Hathersage Circular via Stanage Edge Higger Tor and Padley Gorge walk

20.0 km (12.4 mi), with 523m 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).
Buses 271/272 to Sheffield or Bamford stations (hourly during the day and two-hourly evenings, Mon-Sat only) leave from the lunch stop The Fox House Inn.
Bus Line 65 (Buxton) and 218 (Bakewell) to Sheffield (broadly hourly) enable various shorter versions. Stops are passed at a couple of points around lunch (Fox House Inn & Longshaw Estate), and on the B 6521 at the end of the stretch through the Padley Gorge, before dropping to Grindleford Station.
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 up to two trains per hour (journey time from 118 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.

Grindleford Station Café Station Approach, Upper Padley, Grindleford, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1JA (01433 631 011). The Café is located 5.7 km/3.5 mi from the end of the walk.
The Plough Inn Leadmill Bridge, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BA (01433 650 319). The Plough is located 1.3 km from the end of the walk.
The David Mellor Design Museum Café Leadmill, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BA (01433 650 220).

The Pool Café and Tea Rooms Hathersage Swimming Pool, Oddfellows Road, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1DU (01433 650 843).
The Little John Hotel Station Road, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1DD (01433 650 225).
The George Hotel Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BB (01433 650 436).
Outside Café Main Road,Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BB (01433 651 936).
Cintra’s Tea Rooms & Gardens Main Road,Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BB (01433 651 825).
Bank House Bar & Restaurant Main Road,Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BB (01433 449 060).
The Scotsman’s Pack School Lane, Hathersage, Hope Valley, Derbyshire S32 1BZ (01433 650 253). A ‘Scotchman’ or ‘Scotsman’ is a name given to a pedlar, not necessarily from Scotland, which is how the inn derived its name.