If there’s any place in the UK that’s renowned for its miles and miles of single-pitch climbs; it’s the Peak District.

You’ll find the Peak Districts mainly in Derbyshire, but it also expands parts of Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire, Staffordshire, and Cheshire.

The area is full of beautiful gritstone and limestone climbs that bring climbers from all over the UK.

Here we’ll explain some of the best areas to climb in the Peak Districts and let you know what to expect in those areas.

Sound good?

Great, let’s get started:

What does it look like?

Stanage Edge

Stange Edge is known for having the most pleasing gritstone edges in the whole of the UK. It’s about a 20-minute drive from Sheffield and has about 4 km of climbing.

The best thing about Stanage Edge is the diversity and versatility of the available routes. There’s literally something for everyone and as much of it as you can handle.

And it’s not just the number of climbs that make the area so popular; it’s the beauty of the area that takes people’s breath away.

How To Get There

To be honest, the best way to get to Stanage Edge is by driving. Remember, there’s 4 km of climbing, so it’s easier to do it by car if you want to move to different areas.

One of the great things about Stanage Edge is that there are plenty of parking spots along the road, making it super accessible.

The only problem is some criminals see it as a hot spot for thieves. For that reason, we wouldn’t leave anything in plain view. There’s plenty of climbers that have witnessed their car being broken into while they are climbing.

Number Of Climbs

As you may have guessed, Stanage Edge is one of the longest gritstone crags and features around 2,000 routes.

Grade Levels

One of the best things about Stanage Edge is you have a vast range of climbing grades. The most straightforward climb is a diff, and there’s plenty of them if you’re new to climbing. And for anyone trying to push their max, it goes up to E4+.

Max Accent

If you’re not one for heights, but love climbing, then Stanage Edge is a fantastic place for you to go. Most of the climbs are around 10 meters tall, which means you don’t feel too exposed while you’re climbing.

Approach Distance

Another great thing about climbing in Stanage Edge is you don’t have to lug all your equipment very far. Most of the time, it’s about a 10-15 minute hike from the car to the base of the crag.

The Roaches

The Roaches is an absolute gem of a climbing location in the Peak Districts. The Crag is located by Leek and has stunning views over Tittesworth Reservoir.

And this makes the area loved by climbers and hikers alike.

One of the great things about this area is you get a great mix of bouldering and lead climbs.

Whatever time of year you hit the crag, you’ll be sure to see many climbers having fun of the wind-formed rock formations.

One thing that’s worth mentioning is rare birds nest there at some points of the year, so some of the crags will be blocked off to persevere their nests.

How To Get There

Again, the best way to get there is by driving. You’ll find a lot of parking spaces along the road, but it’s best to get there early if you want a good spot.

The area is so popular among climbers, hikers, and campers that it can make it extremely hard to get a parking spot near the crag.

Number Of Climbs

Whilst we couldn’t find an exact number for the number of climbs on the crag, but we know it’s around 481 routes.

Grade Levels

Again you have something for everyone here. You can go as low as diffs all the way to E8+. And when it comes to bouldering, you have VB to V11.

Max Accent

On the left-hand side crags, you’ll find climbs from 8 meters to 28 meters, so it’s excellent for single-pitch climbers. When you look over to the right, the climbs are a lot higher and require multiple pitches.

Approach Distance

This one really depends on what area you want to climb and where you have to park. The Crag is split into two sections, with the left-hand section having two floors.

With a good parking spot, it will take you around 10 minutes to reach the crag. If you have to park further away, it will take a bit longer.

Burbage North

You’ll find Burbage North, well… north of Burbage. Due to the crag being extremely easy to access, it’s made it a very popular place to go climbing.

Burbage North has an excellent reputation for having friendly routes in a great setting, making it for some beginners.

The Crag doesn’t have any standout routes on, but every route is excellent, so you’ll never have a lousy climbing experience there.

How To Get There

As always, the best way of getting there is by driving to one of the two parking spots around Burbage Bridge. From there, you’ll be able to park your car and start making your approach.

Number Of Climbs

The area is home to 462 gritstone climbs, which are more than enough to share throughout a busy weekend.

Grade Levels

When it comes to grade levels, you can find around 20 diffs, with the most challenging route reaching E8, so there’s plenty to explore.

 Max Accent

The average climb heights in Burbage North are around 6-8 meters, so nothing that will take your breath away.

 Approach Distance

Burbage Bridge has two main parking spots at the north end of Burbage Valley, which usually has enough for a busy weekend.

From the parking spots, you’ll see three paths. Taking the main path (the Green Drive) will take you down the valley to where a small approach breaks left along the bottom of the crag.

Final Thoughts

There are many more areas that make the Peak Districts an ideal place to go climbing, but for us, these are three of our favs.