What have you done on Grit? (If you get the joke then you’re a climber)

This, my friends, is what I have just gone and done on Grit. Completing the Nine Edges Trail. All I have to do now is link all the sections together in one go, but that’s for longer daylight hours in Summer. What follows is a guide to all four sections.

This guide will help you:

1. Do each of the four sections
2. Give you tips and advice on each section
3. Provide you with a video guide to all four sections

If you’d rather watch a ten minute YouTube video than read the text, then you’ll find it here:

Section One:

Fairholmes Visitor Centre to the delightfully named Cutthroat Bridge.

Top Tip: On your map, look carefully at Walkers Clough (eastern side of Derwent Reservoir). When walking, you need to pay close attention to get the right paths that head uphill and not to the right too early.

Look out for: A metal viewing plaque and the top of Lost Lad and some spectacular views like these:

Watch out for: A sharp left turn after going along most of Derwent Edge. It is well signed for Cutthroat Bridge, though saying that I managed to miss it and ended up retracing my steps. In my defence the view was amazing. Check it out:

Part Two:

Cutthroat Bridge to Upper Burbage Bridge

Top Tip: Check out my video on how to link Bamford and Stanage Edge. The quarry route is not the best way.

Look out for: The view from Stanage Edge, below:

Part 3: Upper Burbage Bridge to Curbar Gap

Top tip: The Longshaw Estate, particularly, the Lodge, is a great place to stop and refuel and refresh. You might need it by this point!

Watch out for: The crossroads pictured below. Follow the blue arrows straight ahead to emerge at the road or head right and follow a trail through woodland. You’ll need to do extra navigation to get back on track again and I have not covered that here. The road way is shorter but a little riskier with regard to traffic as one short section has no path next to it.

Part 4: Curbar Gap to Robin Hood’s Inn

Top Tip: When you reach the Wellington Monument, just to the right, there is a bench. Walk along the trail a bit more to reach a junction and you will see another bench with a great view. To the left is a track going steeply downhill. Use this as a shortcut to a woodland path next to a dry stone wall. This takes you down to a fantastic packhorse bridge over a an amazing rocky river.

Watch out for: The sharp left turn immediately after the path in the picture below. This takes you over the top of Gardom’s Edge. Then, when the dry stone wall on your right becomes a wire fence, you can take a track to Birchen Edge. Both paths are easy to miss!