Stanage Edge is the most famous and extensive of all the Peak District's gritstone escarpments. It is approximately 5km in length, offers more than 1,400 climbs and innumerable boulder problems, and given its proximity to the city of Sheffield, is one of the most visited crags in the UK.
The Plantation Area of the crag is one of its finest sections, offering classic crack climbs alongside some truly stunning (and truly scary!) modern face and arête routes.
A further attraction here is the world-class bouldering, both on the Edge itself and amongst the chaos of blocks situated on the slopes below. Many visitors come for this alone!
Conditions and aspect: the orientation is predominantly southwest and most routes dry quickly following rain. However, those on sidewalls may take a little longer to come back into condition. Climbing is possible on Stanage throughout the year, though people wishing to try the harder routes and boulder problems will definitely benefit from choosing cool, dry days, when the friction is at its best.
Note: although this group of topos is named ‘Stanage Plantation Routes’, we have also featured a number of the more notable boulder problems, especially those which lie on the edge itself, rather than in the boulder fields below. More detailed coverage of the Plantation's bouldering can be found elsewhere on 27Crags.
