2nd July 2017 - Around the head of Edale
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.4 miles
Total ascent: 2214 ft
OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Edale-Grindsbrook Booth-Ringing Roger-Nether Tor-Upper Tor-Crowden Tower-Wool Packs-Pym Chair-Noe Stool-Kinder Low-Edale Rocks-Brown Knoll-Chapel Gate-Lord's Seat-Mam Nick-Greenlands-Hardenclough Farm-Edale
A beautiful summer's day for this walk in the Peak District. I decided to head for Edale and do a circuit of the moorland at the head of the valley. I've done a variation of this walk a couple of times before and in fact my first walk in the Peak District seven years ago was more or less the same except I included Mam Tor on that occasion. This time I got onto Kinder Scout's southern edge via Ringing Roger and returned to the valley by the bridleway from Mam Nick. It still felt pretty fresh in the breeze when I was walking from Ringing Roger to Upper Tor in the morning but as the day wore on the amount of sunshine increased and it warmed up to make it a perfect afternoon for being on the hills.
From the car park in Edale I walked north up the road past the Old Nag's Head pub to Grindsbrook Booth and took the footpath to Grindsbrook Clough. Soon after crossing Grinds Brook I left this path for the one up to Ringing Roger. I then made my way west along the southern edge of Kinder Scout past Nether Tor and Upper Tor to Crowden Tower where I had lunch. From Crowden Tower I passed the Wool Packs, Pym Chair and Noe Stool to arrive at the trig point on Kinder Low. It was now time to head south round the head of the valley, so I took the path to Edale Rocks and then on to and past the trig point on Brown Knoll to reach the Chapel Gate byway. I was on this briefly until it met the bridleway up Rushup Edge, which I took and the footpath to its top, Lord's Seat. I then made my way down to the road at Mam Nick where I took the bridleway back to Edale via Greenlands and Hardenclough Farm.
Total ascent: 2214 ft
OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Edale-Grindsbrook Booth-Ringing Roger-Nether Tor-Upper Tor-Crowden Tower-Wool Packs-Pym Chair-Noe Stool-Kinder Low-Edale Rocks-Brown Knoll-Chapel Gate-Lord's Seat-Mam Nick-Greenlands-Hardenclough Farm-Edale
A beautiful summer's day for this walk in the Peak District. I decided to head for Edale and do a circuit of the moorland at the head of the valley. I've done a variation of this walk a couple of times before and in fact my first walk in the Peak District seven years ago was more or less the same except I included Mam Tor on that occasion. This time I got onto Kinder Scout's southern edge via Ringing Roger and returned to the valley by the bridleway from Mam Nick. It still felt pretty fresh in the breeze when I was walking from Ringing Roger to Upper Tor in the morning but as the day wore on the amount of sunshine increased and it warmed up to make it a perfect afternoon for being on the hills.
From the car park in Edale I walked north up the road past the Old Nag's Head pub to Grindsbrook Booth and took the footpath to Grindsbrook Clough. Soon after crossing Grinds Brook I left this path for the one up to Ringing Roger. I then made my way west along the southern edge of Kinder Scout past Nether Tor and Upper Tor to Crowden Tower where I had lunch. From Crowden Tower I passed the Wool Packs, Pym Chair and Noe Stool to arrive at the trig point on Kinder Low. It was now time to head south round the head of the valley, so I took the path to Edale Rocks and then on to and past the trig point on Brown Knoll to reach the Chapel Gate byway. I was on this briefly until it met the bridleway up Rushup Edge, which I took and the footpath to its top, Lord's Seat. I then made my way down to the road at Mam Nick where I took the bridleway back to Edale via Greenlands and Hardenclough Farm.
Route map
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Making my way through Grindsbrook Booth at the start of the walk
Grindslow Knoll and Grindsbrook Clough as I head for..
..Ringing Roger
Grindslow Knoll, Grindsbrook Clough and Upper Tor from Ringing Roger
and the head of Edale
I've followed the edge top path from Ringing Roger to Upper Tor. Looking across Grindsbrook Clough to Grindslow Knoll.
and looking back to Nether Tor and Ringing Roger
Onwards to the top of Grindsbrook Clough
I'm treated to great views along the way....
..to the top of Grindsbrook Clough
The next stop is Crowden Tower
Grindslow Knoll, Crowden Clough and the Vale of Edale from Crowden Tower
I was sat having my lunch at Crowden Tower when this patch of cirrocumulus passed overhead. I couldn't resist taking a photo of it.
Looking back to Grindslow Knoll as I head for the Wool Packs
and I'm now past the Wool Packs
Pym Chair
Swine's Back and the Noe Stool
A fantastic view of the Vale of Edale from above the Noe Stool
and again across a sea of cotton grass as I head for the trig point on Kinder Low
At the trig point on Kinder Low
Big skies as I look north across the western part of Kinder Scout
Looking northwest over Kinder Reservoir to Manchester in the distance
A great view of the Vale of Edale from Edale Rocks
Combs Edge, South Head and Mount Famine with Axe Edge Moor and Shining Tor in the distance
Heading for Brown Knoll
Looking across to Crowden Tower and Grindslow Knoll
and back to Edale Rocks and Noe Stool
South Head and Mount Famine
At the trig point on Brown Knoll
Axe Edge Moor, Shining Tor, Combs Edge and Chapel-en-le-Frith
Follow the yellow brick road
A sea of cotton grass as I look across to the southern edge of Kinder Scout
That cotton grass looks like a fall of snow as I reach the Chapel Gate byway
Heading up Rushup Edge
A fantastic view of the Vale of Edale from Lord's Seat. I was lying down in the grass to take this photo so that I could get some of it in the foreground.
Onwards along the edge to Mam Nick. Mam Tor and the Great Ridge to Lose Hill is on the left with the Hope Valley in the distance on the right
Looking over the wall on my right to see the road along Rushup Edge below with Axe Edge Moor, Black Edge and Shining Tor in the distance
Kinder Scout and the head of Edale
The ditches of the iron age fort on Mam Tor stand out as I near Mam Nick
A backdrop of the southern edge of Kinder Scout as I head back down to Edale..
