Kinder Scout, Peak District
An easy scramble leads you to Kinder Gates and on to some spectacular Peak District scenery.
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The Kinder plateau is a popular weekend destination for many setting off from Grindsbrook Booth. This route takes you away from the crowds and ascends Crowden Clough with fine, easy scrambling, including a nice chimney section and at the top a squeeze passage out on to the plateau. The walk to Kinder Gates follows the old Pennine Way across Edale Moor and Kinder Scout. This is open moorland with deep groughs that require good navigation to stay on the route. Once at Kinder Downfall you follow the western edge path south to Edale Cross, an ancient marker on the old packhorse route coming up Jacob’s Ladder, from the Vaccary at Upper Booth. The walk then heads southeast along a slabbed section crossing Brown Knoll to meet with Rushup Edge, then turning east to limestone country. The views from Lord’s Seat across to Mam Tor and along Hope Valley are superb, with the Dark Peak laid out in front of you and the mass of Kinder Scout to the north and limestone dales to the south. After summiting Mam Tor you descend The Great Ridge and follow the old coffin route back into Edale.
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SK122859 From the Old Nags Head Inn in the centre of Grindsbrook Booth, go through the gate way opposite the pub to the Pennine Way and follow the national trail west across fields for 2.3km until you reach Upper Booth, one of several medieval cattle rearing stations in the valley. Follow the trail through the farmyard and exit onto a minor road. Turn right and follow the road across the bridge over Crowden Brook.
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SK102853 Once over the bridge go right, following the path north up through woodland with the brook on your right. The path leaves the woodland by a barn and crosses fields to the fence below Crowden Clough. Cross the stile by the National Trust signpost and follow the path up the right-hand side of Crowden Brook. As you walk deeper into the clough the sides close in and the ground changes from moor to rock. Begin to pick your way up the scramble, keeping to the line of the brook at all times. Eventually you will encounter some vertical sections. These are easily passable using the chimney or rock steps, but should easier ground be needed there is plenty on the south-west side of the brook. Near the top, Crowden Clough opens out and forks. Bear left at the fork
and work your way through the ample squeezes between the large boulders to emerge on to the Kinder plateau.
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SK093872 Go east to pick up the head of Crowden Clough and follow Crowden Brook north across Edale Moor, ignoring the cairn on Crowden Head to the north-east.
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SK089883 Eventually you enter a large grough with a stream running north. Follow the water to a small canyon like rock feature that is Kinder Gates (see if you can spot the baby face in the rock) and continue following the stream until you exit at Kinder Downfall and the views over Kinder Reservoir.
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Turn south-west following the western edge path. Pass Kinder Low triangulation pillar and continue south past Edale Rocks and descend following a fence line to a gate at Edale Cross, an ancient stone marker set back in the wall on the right as you go through the gate. Go left along the Pennine Way until you reach a gate across the bridleway.
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SK080860 Turn right and follow the fence line until you reach a stile just off the path on your left.
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SK081853 Go over the stile and follow the slabbed path, past the triangulation pillar on Brown Knoll until you reach the wide track that is Chapel Gate. Go right and follow the track to the end where it joins the bridleway track on Rushup Edge.
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SK099829 Turn left and follow the track up the ridge of Rushup Edge to Lord’s Seat then continue east dropping down to the minor road below Mam Tor.
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SK125834 Cross the road and go through the gate opposite to ascend via the stone steps to the summit of Mam Tor. Continue north-east past the triangulation pillar and follow footpath along The Great Ridge to the saddle at Hollins Cross.
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SK135845 Go north-west down the wide track to the road. Cross the stile and the one directly opposite, then follow the footpath across the field and railway track to return to the national park visitor centre. Walk to the road, turn right and walk up through Edale village to finish at the Old Nags Head Inn.