The Derwent valley view
From the lip of the cliff the villages of Curbar and Calver and the valley running south towards Baslow stretch to the horizon, at their best in the hour before sunset.
Neil Theasby — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Andy Stephenson — CC BY-SA 2.0 · s9-4pr — CC BY 2.0 · s9-4pr — CC BY 2.0
Five minutes of flat walking from the car park to one of the grandest views in the eastern Peak District. That is what Curbar Edge has going for it, and why it gets busy: a grey gritstone escarpment whose rim stands 292 metres above sea level, some 170 metres above the floor of the Derwent valley, and it asks nothing of you to reach its lip. Below, the stone-roofed houses of Curbar and Calver; to the south the valley running down towards Baslow and the Chatsworth estate; and on a clear day the whole plateau shading from green to brown until it dissolves into the sky. The edge is one link in the chain of 'Eastern Edges' that wall the moors on the Sheffield side, with Froggatt Edge to the north and Baslow Edge to the south, and a path runs along the top of one into the next. The easy family option is to head north towards Froggatt on a wide, almost level track, 4 to 5 km there and back. For a longer outing cross the Curbar Gap road and go south over Baslow Edge to the Eagle Stone, a lone boulder marooned in the heather, then to the stone finger of Wellington's Monument, a loop of about two hours. Rock climbers know Curbar as one of Britain's serious crags, with more than 150 named routes on the wall beneath your feet, and on any dry day you will see them strung along it. Two things to take seriously. The cliff edge is entirely unfenced and drops sheer in many places, so small children stay hand-in-hand; pushchairs manage the main track but should stay well back from the lip. And the place is completely exposed to the wind: on a still summer day it is a stroll, on a wet day or in the short-lit winter it becomes bitter and cloud can swallow the whole view, so check the forecast first. The hour before sunset is the one to aim for, when the rock turns copper and the edge becomes one of the most photographed spots in the area. Realistically you come by car: about ten minutes from Baslow and twenty from Bakewell, along the A623 to Calver and then up the narrow, steep Curbar Gap road. The car park at the top, on Clodhall Lane, is small and fills early on summer weekends; it costs £4 for four hours or £6 all day by cash or card, and is free for National Trust and RSPB members, with a few free laybys along the lane if it is full. There is nothing up here beyond a coffee-and-cake van at weekends and in school holidays, so bring water and use the toilets in Baslow or Calver before you drive up. Access to the edge itself is free at all times.
From the lip of the cliff the villages of Curbar and Calver and the valley running south towards Baslow stretch to the horizon, at their best in the hour before sunset.
A wide, near-level track along the clifftop, 4 to 5 km there and back, easy for families on a dry day.
A southern loop over Baslow Edge past a lone boulder in the heather and a stone monument, about two hours.
Curbar Gap car park, Clodhall Lane, Curbar, near Calver S32 3YR
Worth it on a dry, calm day: the view is five minutes from the car park on a level path. But the edge is unfenced with sheer drops, so under-sixes need a hand held the whole time, and there are no facilities at the top. On a wet or windy day skip it and go straight to Chatsworth.
Curbar is far easier: five level minutes from the car park to the view, fine for grandparents and children. Stanage is longer, more famous among climbers and busier, and the walk in from its car parks is longer and uphill. If you want the view and the photos for the least effort, choose Curbar.