Fox House/Burbage Rocks

What's this walk offer?

• BEAUTIFUL views. 
• Small river
• Burbage Rocks (rock climbing, Burbage South Edge/Valley)
• Mud
• Padley Gorge nearby 
• Pub (bar section dog friendly, currently closed for refurb, full pub review coming soon) 
• No open fields (may be seasonal sheep around regardless) 

Where?

Fox House is located on the outskirts of Sheffield in the Peak District less than 10 minutes from a main road. Heading out of Sheffield using Ecclesall Road South, onto Heathersage Road(A6187) you're soon met with the Peak District and Fox House Inn is just on the corner just before Owler Bar Road, with parking inside and on the side the road just before you reach it. There is also a bus stop located here if you're using public transport however we haven't used this since the bus changes so please check Travel South Yorkshire for routes as the website does not seem to be updated, it used to be the 272, but we think it may have changed to the 68. You catch this from the main bus station in town and the people at the desk are always very helpful regarding times and numbers. 

Fox house in the Peak District is a great walk, wellies are a must in the winter and I would suggest proper walking gear where possible. There are quite a few routes you can go to but we walked from the Fox House pub car park towards the rocks straight ahead. It was a cold day and had been raining a few days before that so it was very very muddy! There is a lot of heather around for the dogs to jump around in (may be some swampy areas so keep an eye out) but there's also clear walkways where other walkers have been although these have large stones which may be difficult for the elderly or young children to navigate around!

The route we travelled was straight forward from the outdoor seating area of Fox House Inn, however it's fenced all the way round so we then dropped down the hill a bit until we came across an uprooted tree where there is a fenced gate, and headed on the walked path towards the large rockery in the distance. At first you're greeted with a LOT of mud and a few large rocks, so watch your footing. You are surrounded by heather at this point and if your dog is anything like Izzy and Watson they'll use these as sticks and bounce through the heather like bunnies! 

The further up you go the larger the rocks get and the higher the drop is. Some of the rocks are proper cliff edge drops used for rock climbing so please watch your own footing but your dogs as well. If your dog is anything like Watson who has no spaceail awareness I'd advise to keep them on a lead, if they have a brain like Izzy though you should be fine. They are however great for scenic photos! 

We eventually gave up going upwards and found a route to climb down (after watching walkers do it first) it was a little difficult so I wouldn't recommend this if you're unprepared. The path does carry on and go down eventually but it is a long route. Once you do drop down however the path is flat and straight forward, on the way back there is another pathway to your right away from the rocks that lead to another fence and a small bridge, and water that is connected to Burbage Brook. If you cross the bridge your dogs can clean off a bit (although the route back is muddy anyway). It is very scenic and a great place for taking a few photos! The water is very clear and Watson and Izzy had a drink and were fine. Izzy also had a swim and didn't want to leave of course!  

You can carry on over the hill at this bit but we turned around and headed back on the flat route back towards the main road. There is a car park big enough for about four cars at the end of the trail, so you can try your luck here. However we were parked at fox house inn so we had to follow the walked path at the side of the main road. I'd definitely strongly recommend leading your dog for this bit as there is no barrier between the path and the road. You will eventually come back to the uprooted tree and fence and you just walk back up the way you came. This route is a good few hours, but you can go further and make it longer if you wish. 

Fox House Inn

Postcode: S11 7TY

TEL: 01433 630374

Opening Hours: 

Mon-Sat 12pm - 11pm

Sun 12pm - 10:30pm

We haven't eaten at the Fox House pub together yet but are planning a visit in the summer for a full review. Kate and Watson have been a few times and the food is good, but expect gastro pub prices. It is a Vintage Inn chain though and there are quite often offers available on the website. Only the bar area is dog friendly. They happily accept muddy boots and dogs! They serve food outside in good weather also. 

For a menu, booking, and more information visit http://www.vintageinn.co.uk