6th May 2018 - Crowden Clough and the head of Edale
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.0 miles
Total ascent: 2085 ft
OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Barber Booth-Upper Booth-Crowden Clough-Crowden Tower-Wool Packs-Kinder Low-Edale Rocks-Swine's Back-Edale Cross-Brown Knoll-Chapel Gate-Rushup Edge-Mam Tor-Hollins Cross-Greenlands-Barber Booth
It's a bank holiday weekend and the weather has come up trumps. All three days are forecast to be warm and sunny, more like mid-summer than early May. I was almost tempted to go somewhere on all three days but on two of them will be more than enough, especially given how warm it's going to be. I'm sure that I'll have expended more than enough energy by the end of tomorrow. Today, it's the Peak District and a busy Edale for a walk around the head of the valley. A "variation on a theme" of a route that I've done several times now. A first climb up Crowden Clough was a delight, I took in Swine's Back for the first time as well and included Mam Tor on this occasion. The forecast proved to be correct with lots of sunshine, only a little cloud, a bit of a haze and enough breeze to make it a perfect day being up on the moors.
From the car park in Barber Booth I walked north up the road to its end at Upper Booth and took the footpath up Crowden Clough. There's great scenery as the path weaves its way back and forth across the brook. As the top is neared the path leaves the bed of the clough and exits it to meet the edge top path to Crowden Tower. From Crowden Tower I passed the Wool Packs, Pym Chair and Noe Stool to arrive at the trig point on Kinder Low, where I stopped for lunch. It was now time to head south round the head of the valley, so I took the path to Edale Rocks and Swine's Back down to the bridleway up from Coldwell Clough at Edale Cross. After following this east for a short distance I left it for the path to Brown Knoll, then on to and past the trig point 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 and climbed to the summit of Mam Tor. I followed the Great Ridge east from Mam Tor to Hollins Cross where I took the bridleway down to Greenlands. There was a walk down the road from there to meet a footpath on the left that made its way west across fields back to Barber Booth.
Total ascent: 2085 ft
OS map used: OL1 - The Peak District, Dark Peak area
Time taken: 6.5 hrs
Route description: Barber Booth-Upper Booth-Crowden Clough-Crowden Tower-Wool Packs-Kinder Low-Edale Rocks-Swine's Back-Edale Cross-Brown Knoll-Chapel Gate-Rushup Edge-Mam Tor-Hollins Cross-Greenlands-Barber Booth
It's a bank holiday weekend and the weather has come up trumps. All three days are forecast to be warm and sunny, more like mid-summer than early May. I was almost tempted to go somewhere on all three days but on two of them will be more than enough, especially given how warm it's going to be. I'm sure that I'll have expended more than enough energy by the end of tomorrow. Today, it's the Peak District and a busy Edale for a walk around the head of the valley. A "variation on a theme" of a route that I've done several times now. A first climb up Crowden Clough was a delight, I took in Swine's Back for the first time as well and included Mam Tor on this occasion. The forecast proved to be correct with lots of sunshine, only a little cloud, a bit of a haze and enough breeze to make it a perfect day being up on the moors.
From the car park in Barber Booth I walked north up the road to its end at Upper Booth and took the footpath up Crowden Clough. There's great scenery as the path weaves its way back and forth across the brook. As the top is neared the path leaves the bed of the clough and exits it to meet the edge top path to Crowden Tower. From Crowden Tower I passed the Wool Packs, Pym Chair and Noe Stool to arrive at the trig point on Kinder Low, where I stopped for lunch. It was now time to head south round the head of the valley, so I took the path to Edale Rocks and Swine's Back down to the bridleway up from Coldwell Clough at Edale Cross. After following this east for a short distance I left it for the path to Brown Knoll, then on to and past the trig point 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 and climbed to the summit of Mam Tor. I followed the Great Ridge east from Mam Tor to Hollins Cross where I took the bridleway down to Greenlands. There was a walk down the road from there to meet a footpath on the left that made its way west across fields back to Barber Booth.
Route map
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On the road to Upper Booth
and then it's onto the path up Crowden Clough
The prominent crag in the middle of the photo is Crowden Tower
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Great scenery as I continue uphill
Looking back down Crowden Clough as I near its top
The final steep rocky bit of the clough
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and Crowden Brook is just a trickle as it drops over the edge
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Grindslow Knoll, Crowden Clough and across to Mam Tor and Rushup Edge from Crowden Tower
Swine's Back ahead as I make my way through the Wool Packs
and looking back through the Wool Packs
Brown Knoll and Swine's Back from near Pym Chair
and this is Pym Chair
Swine's Back as I head for the trig point on Kinder Low
Looking back to Pym Chair and Crowden Tower
The trig point on Kinder Low
Looking south to Combs Edge, Axe Edge Moor and Shining Tor
Distinctly hazy as I look west over Kinder Reservoir
The western part of Kinder Scout
The Vale of Edale from Edale Rocks
Looking across to Crowden Tower
Edale Rocks
The Vale of Edale..
..and Kinder Scout from Swine's Back. The path from Jacob's Ladder is really busy.
Rushup Edge and Brown Knoll
Combs Edge, Shining Tor, South Head and Mount Famine
Edale Cross. Just off the bridleway up from Coldwell Clough.
I'll briefly follow that bridleway to reach the path to Brown Knoll
South Head and Mount Famine from the path to Brown Knoll
and looking back to the southern slopes of Kinder Scout..
The trig point on Brown Knoll
A flagged path to follow all the way across Brown Knoll
Looking back as I reach the track of Chapel Gate
Combs Edge, Shining Tor and the moors around Chapel-en-le-Frith
Looking south across the White Peak from the bridleway up onto Rushup Edge
I've been able to see paragliders on Rushup Edge for a while. Now I'll see them up close.
Time to take a break and admire the great view across the Vale of Edale from the top of Rushup Edge..
Heading along the ridge to Mam Tor..
More paragliders above Rushup Edge
The head of Edale from Mam Tor. It was very busy, which wasn't a surprise.
The Great Ridge to Lose Hill
Win Hill and the Hope Valley
Rushup Edge from Mam Tor
Winnats Pass and Bradwell Moor
Following the Great Ridge to Hollins Cross
There's a fantastic view across the Hope Valley to my right..
Looking back to Mam Tor
Heading for Hollins Cross
The Vale of Edale as I take the bridleway down to Greenlands..
Kinder Scout as I pass Small Clough
Turning round to see the Great Ridge
Almost back to Barber Booth