Parking
Use Woodcroft Car Park, then walk to Longshaw Lodge for the orange-arrow start. Spaces are limited; regular cars do not need to book.
Overview
About Orange Route at Longshaw Estate
Why go
- Short, clearly waymarked loop from the Lodge
- Café and toilets close to the start
Heads up
- Wet ground can challenge wheelchairs and buggies
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Peak District map
Full mapElevation281–318 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Peak District alerts
- ClosureA54 Cat and Fiddle road closureThe A54 Macclesfield Main Road (Cat and Fiddle) is fully closed to all traffic from 27 July through 30 October 2026 during phase 1 improvement works.Official details
- ClosureHooks Carr (Stanage Popular) car park closureHooks Carr (Stanage Popular) car park will be partially or fully closed from 6 October for four weeks.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Peak District Tour Guide
Your drive to Orange Route at Longshaw Estate, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Peak District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Longshaw Estate Walks and Café0:00 / 0:30
“You're approaching Longshaw Estate, where a meadow and restored pond sit beside woodland and open moorland walks.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Peak District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Padley Gorge and Longshaw
- Surprise View
- Longshaw Views and Woodlands Walk
- Higger Tor and Carl Wark
- 298 audio storiesacross Peak District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Red Fox, Eurasian Otter, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 88 trails, 76 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Orange Route at Longshaw Estate
A short loop from the LodgeThe Orange Route is a 1.
The Orange Route is a 1.7-mile loop starting outside Longshaw Lodge and returning to the same area. It follows a short shared approach onto the circuit, then winds over estate paths west of the Lodge. Allow about an hour. This is an easy way to get out on foot and explore Longshaw without committing to a long moorland hike.
Along the wayMost of the mapped line is compacted track or path, with a short hard-surfaced stretch.
Most of the mapped line is compacted track or path, with a short hard-surfaced stretch. The route is mapped without steps or stiles, but that does not make it reliably wheelchair-friendly: access varies by season, and heavy rain can make parts challenging for wheels. Follow the orange arrows from the Lodge; the loop stays close to the visitor area.
Start and facilitiesWoodcroft car park is nearby but has limited spaces.
Woodcroft car park is nearby but has limited spaces. Longshaw Café and toilets are beside the start. Dogs are welcome outdoors on a short lead. If a smooth surface throughout matters for your group, check access before choosing this loop.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Peak District
248 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
36 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
15 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
51 sightingsPeregrine FalconMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
47 sightingsEuropean Fallow DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
54 sightingsWestern Roe DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Peak District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
