Burbage Edge, Padley Gorge + Higger Tor Walk From Upper Burbage | 8-Mile Route

This great walk in the Peak District takes in many highlights without having to hike too many miles!

It takes on the highs of Burbage Edge, Over Owler Tor and Higger Tor towards the beginning and end of the walk. Then there’s a great low-level section through the Longshaw Estate, including Padley Gorge walk.

Here you will find details on how to get to the start of the walk at Upper Burbage Bridge car park, including options to start the walk from both Longshaw Estate or Grindleford.

There’s also route information, map, GPX file, facilities on the walk, plus a detailed step by step guide of the walk.

Let me know in the comments if you’ve done this Peak District walk and what you think!

Buy a printable/downloadable PDF route guide for the walk here.

Printable PDF Guides

Burbage Edge, Padley Gorge + Higger Tor from Upper Burbage Bridge

gpx file

Burbage Edge, Padley Gorge + Higger Tor walk map

© Crown copyright and database rights (2024) OS 002572460

Walk start point

Start grid reference: SK 260 829

Car parking address: Upper Burbage Bridge car park, Ringinglow Road, Hope Valley, S32 1BR – Google location

This is a relatively small, pay and display car park, with about 30 spaces. There are also more spaces for cars in a layby on the road. 

Alternatively, you can start this walk from the Longshaw Estate or Grindleford. If you’re driving then there’s the Woodcroft car park on the Longshaw Estate or if you are catching the train then you can start from Grindleford train station (about 500 metres from the walk route).

Parking Cost

Payment at Upper Burbage Bridge is by cash or by phone using the RingGo app. From £2.00 for 2 hours to £4.75 for the whole day. You can find further details on car parking charges here.

Woodcroft car park – This is free for National Trust members. Or £3.50 for up to 4 hours and £5.00 for over 4 hours.

Public transport

Nearest train station: Grindleford train station (0.3 mile/0.5 km)

The train station is towards the middle of the walk so you’d simply start the walk from the station and complete the loop from Stage 3.

Facilities on the walk

There are no public toilets available at the start of the walk at Upper Burbage Bridge car park.

However, there are public toilets at the end of Burbage Edge section as you enter the Longshaw Estate.

Other useful information

This is a great walk to do, with a mix of different scenery. There’s no shelter up on the Burbage Edge and Higger Tor sections but you can enjoy some shelter on the walk through Padley Gorge.

Water on your walk – I recommend a filter water bottle for your Peak District walks, it saves you from carrying extra weight and you can fill up safely and drink water from the streams on your walk.

The route is signposted in places but I would recommend you take a map and compass (see below).

Check the weather for your walk location and hills

• BBC Weather for Hathersage
• Met Office weather for Hathersage
• Met Office weather and/or MWIS (Mountain weather information service) for the Peak District

Ordnance Survey Walk Map

Annoyingly this walk goes over two maps!

For the Burbage Edge + Over Owler Tor section, the map for this part is OL1 – Peak District (Dark Peak Area).

And for the Longshaw Estate and Padley Gorge part of the walk, the map required for section walk is OL24 – Peak District (White Peak Area)

OL1 Map – View the different prices here with Ordnance Survey or Amazon. If you’re hiking in all weather the Active OS maps are good to have as they are laminated so better on rainy days.

OL24 Map – Check prices here with Ordnance Survey or Amazon. If you’re hiking in all weather the Active OS maps are good to have as they are laminated so better on rainy days.

And don’t forget your compass, I recommend the Silva Expedition or the Silva Classic compass.

For online maps, I recommend OS Online App (I have been using it for many years and it is worth getting if you want to start walking more). Check prices here for the one-month or annual option with OS Online App. All the walks on the website are created using OS Online + you can download them to the App.

Want to learn more map skills? Check out our Guided Walks with map reading skills here.

Check prices here for the one month or yearly option with OS Online App. 

Want to read later? Save the walk to Pinterest

Burbage Edge, Padley Gorge + Higger Tor walk route

Stage 1 – Upper Burbage Bridge to End of Burbage Edge

Distance: 1.9 miles/3 km

Grid reference SK 260 829

From the Upper Burbage Bridge car park, go through the gate and head east down a track parallel to the road.

The path takes you across two small streams, which you can easily cross unless there’s been heavy rain (if this is the case then head up to the road and through the gate back on the track).

There is a wide track called Sheffield Country Walk, which takes a lower route, running parallel to Burbage Brook. For this Burbage Edge walk you need to select the higher more rugged looking trail.

From the path, you can look across to the beautiful views back to Stanage Edge and across to Higger Tor

Follow Burbage Edge for about 2 km, where you’ll reach two stone cairns. Continue walking in a south-westerly direction for another 1 km until the path starts to descend and you reach the road.

Stage 2 – End of Burbage Edge to Padley Gorge

Distance: 2.2 mile/3.5 km

Grid reference SK 262 805

Cross the road and go through a wooden gate, with a National Trust sign for Longshaw.

Follow the path left (option to shorten the walk here – see bottom of post), until you reach a second gate, signposted Visitor Centre leading to a road.

Cross the road, turn right, then down the track which leads into Longshaw Estate. At this point, there’s a cafe and toilets, the only ones on the walk.

Back on the path, continue walking, there is a crossroad of paths, but keep going straight heading south. Follow the track through a wooden gate.

Then after about 300 metres look for a path on your right. It’s stone steps, dropping down into the field.

Follow the footpath as it goes west across the field then bear left alongside a boundary wall, enclosing Oak’s Wood. At the corner of the boundary wall, you’ll see a stone crossing over the water then the path heads uphill.

At the top, go through a gate on your right into the woods. Make your way along the path, looking out for a path after a few hundred metres that descends down to the stream.

Follow the path down with the stream on your left all the way until you reach the road, next to a sign for Yarncliffe Wood.

Go through the stone stile in the wall onto the road and turn left.

Stage 3 – Padley Gorge to Over Owler Tor

Distance: 1.7 miles/2.8 km

Grid reference SK 252 787

Walk for 50 metres before reaching a second stone stile and a National Trust sign for Padley Gorge.

Follow the path through Padley Gorge, down to a wooden bridge.

Cross here and follow the path heading upwards with Burbage Brook on your right, with lots of mini waterfalls on the route up.

Continue all the way until you reach another footbridge (don’t cross) but instead take the single track path on your left. (This is where to re-join if you’re shortening the walk – See details at bottom of post)

Follow this all the way to Owler Tor, great for a little explore, then go through the gate and across the road.

Walk up the path to Over Owler Tor.

Stage 4 – Over Owler Tor via Higger Tor to Upper Burbage Bridge

Distance: 1.7 miles/2.8 km

Grid reference SK 250 807

From Over Owler Tor, you then continue towards the sheepfold. And in front, you’ll see the gritstone rocks of Higgor Tor.

You can follow the trail directly up, then turn right onto the footpath on Higger Tor. From here you, turn left and follow the footpath back down to Upper Burbage car park.

Do you have any more questions about this walk, maybe what to wear on your hike or any other questions? Ask me in the comments below.

Buy a printable/downloadable PDF route guide for the walk here.

Printable PDF Guides

Options to shorten this walk

Shorten the walk

If you want to shorten the walk, after crossing the road from the bottom of Burbage Edge, go through the gate then turn right instead of left. (Stage 2).

This reduces the length of the walk by about 2 miles/3 km.

Continue down the footpath with the stream on your left until you meet the junction of paths (in the middle of stage 3)

More Walks in the Peak District

Love the walks in the Peak District? You might like these Peak District circular walks.

• Curbar Edge + Froggatt Edge – White Peaks
• The Roaches, Lud’s Church and Hen Cloud
• Shutlingsloe walk and Macclesfield Forest
• Langsett Reservoir walk

Have you done this walk, let me know any feedback in the comments. Which bits of the walk did you like?

Save me to your Hiking boards on Pinterest

Quick View

Charity Patches

Mam Tor Patch

Rated 5 out of 5

£5.00

Quick View

Charity Patches

Kinder Scout Patch

Rated 5 out of 5

£5.00

Quick View

Charity Patches

Thorpe Cloud Patch

Rated 5 out of 5

£5.00

Quick View

Charity Patches

The Roaches Patch

Rated 5 out of 5

£5.00

Quick View

Charity Patches

Win Hill Patch

Rated 5 out of 5

£5.00

Quick View

Charity Patches

Peak District Walks Patch

£5.00