Padley Gorge is only a stone’s throw from civilization, but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. Walking from the moorlands into the ravine tumbles you through wizened woodlands, little changed in centuries; ferns and mushrooms flourish in the damp ground; Burbage Brook’s cascades and falls providing the sound of an ancient song flowing through the depths; with the occasional millstone, abandoned long ago, reminding you of forgotten history, and the coin studded trees bringing an air of understanding for those longing to connect to its magic. It’s hard not to feel like you’ve accidentally stumbled into a place that nestles in the borders of reality.

To visit, we parked in a layby on the B6521 (53°18’40.0″N 1°37’05.5″W). There are steps from here leading down to the river. We took a route to the left without crossing the river, crossing further in the gorge for a return journey on the other side. Also on the map is the walk to Owler Tor and Lawrencefield.
There is more parking at either end of the gorge, near the ice cream van 53°18’57.8″N 1°36’50.4″W and in the town 53°18’15.3″N 1°37’31.6″W (paid), as well as (paid) Surprise View Car Park (53°19’02.0″N 1°37’23.4″W).