Peak District
Foxlow Edge
451M
1480FT
About Foxlow Edge
Rising above the western banks of the Goyt Valley, this gritstone ridge offers a quiet alternative to the busier heights of Shining Tor. Its heather-clad slopes overlook the Errwood and Fernilee reservoirs, providing a straightforward yet rewarding walk with expansive views across the Cheshire Plain and the western Peak District moors.
Key Statistics
Rank
102nd Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
Peak District
Prominence
?
27.9m
Nearest Town
High Peak
Geology
Foxlow Edge is built from hardy sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. These layers, known as Millstone Grit and Rough Rock, provide the rugged foundation beneath your boots.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SK004756
Latitude
53.2774°N
Longitude
1.9955°W
Did You Know?
- •The name 'Edge' is a characteristic Peak District term for a gritstone escarpment, while 'Foxlow' likely stems from the Old English 'low' (hlāw), signifying a hill or burial mound.
- •The ridge sits directly above the ruins of Errwood Hall, a 19th-century country house; walkers can still visit the private Grimshawe family cemetery hidden in the rhododendrons on the lower slopes.
- •A common route links the summit with 'The Street', an ancient trackway that historians believe follows the course of a Roman road between Buxton and Manchester.
- •The summit provides a distinctively sharp perspective of the twin reservoirs of Errwood and Fernilee, with the high horizon of the Derbyshire-Cheshire border clearly visible to the west.
- •Despite its modest height, the edge is a reliable spot for escaping the crowds who usually bypass it in favour of the more famous Cat and Fiddle inn just down the road.