Critique my cheeky Stanage Loop.

Yeah that's fine, just watch yourself between Bamford & Hathersage. It's the local drag strip.

Just out of interest, is there any particular need to go via Grindleford? (Train?)
If you just wanted the best off road bits then start at Fox House. Do your loop to Ladybower Inn, then left up the main road to the lay-by on the right. Take the LRT up through the trees into the open, then along the Grouse buts to below stanage. Head along the flat below stanage to the causeway. Up the causeway, down plantation 3/4 of the way. Break left. Up the nightmare hill then across to Burbage north. Drop down to the bw then along Burbage South to the start.

Caveat: bogs

Only thing I’d add is that plantation to burbage is going to be busy with climbers and walkers even on a Monday afternoon.
Last time I rode there I was shown the path on the other side of the hill. https://strava.app.link/QVEGNNXCFqb
Much less traffic and actually a nice climb. Look for a left turn off the top to drop you down to the road junction then slog up the hill. Hard to avoid going up that hill!

Off-road as much as poss, flat as much as poss are kind of mutually exclusive.
I’d use the thorn hill trail to do dam->bamford, then into Shatton, turn left before you start properly climbing and head over to Offerton (pleasant but surprisingly lumpy), then drop down to The Plough.

There’s no way you’d catch me riding the B6001 - bloody awful road on a bike, so I’d turn right and right again, up through Leam (steep), over to William Hill Road and drop into Grindleford that way.

I believe there’s a path along the river parallel to the B6001, but I’ve never either walked or ridden it.

Yeah B6001 isn't a road I'd ride along. Twisty(ish) with a stone wall on the east side which people get scared of, so drive all over the show. Take the alternative route Jon mentions above.

Thanks guys, nice one, I'll take a look. @thegeneralist.. Grindleford is closest to my drive from Stoke, my parking's not set but I did want to do lady Cannings, which I've not done before but I see I could go along the burbage rocks bridleway if I was prepared to miss it out.
On the way back, is the path along the bottom of Stanage distinct? It should be dry I reckon.

Hi,
I guess the bracken is up now, but should still be ok to find.
This Strava shows us going out along the bottom of stanage and back along the top (far end only)
It also shows the alternative drop down from stanage to the main road. ( I've not been the way you show )
https://strava.app.link/9i1iyyzWFqb

And this one shows the alternative route back to stanage from Ladybower Inn!

https://strava.app.link/DPcXDvVWFqb

Why would I care? I'm doing my damnedest to flip FPs to bridleways across the peak.

1) Lady Cannings is fine but short and not worth a particularly big detour IMHO.

2) Agree I wouldn't ride along the B6001 if it can be helped. There is a footpath along the river but it's not super easy on a bike IIRC. Find a different route I think.

3) You're going the boring wrong down from Whinstone Lee Tor. Look for Alp D'Huez on Strava.

4) If you want to get from Hathersage to Fox House then you can just go straight up the road (Surprise View climb) which is actually pretty easy-going if you take it slow, and it's relatively wide so safe enough. If you're set on parking at Grindleford near the station (I think that's probably a mistake anyway since parking is a PITA there) then I'd still go up the surprise view climb ('Sheffield road' on that map) until the corner at Surprise View itself and then head down through the woods:

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Alternative is 'Star Wars' on Strava and then down to the station on the right hand side of the river. Either option way better than going along the road. Either way it's an extra climb but honestly probably easier than the valley footpath which is just fields and stiles.