redmires to Stanage Pole then north to the High Neb trig point. A coffee at the 'coffee stop' with the best view. Clouded over as I walked back and then rain just as I got to the car.
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