Classic Kinder Scout From Edale

Introduction

Jordan and I have our birthdays this Bank Holiday weekend, and began the celebrations on Friday with perfect weather for a magnificent walk.

This is no half day affair. It was 13 miles and 6 hours.

The start at Barber Booth is 40 minutes drive from Cheadle Hulme.

Rolo came with us, but as the photographs show, much of the walk demanded that he be kept on the lead.

There is a car park area at Dale Bank near Barber Booth, postcode S33 7JQ.The walk is on OS Explorer Map OL1.

Barber Booth To Edale

We walked clockwise (highly recommended). It is a gentle start, below the viaduct which carries the Manchester – Sheffield main line as it emerges from Cowburn Tunnel.

The views onto the surrounding hills are enticing.

This is a really easy walk through pleasant pastures. After arriving in the village we turned up the road, ignoring the start of the Pennine Way, past The Old Nags Head and into a gully where a bridge takes us over Grinds Brook, and out onto the paved path to the hills.

Grindsbrook Clough

The ascent of Grindsbrook Clough is as good a path as I have ever walked in the Peak District. The pictures tell the story, as the path criss-crosses the stream, often via large boulders.

That took us to the bottom of the final ascent, which is a really enjoyable steep scramble. I wouldn’t want to do this section downhill, hence my introductory advice to walk clockwise. After taking our lunch, up we go.

The view back down from the top is spectacular.

Kinder Scout Plateau

At the top are some strange, seemingly alien-inspired, rock formations.

We made our way over towards Crowden Tower, stopping for birthday portraits in front of the Vale of Edale.

Rolo was warming up now, but the recent dry spell meant there was almost no water in this stream, so a quick drink, and then we just walked up it.

It’s really flat and easy to get lost as we traipsed across towards Kinder Downfall.

Eventually, we found the headwaters of the River Kinder.

And so, we arrived at the spectacular views from Kinder Downfall where our route met the more popular, and shorter, route up from Hayfield.

Turning left and following the ridge, we some came to the very flat summit of Kinder Scout, marked by this boulder and trig point!

The Descent

It’s not as steep this way, but the descent is fast and soon we are at the top of Jacob’s Ladder.

This is a well built steeper section. Rolo was allowed to go on ahead here, and admired the view.

It’s a great path for going down.

It would have been easy to follow the track and join the minor road at Upper Booth and back to the car park, but we’d decided to find the path across the hillside from Lee House to the start of the railway tunnel at Dalehead.

It wasn’t easy to find the gate and path over the stream, but it was pretty when we got there.

However, despite the lack of rain, this path was broken by several small wide streams which had spread into areas of bog. It was difficult to cross here, unless you were a dog!

And so, with one rather dirty Rolo we made it to the Dalehead Bunkhouse and down the track back to the car.

From the car park, a short drive to Edale was required, and refreshments were taken in The Old Nags Head.

A great day out.

And Finally…..

It’s not the highest place you’ll ever walk, but over 2000 feet counts as a mountain, and I’m reminded of this album from my youth – Mountain Climbing by Mountain.

This is Theme For An Imaginary Western. Proper guitar led rock music.

2 Comments

  1. Brian Duckworth said:

    I!m exhausted just looking at the route!Happy days!

    2 May 2022
    • graham.roberts80 said:

      Yes, it was tiring but exhilarating!

      2 May 2022

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