Stanage
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stanage or Stanage Edge (from "stone edge") is an gritstone escarpment in the Derbyshire Peak District, England, famous as a location for climbing. The northern part of the edge forms a border with Sheffield in South Yorkshire. Stanage should not be mistaken for Standedge, a moorland escarpment and Pennine crossing point.
The edge runs four miles north from the Cowper Stone to Stanage End. It is the northernmost of an almost continuous line of cliffs, including Burbage Rocks, Froggatt Edge, Curbar Edge, Baslow Edge and Birchen Edge.
A paved packhorse road ran along the top of the edge, and remains of it can be seen, as can remains of the Long Causeway Roman road which works its way over the edge on its route from Templeborough to Brough-on-Noe. Even older are some cairns along the top, and there is a well-known cave in the cliff known as Robin Hood's Cave. More recent features include early twentieth century drinking basins, designed to collect pure rainwater for grouse to drink.
Areas of Stanage were quarried in the past to produce millstones.
Stanage's naturally weathered millstone grit face is now known as a highly popular location for rock climbing in the Peak District. Its highest point is High Neb at 458 metres above sea level. Although the edge reaches only 30m in height it is one of the most famous UK climbing venues: aside from having a plethora of routes close to a major population centre, it is home to the route Right Unconquerable (HVS 5a), which when first climbed by Joe Brown in 1949 was considered a milestone achievement in British climbing.
Stanage is a magnet for climbers and ramblers in addition to runners. The Stanage Struggle is a popular local fell race that starts in nearby Hathersage and rises to High Neb before returning to the village 500' below.
