🐾 Dog-Friendly Stanton Moor at a Glance
🦮 Lead Rules: Dogs welcome; keep them on a lead near livestock and sensitive archaeological areas
🚶 Walk Length: 1–3 miles, depending on your loop
⛰️ Terrain: Heather moorland, sandy paths, woodland, gentle gradients
🪨 Highlights: Nine Ladies Stone Circle, King Stone, Cork Stone, Cairns and Bronze Age barrows
🚻 Facilities: None on the moor; nearest facilities in Birchover or Stanton-in-Peak
🅿️ Parking: Small roadside car park near Birchover; access paths start from multiple points
About
Stanton Moor is located between Matlock and Bakewell near the villages of Birchover and Stanton-in-Peak. The paths wind gently through heather, silver birch woodland, open, sandy clearings, and soft ridges, with views stretching across the Peak District.
What makes Stanton Moor stand apart, though, is its story. This whole area is dotted with prehistoric sites – stone circles, cairns, and standing stones that have been here for thousands of years. You can walk right among them.
In more recent times, the moor has been quarried for stone, and you will come across many disused quarries, and also a couple of active quarries.
Dogs tend to love it here. There’s space, soft ground, and plenty to explore, but it’s still manageable and gentle. You get all the beauty of the moorland without the long, strenuous climbs.
Dog Access and Rules
Dogs on leads are welcome but must be kept under close control as there may be animals grazing.
Things To See & Do
Most walks on Stanton Moor are easy loops, between 1 to 3 miles, depending on how much time you have and what you want to explore. The ground is mostly level with a few short rises, so it’s friendly for all dogs.
The paths weave through:
- Heather and bracken that glow purple and bronze as the seasons shift
- Cool birch woodland where the breeze rustles the leaves overhead
- Sandy clearings are perfect for a breather or a quiet moment
- High edges with far-reaching views over the Derwent Valley
There may be livestock grazing on some sections, so it’s best to keep your dog close and steady when you encounter animals or ground-nesting birds.
Stanton Moor is one of the Peak District’s most important prehistoric landscapes. Instead of one landmark, you get a whole network of over 70 ancient sites spread across the moor.
Here are the highlights you’ll come across as you wander:
🪨 Nine Ladies Stone Circle – Perhaps the most famous spot on the moor. It’s a small, atmospheric circle of nine stones, said in local legend to be dancers turned to stone.
🪧 The King Stone – Standing proudly on a rise near the Nine Ladies, this single stone is thought to be connected to the circle and may have acted as a ceremonial marker.
🪨 The Cork Stone – A tall, striking block of gritstone with metal handles fixed into it. You can climb it if you fancy, though most dogs are happy just sniffing around its base and watching you.
🪦 Cairns and Bronze Age barrows – Scattered across the moor are burial mounds and cairns, some still clearly shaped, others softened by heather. They add another layer of meaning to your walk, reminders of the people who once called this area home.
🏰 Reform Tower – The tower was built around 1833 as a monument to the 1832 Reform Act. It is also known as Earl Grey Memorial Tower after Earl Grey, who supported the act.
Moving between these sites makes you think you’re following the traces of ancient life at your own pace, with your dog padding along beside you.
Access and Facilities
The roads adjacent to Stanton Moor are very narrow and not suitable for parking. Formal car parking is available on Birchover Road, which runs up the western edge between Birchover and Stanton-in-Peak.
You have no facilities at the car park or on the moor, so you will need to come prepared with water, snacks and bags.
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