Peak District
1 SK068983 From Torside car park, head uphill and slightly left to a path through memorial woodland and onto the Trans Pennine Trail. Turn left, briefly, then take a narrow trail to the right, signposted for Wildboar Clough. This leads into woodland. The path is intermittent but a stream bed is obvious, so follow it up. It soon becomes easier to scramble up the middle rather than hugging the steep edges.
2 SK079980 The way up is fun and not too challenging, with the ravine walls steepening until you reach the first obstacle at a waterfall. The hand- and footholds, following a crack up the left, are fairly solid but it can feel a little exposed. It can be quite greasy and a fall could have serious consequences, so a rope may be desired if you have the skills. Keep working your way up, generally staying left.
3 SK080979 You’ll need to negotiate a slightly sloping step to reach the tallest waterfall on the route, which tumbles into a pool encircled by tall, rocky walls. If the ledge is wet, take the grass to the right. The pool is a good place to stop for a break and left of the waterfall is a hidden chimney with with good hand and footholds.Take this up to the top.
4 SK080978 The next challenge – a low double-stepped waterfall – is best tackled on the left corner. Start on the left of the wall, then turn more directly right and have a good feel around over the top to find a handhold you can haul yourself over the top with. From here the clough starts to broaden out and most of the tougher challenges are over. OS 1:25,000 maps show a fence post ending near the top of the clough; in reality it continues on much further onto Shining Clough Moss so don’t rely on it for your navigation.
5 SK081977
Bleaklow Head is all but invisible until you’re practically upon it,with the surrounding moorland grassy and featureless. Set a bearing for the cairn and follow it closely. In poor weather this will be careful work and because it’s quite a long bearing, the potential for inaccuracy is quite high. Still, it’s a pleasant challenge to round out the day.
6 SK092959
Bleaklow Head is marked with a cairn and tall stake, with Pennine Way waystones at the base. Though this is the highest point on the map, the summit is actually in constant movement, as the peat underneath shifts, falls, forms and resettles. Take the Pennine Way path, indicated with large flagstones, away first to the north-east, then turning more north, then east to pick up Wildboar Grain.
7 SK080964 The path leads across towards Torside Clough, staying high as the ravine deepens to your right. Follow it along Clough Edge, and then down to a wider track to meet the B6105. Turn right here to pick up the Trans Pennine Trail again, which leads back to the car park on the left.