Robin Hood's Stride

Walk in across gates and field paths and the outcrop rises ahead of you. Most people spend their time picking a way up and along the rocky spine between the pinnacles, poking into the gaps between boulders, and then just sitting and looking out. It is a strong spot for photographs, with the pinnacles giving the skyline its odd, chimney-like shape. Climbers and boulderers use it too, often as a circuit with neighbouring Cratcliffe, with problems across a range of grades.

The grit here in the southern Peak is softer, smoother and finer grained than the harsh edges further north, and the rock shows real wear. The outcrop also carries at least seven groups of probable prehistoric rock art, including cup-mark patterns; one well-preserved circular groove around a dished centre stayed hidden under vegetation until it was spotted in 1978. Look, do not scrub or chalk. The name comes from a local legend that Robin Hood leapt the roughly 15 metre gap between the two pinnacles, which is a good story rather than anything anyone should treat as history. The outcrop is also known as Mock Beggar's Mansion.

Parking is the main frustration. There is nothing formal here, and children who like scrambling get much more out of it than anyone wanting an easy stroll. Hermit's Cave and the Nine Stones Close stone circle are separate nearby add-ons, not part of the formation itself, though they combine well into one short outing.