[1] Leave the car park by the signpost to Curbar Edge. An obvious wide track is soon found. Go through kissing gate and continue northwards along Curbar Edge. For added excitement you can leave the track and walk along narrow footpaths along the edge (Take care as there are precipitous drops).
The views over Curbar village and the River Derwent are stunning.
The route continues along the edge for over one mile until a stone wall field boundary comes into view. (Ignore the footpath to the left after first three-quarters of a mile). Immediately before the wall a small signpost can be seen on the left indicating a footpath contouring off the edge.
[2] The stony path goes forward leading down and under Froggat Edge. Climbers can now often be seen on the sheer rock walls at this point. Continue along the path under the rock face for a short distance looking for a very steep unmarked path on the left. This rocky path continues down the hillside getting better as it descends through the trees. A wall with a gate is reached, go through and follow the path down to the main A625 road from Calver to Sheffield. The Chequers Public House will be seen on your right hand side. Cross the road and pass through a gate to follow the path that can be seen continuing down through the trees. This leads down to the houses of Froggatt. Out onto the road and turn right. Soon the River Derwent and a fine arched bridge can be seen. Continue along the road, ignoring the road crossing the bridge and The Green, and walk along Hollowgate (using the raised footpath to avoid traffic) to a marked footpath in front of some cottages, this is Spooner Lane.
[3] Continue along this closed-in stone-flagged footpath, this is part of the Derwent Valley Heritage path. Finally reach open fields and continue towards Horse Hay Coppice (National Trust). Before entering the woodland there are large stones around, just the thing for a rest and tea stop.
[4] This is Hay Valley Coppice Wood a fantastic wood with a stone-flagged path past a large pool and mature trees, very atmospheric. Leaving the wood, the path continues to the village of Grindleford. Go through the gate, turn right and cross the road to a footpath sign.
[5] Go through the small gate and initially follow the river bank. Shortly, you go between two old stone gateposts. Be careful here. A footpath on the ground veers left to follow the river bank, the actual right of way follows the wall on your right hand side. Two large wooden electricity poles can be seen at the far end of the field. Continue through this field with the wall on your right and cross a concrete bridge.
[6] Immediately after the concrete bridge bear right and follow the path under the power lines with the wall on your left. Veer left up the hillside to a gap in the wall that crosses the path. Here you bear right into the field to a waymark post that can be seen in a gap in the wall ahead.
[7] This comes out on to a track. Turn right following the track onto a railway bridge.
This is the Sheffield to Manchester line using the well-known Totley Tunnel.
Cross the bridge and the path turns immediately right towards Upper Padley. The path now passes Padley Chapel.
(A) At Padley Chapel the story of Padley is written in its stones. An altar stone hidden for three and a half centuries, the hearth stones, steps and foundations of a fine medieval manor – these are the building blocks of Padley's tale. Together they rise into a tragic story of persecution, betrayal, martyrdom and the fall of a wealthy recusant family and of Padley's rebirth as a centre of worship and pilgrimage.
The path now goes past some houses of the Windses Estate on the right.
Some of these houses were railway houses when employees were needed close to the line.
You are now looking for a signpost on the left marked (on the back from the way you approach) "To Longshore Estate via Padley Gorge" pointing uphill on a stone drive.
[8] Climb the drive to the top and go through the gate into Padley Gorge. Follow the obvious path up through this fantastic gorge of mature trees, woodland and Burbage Brook running through the gorge.
[9] Continue upwards until the trees thin out, go through a gate and a wooden footbridge crossing the brook comes into view.
The view at this point looks out to Hathersage Moors with Toads Mouth and the moors above Hathersage.
Cross the footbridge, and turn left along the path, looking up on your right to the stile in the stone wall. This brings you out onto the B6521 road to Grindleford. Cross the road at another signpost opposite marked "Visitor Centre 1/2 mile". Go around a stone building, looking inside is a history of the lodge and grounds. Follow the footpath up to and around the lake. Continue on the path across open ground. Carry on with a sunken wall on the right until a wall ahead is reached covered in yew trees. Take the small gate on your right.
[10] Go through the small gate on the right and follow the well-marked track which is now seen stretching out across the Longshaw Estate.
[11] Follow the track until a crossing point is reached where another signpost points to "The Grouse Inn". Follow this until the main Sheffield Road (A625) is reached. Turn right and walk along the grass verge facing the on-coming traffic towards the Grouse Inn (Still hidden at this point).
[12] Just before the Grouse Inn, look for a bridleway signpost on the left hand side pointing the way across the fields to the higher ridge. Carefully cross the road to the gate in the hedge. Follow the bridleway to the trees and bushes in the corner of the field, go through a wooden gate, it can be muddy at this point. Follow the path upwards until a signpost is seen pointing right up the track to "White Edge".
Turn right up the stony path, still climbing with a stone wall on your right. Continue upwards to another track crossing this path. Another post indicates the way to "Curbar Gap". The end is nigh!!
[13] This is White Edge, a fantastic edge with wonderful views across the moors, and towards the Derwent Valley far away on the right.
The path can now be seen following the edge to a distant trig point on the skyline. The path is easy to follow, but can be muddy and trip up the unwary. The sense of being on your own is felt up here.
[14] Continue along the path until the trig point can be seen slightly off to the left of the path at a height of 365 metres.
From here both sides of the edge are seen with the tall buildings of Sheffield and far-off traffic on the A621 Sheffield Road on the left, and the Peak District hills on the right.
Make your short way back across the grass to the main path. This starts to head downwards and a field system of stone walls can be seen below on the right.
[15] Continue down the path heading for the corner of the field walls. Follow another signpost pointing right, alongside the field walls to Curbar Gap. The car park is now visible in the trees in front. Follow the path downwards then upwards for a short distance over the moor. The cars can now be seen and the end of a great day's walking.