It starts on the B5032 in the Staffordshire village of Ellastone and heads southeast through the village, soon reaching an old, narrow bridge over the River Dove.
On the far side of the river the B5033 goes through the Derbyshire village of Norbury, where the old manor house is owned by the National Trust. The road here is called Norbury Hollow, which is apt given that the road is narrow and in cutting; there are two private footbridges over the road either side of an unclassified road towards Ashbourne, so restricting height as well as width.
The road then climbs up and widens out to reach Roston Common and Snelston Common. The road ends soon afterwards at a T-junction on the A515 on Darley Moor.