About Litton Edge
This limestone ridge rises steeply above the village of Litton, offering a quintessential White Peak experience. Walking the crest provides expansive views over Monsal Dale towards Fin Cop. It is a peaceful Tump, defined by dry stone walls and high pastures, ideal for those seeking quietude away from the busier Derbyshire honey-pots.
Key Statistics
Rank
351st Highest in Peak District
Parent Range
The Peak District
Nearest Town
Cressbrook
Prominence
?
30
Geology
You are walking across layers of limestone. These stone beds are interspersed with thin ribbons of hardened volcanic ash found within the ridge.
Classifications
Did You Know?
- •The name Litton derives from the Old English 'hlid', meaning a slope or hillside, and 'tun', an enclosure or farmstead, aptly describing the village's position at the foot of the ridge.
- •From the summit area, the view north offers a clear sight of the Great Ridge and Mam Tor, marking the geological transition where the White Peak limestone gives way to the Dark Peak gritstone.
- •The area around the ridge is pockmarked with historical evidence of the lead mining industry; old lead rakes and spoil heaps are still visible in the limestone turf nearby.
- •Many walkers combine a visit to the Edge with a trip to the nearby Peter’s Stone in Wardlow Mires, a prominent limestone outcrop once used as a site for a gibbet in the 18th century.
- •While the title 'Edge' might suggest something precipitous, the terrain is largely gentle pasture; the most significant danger here is usually a particularly stubborn Derbyshire gate.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SK165753
Latitude
53.2736°N
Longitude
1.7563°W