The Higger Tor Walk With Huge Views, Ancient Ruins And A Little Scrambling

For huge views, ancient mysteries, picnic rocks and a walk that can be as easy - or as adventurous - as you fancy.

There are some Peak District walks that require a packed lunch, a carefully plotted route and the best part of a day. Higger Tor and Carl Wark isn’t necessarily one of them. Technically within Sheffield, but sitting firmly in Peak District territory on the moors above Hathersage, this is one of those brilliant places where you can park up, pull on your walking boots and be standing among enormous gritstone boulders with views stretching for miles within a very short space of time. It’s easily reached from Sheffield, Hathersage and the Longshaw Estate, making it particularly good when you want a proper dose of wild Peak District scenery without committing yourself to an enormous hike.

The star of the show is Higger Tor, a great flat-topped gritstone outcrop rising to 434 metres above Hathersage Moor. From the top, the landscape opens up in practically every direction, across Burbage Moor and the surrounding edges and down towards the rather intriguing Carl Wark below. On a clear day it’s absolutely glorious up here, with enormous skies and the kind of views that make you want to sit down on a rock and stay for a while. Pick your day carefully, though. Higger Tor is wonderfully exposed, which is part of its appeal when the sun is shining and the sky is blue, but considerably less charming when a freezing wind is whipping across the top.

That exposure works both ways, too. There is very little shade, and on a warm, sunny day the sun can be surprisingly fierce - something demonstrated by the number of distinctly sun-kissed (or, more accurately, slightly burned) faces and shoulders you tend to spot up there. Sunscreen, water and a hat are well worth adding to your bag in summer, even if it doesn’t feel particularly hot when you set off.

Late summer is an especially lovely time to visit. Hathersage Moor becomes blanketed in purple heather, humming with bees, while great sweeps of bracken begin turning from green through gold and bronze. Against the purple moorland and grey gritstone it’s a beautiful combination, particularly when the sun comes out.

Choose your own adventure

One of the best things about walking around Higger Tor is that you can make the experience as gentle or as dramatic as you like. If scrambling isn't your thing, the easier option is very obvious once you’re there. Well-trodden paths curve around the bottom of Higger Tor on the side closest to the road, heading in the direction of Carl Wark, so you can simply follow those rather than climbing up and over the rocks. If you have children or a dog with you, this is probably the route to choose and still gives you all the scenery and a really satisfying little Peak District adventure.

If, on the other hand, you fancy making things more interesting, Higger Tor is essentially a giant natural playground. Rather than following the path around the bottom, you can clamber around its gritstone edges on the way to and from Carl Wark, finding your own way between the rocks and scrambling up and down the sides. Some sections are getting decidedly close to rock climbing rather than walking, which makes a relatively short route feel much more adventurous than its mileage would suggest. Good walking shoes are a must if you’re doing this, and walking poles are useful for some of the steeper descents. There’s no prize for choosing the difficult way, either - if a section looks uncomfortable, there is usually a much easier route around it.

An Iron Age mystery

Once you’ve made your way across the moor, Carl Wark is worth much more than a quick glance before turning back. This smaller, lower gritstone outcrop is traditionally described as an Iron Age hill fort, with a substantial stone rampart still visible at its western end, although exactly when it was constructed - and what it was originally used for - remains uncertain. Estimates have placed its origins somewhere around 500 to 800 BC, but its history is still debated, which somehow makes it more interesting when you’re actually standing there.

It’s also fascinating to look back from Carl Wark towards the much larger Higger Tor and wonder why anyone choosing a defensive position would build here rather than on the highest point. One theory is that Carl Wark’s steep natural sides made it easier to defend, while its distance from Higger Tor put it beyond the effective range of missiles thrown from above. Whatever happened here thousands of years ago, there is something rather extraordinary about walking across open moorland from one tor to the other knowing people were using this landscape long before the pubs, roads and villages below existed.

Film fans might recognise the landscape for another reason. Higger Tor appeared in the 1987 cult classic The Princess Bride, its distinctive gritstone landscape providing a suitably dramatic backdrop. It’s easy to see why it was chosen: there are places around the tor where Sheffield is only a few miles away, yet the landscape feels surprisingly remote.

Take lunch with you

This is excellent picnic territory. Higger Tor comes generously supplied with what can only be described as naturally occurring picnic furniture: huge, conveniently flat gritstone rocks with spectacular views across the moors. Pack sandwiches, a flask, something sweet and whatever else makes you happy, find yourself a rock and settle in. On a sunny day, it’s difficult to think of many better lunch tables in Sheffield.

There is sometimes a coffee cart at Upper Burbage Bridge car park, which is a very welcome sight when it’s there, but we wouldn’t rely on it. Bring your own drinks and food and consider anything you find en route a bonus. Alternatively, turn the walk into an excuse for a pub lunch or an early dinner afterwards. The Grouse Inn at Longshaw is nearby and makes a satisfying finish when you’ve spent the previous couple of hours scrambling around gritstone.

You can also extend the day towards the Longshaw Estate, where there’s a National Trust café, or combine Higger Tor with a longer route around Burbage Rocks and the surrounding moorland. A popular longer circular route from Longshaw comes in at around 5.5 to six miles, but you absolutely don’t need to walk that far to enjoy Higger Tor and Carl Wark. That flexibility is a big part of their appeal.

Getting there

There are several possible starting points, including Longshaw Estate and Upper Burbage Bridge, as well as roadside parking around Hathersage Moor. We found a roadside space without any trouble when we visited, but there was definitely an element of luck involved. This is an extremely popular corner of the Peak District, particularly on sunny weekends, and parking can fill quickly. If you want to remove the gamble, aim to arrive by around 9am and enjoy having the moor relatively quiet at the same time.

It’s also an unusually accessible bit of the Peak District if you’re coming from Sheffield. Public transport can get you into the Longshaw and Hathersage area, and more ambitious walkers can even arrive at Grindleford by train and make their way up through Padley Gorge and Longshaw before heading onto the moors.

Whatever route you choose, wear proper footwear and take an extra layer even if it feels pleasantly warm when you leave home. Conditions on top of Higger Tor can feel very different from those lower down, and parts of the moor can become wet and boggy after rain. Dogs are welcome but keep an eye out for livestock, and families with younger children will probably have a happier time avoiding the steeper scrambling routes.

Good Life List verdict: Higger Tor and Carl Wark deliver a wonderful amount of adventure for somewhere so close to Sheffield. Go for an easy wander across purple moorland, turn it into a longer circular hike, bring the children and a picnic, or spend half the afternoon clambering around gritstone like you’re in The Princess Bride. Just pick a clear day, get there early, pack something good for lunch and don’t assume that the shortest route is necessarily the most fun.

Looking for your next Peak District walk? From hidden riverside paths and easy family rambles to big-view hikes across the moors, explore more of our favourite routes on The Good Life List Walks page.