Best Moorland Walks in England
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The best moorland walks in England are Carn Marth Amphitheatre, Grisedale Pike, Stanage Edge, Curbar Edge, Old Man of Coniston, Lud's Church and Mam Tor.
Wide skies, heather, gritstone and the call of the curlew: moorland walking is some of the most stirring in England, and this national round-up gathers seven of the best. The Peak District leads the way with three classics, the long gritstone wall of Stanage Edge above Hathersage, the airy line of Curbar Edge over the Derwent Valley, and the ridge-top hillfort of Mam Tor above Castleton.
Over in the Staffordshire Moorlands, a deep mossy chasm called Lud's Church hides in the woods near the Roaches. Up in the Lake District you can climb the shapely cone of Grisedale Pike near Keswick or the mine-riddled Old Man of Coniston above its lake.
And far to the south-west, the old quarry theatre of Carn Marth crowns a Cornish hill. From dark crags to open heather, each offers big views and a real sense of wild country underfoot.
Here are seven moorland walks to seek out across England.
Carn Marth Amphitheatre
Photo: Tony Atkin via Geograph.org.uk
Explore Carn Marth Amphitheatre On the hill of Carn Marth in Cornwall, a former granite quarry has been turned into an open-air theatre. The rock-walled pit holds stone terracing, and audiences sit on the grassed banks for summer performances by touring companies.
Out of season it stands dry and empty, a quiet bowl of stone and turf on the open hilltop. It is worth knowing that this is the quarry used for shows, a separate spot from the water-filled pool found elsewhere on the same hill.
Set high above the Cornish landscape, it makes an unusual and memorable stop on a breezy walk across this old mining ground.
Grisedale Pike
Photo: Michael Graham via Geograph.org.uk
Discover Grisedale Pike In the north-western Lake District, about four miles west of Keswick, Grisedale Pike is a shapely, pointed fell rising to 791 metres. Its cone-like summit and long ridges make it stand out on the skyline, and it is a much-walked hill as a result.
Most walkers tackle it by the long east ridge from the village of Braithwaite, a steady climb with the views opening as you go. From the top the outlook runs over the north-western fells and back toward Keswick and the lake.
It is a satisfying, clearly defined moorland climb, and a fine introduction to this quieter, western side of Cumbria.
Stanage Edge
Photo: Stephen Burton via Geograph.org.uk
Visit Stanage Edge This long gritstone crag runs three to four miles along the moors north of Hathersage, a near-continuous wall of dark rock that ranks among the country's most popular climbing venues. Its western face looks out over the Hope Valley and the Dark Peak moorlands, and a breezy path along the top climbs to the high point at High Neb.
Scattered below are old millstones, cut from the edge and left where they lay when demand for them dried up. Walkers, climbers and photographers all come, and the rock glows best at sunset.
Curbar Edge
Photo: Graham Horn via Geograph.org.uk
Curbar Edge A line of dark gritstone runs along the top here, dropping away to boulders below and opening wide views west across the Derwent Valley to the hills beyond. This is one of the well-known gritstone crags of the Peak District, above Curbar and Baslow, where climbers work the rock while walkers follow the edge along the moor.
Behind the top, heather moorland spreads back across the high ground. It gives a real sense of height for little effort, a straightforward walk with big country falling away at your feet, and plenty to watch on the crag.
Old Man of Coniston
Photo: Mick Garratt via Geograph.org.uk
Discover the Old Man of Coniston Rising above the village of Coniston and its lake in the southern Lake District, the Old Man of Coniston is one of the most popular hills in the area to climb. Well-trodden paths lead up to a summit cairn on a slate platform, with a wide view over the southern fells, Morecambe Bay and, on a clear day, the Isle of Man.
The mountain reaches about 803 metres. Its lower slopes are riddled with old copper mines and slate quarries worked for centuries, and walkers pass spoil heaps, ruined workings and the tarns of Low Water and Levers Water on the way up.
It is a grand day out with plenty of interest underfoot.
Lud's Church
Photo: Graham Hogg via Geograph.org.uk
Visit Lud's Church In the woods near Gradbach, on the edge of the Roaches in the Staffordshire Moorlands, Lud's Church is a deep, narrow chasm. It was formed by a great mass of gritstone slipping down toward the valley, leaving a cleft over a hundred metres long and about eighteen metres deep, its walls green with moss and fern and noticeably cooler and damper than the moor above.
Steps and a walkway lead down into it, and the footing is muddy. By tradition it has been linked to the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as the Green Chapel, and to the Lollards, though both associations are legend rather than proven fact.
Mam Tor
Photo: Eirian Evans via Geograph.org.uk
Explore Mam Tor Above Castleton in the Peak District, Mam Tor is a hill whose summit is ringed by the banks of a late Bronze Age and Iron Age hillfort. It stands at the western end of the Great Ridge, dividing the Hope Valley from Edale, and a paved path runs along the ridge with wide views on both sides.
It is known as the Shivering Mountain for the landslips that keep slipping off its unstable shale face. The clearest sign of this is the old main road on its eastern side, cracked, buckled and abandoned to the slow-moving ground.
The hill rises to 517 metres and lies in the care of the National Trust.
FAQs
Where are the best gritstone edges for walking?
The Peak District leads here, with Stanage Edge north of Hathersage and Curbar Edge above the Derwent Valley both offering broad top paths, dark crags and sweeping views over the moors.
Is Lud's Church worth the detour?
Very much so. Tucked in the woods near the Roaches in Staffordshire, this deep, mossy chasm is cool, atmospheric and steeped in legend, making a memorable break from open moorland walking.
Which walk suits keen hillwalkers?
The Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District rewards keen walkers, climbing to about 803 metres past old mines and tarns, with views reaching to Morecambe Bay and the Isle of Man.
Conclusion
Moorland walking asks a little more of you, with rougher ground, changeable weather and few easy shortcuts, but the rewards are among the finest in England. This round-up ranges from the gritstone edges of the Peak District, Stanage, Curbar and the ridge of Mam Tor, to the pointed cone of Grisedale Pike and the mine-scarred Old Man of Coniston in the Lake District.
Along the way there is the hidden chasm of Lud's Church in Staffordshire and the old quarry theatre of Carn Marth in Cornwall. Bring good boots, a map and a windproof, and check the forecast before you set out.
Take it steadily and the wide skies will do the rest. Wherever you roam, these are the moorland walks to seek out across England.
