Hathersage Circular via Stanage Edge Higger Tor and Padley Gorge Walk

20.0 km (12.4 mi), with 488m ascent/descent. For a shorter walk, see below Walk Options.

6 out of 10, with 5 hours 30 minutes walking time. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 12 hours.

Centred on Hathersage, an attractive village in the Hope Valley, this route leads through some outstandingly beautiful scenery and passes along the cliffs of the Stanage Edge as well as over the distictive Higger Tor and the ancient iron-age hill fort of Carl Wark on Burbage Moor and down the spectacular wooded Padley Gorge.
You walk from the station through Hathersage village and ascend gradually to Stanage Edge through the Hood Brook valley, a tributary of the Derwent River, not without first diverting past the village church and also passing through the Camp Green medieval ringworks. You also pass Brontë Cottage and North Lees Hall, places inspirational for Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Jane Eyre’.
From the southerly end of Stanage Edge continue across the plateaus of Higger Tor and Carl Wark (both descents from the plateaus involve some light scrambling) and across the Burbage Brook valley and Burbage Moor to lunch at The Fox House Inn.
From lunch the route is less challenging, as you meander through the landscaped Longshaw Estate on a choice of routes and down through the very atmospheric deep and narrow Padley Gorge following the Burbage Brook with its tumbling waterfalls in ancient woodland. Upper Padley has the Grindleford Station Café and a historic chapel in a gatehouse to offer before you join the Derwent River and follow it through quiet pastures and past bluebell woods back to Hathersage.

A Variation near the start follows the Hood Brook through attractive woods rather than going past North Lees Hall (certainly recommended in bluebell season).
Bus Lines 65/65A Buxton to Sheffield (broadly two-hourly) enable various shorter versions. Stops are passed at a couple of points around lunch (Fox House Inn & Longshaw Estate), and on the B6521 at the end of the stretch through the Padley Gorge, before dropping to Grindleford Station.
Buses 271/272 to Sheffield or Bamford stations (6 buses per day, Mon-Sat only) leave from the lunch stop The Fox House Inn.
A Variation right after lunch avoids the busy parts of the Longshaw Estate and routes through a wood down to the Burbage Brook directly.
A Finish at Grindleford Station (one stop closer to Sheffield) results in a 14.4 km/8.9 mi walk with 416/406m ascent/descent and is rated 5/10.
A Shortcut near the end, en route to the Derwent River, cuts 900m.

OS Explorer: OL1 (The Peak District – Dark Peak Area)
OS Landranger: 110 (Sheffield & Huddersfield)
Harvey Superwalker XT25: Peak District Central
Harvey British Mountain Map: Dark Peak

Hathersage station, map reference SK 232 810, is 14 km south west of Sheffield, 227 km north west of Charing Cross, 163m above sea level and in Derbyshire. It is on the Hope Valley Line from Manchester to Sheffield, with a journey time of 18 mins from Sheffield. Sheffield Station is the terminus of the Midland Main Line from London St. Pancras, with two trains per hour (journey time from 116 mins Mon-Sat, longer on Sundays).

Saturday Walkers Club: Take a train no later than 9.00 hours.

The Fox House Inn Hathersage Road, Longshaw, Sheffield, South Yorks, S11 7TY (01433 630 374). The Fox House is located 10.8 km (6.7 mi) into the walk and the pub lunch stop.
The Longshaw Tea Room Longshaw, Sheffield, South Yorks, S11 7TZ (01433 631 757). The Tea Room is located 11.3 km (7.0 mi) into the walk and the café lunch stop.

Plenty of options, both on or just off route as well as off route on a loop through Hathersage at the end. Check the pdf for details.

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National Rail: 03457 48 49 50 • Traveline (bus times): 0871 200 22 33 (12p/min) • TFL (London) : 0343 222 1234

Oct-23 Thomas G