Dovestone Tor

High on Derwent Edge, Dovestone Tor has a wilder feel than most crags in the area. The longer walk in, and the fact that the sharp, gritty rock can sometimes be green, mean that it’s rarely busy up here – a perfect place to escape the crowds on a dry, sunny day.

The longest routes at Dovestone Tor are up to 20m, but the majority are around 8-12m – and plenty of these are at the Diff and Severe grades.

Aim for the Great Buttress area, which has a range of quality routes on interesting pocketed rock. Recommended routes include Dovestone Wall (VDiff), Slocum (S4a), Barney Rubble (VS4c), and Great Buttress (HVS5a).

A couple of minutes walk away, Route 1 Buttress also has worthwhile routes – in particular two classics: Route 1 (VS4c) and Lancaster Flyby (E15b).

Dovestone Tor offers a classic moorland grit experience, with stunning views out across the Derwent Valley and Ladybower Reservoir. Complete the day with a visit to the Strines Inn, a historic local pub serving great food – especially Sunday lunch, which comes complete with giant Yorkshire puddings. Bonus: it has peacocks in the garden.

Parking: In the layby off to the left of Mortimer Road, after the Strines Inn (from the direction of Sheffield and the A57). It's then a 40-minute walk: after the gate, follow the access road uphill, staying right at a fork in the track by a building. Carry on until you reach a junction with a flagged path, where you'll see the trig point at Back Tor to your right. Turn left along the path – the climbing areas start about 10 minutes from here.

Recommended guidebook: Eastern Grit, published by Rockfax.
Useful links: UKC Logbook.