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Lad's Leap, Tintwistle Knarr & Chew Reservoir from Crowden

Start/Finish

Free public car park at Crowden which is signposted, about 200 m before, on the W side of the A628 Woodhead Pass. Turn off on to a minor road then left down a curving slope into a medium sized car park. There are toilets close by. If the car park is full, one may have to park on the side of the minor road. Crowden is on the A628, Woodhead Pass road. From the M1, go north past Sheffield and Meadowhall and leave at junction 35A (not 35). Follow the A616 past Deepcar and Stocksbridge (Tata Steel plant). Go through the hamlet of Langsett where there are toilets if needed. Continue to the roundabout junction with the A628 and turn left on to the A628. Follow this up and over the Woodhead Pass. Soon, Woodhead Reservoir is reached. Drive the full length of this, going past the A6024 Holmfirth turning just over the viaduct on the northern spur of the reservoir. The turning for Crowden is about half a mile further. If missed, one may have to drive some distance to turn around. It is about 11 miles from the M1 to the A616/A628 roundabout and just under a further 11 miles to Crowden car park. Note that there is no parking on the main road especially near to where the Pennine Way leaves it. The only sensible place to park is at Crowden. Sometimes, hill races start at Crowden. On such days, you would need to arrive before the runners to have any chance of parking as it gets quite chaotic.

Distance/Time

12 km      About 4 hours

Peaks

No real peaks as this is an edge and moorland walk.      OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak

Introduction

This is a fine, but tough, edge and moorland walk in the Dark Peak which, in good weather has good views of the surrounding Pennine Moors including Bleaklow to the S and Black Hill to the NE. Some of the going is boggy, even in a dry spell, and gaiters are strongly recommended. The section from Tintwistle Knarr to Chew Reservoir is pathless and over rough moorland which some will find slow and tiring. This walk is best attempted in clear weather as the moorland section is almost featureless. Navigation is straightforward to Lad's Leap and from Chew Reservoir back to Crowden.

Route

(1) From the car park, follow the sign to the toilets. Turn right at the toilets and follow the good path, by a wall, up the side of the camp site to reach a minor road. Turn left and follow the minor road with the camp site on the left. Soon the road climbs. Just before a wood on the left, turn right at a signpost (Pennine Way). Follow the path to reach the Access point (notice) which is just after a stile/gate in a stone wall and at the start of a small wood. Go left here on the obvious path going uphill. Follow the path up – in places it goes through deep grass but is still distinctive – until it splits. Take the left fork and continue up on to top of the moor then onward to the obvious Coombes Clough. Lad's Leap is on the E side with Millstone Rocks across the clough. The path crosses the stream in the clough then continues along the moor with the odd cairn along the way. The path splits just before two peat hags. Take the right fork, between the hags, and follow the path. Unfortunately, it soon peters out and the ground becomes quite rough but not horrendous. Keep going, roughly W, keeping on the highest ground. Soon reach better ground covered with rocks and small boulders. This is part of Tintwistle Knarr. To the N, Arnfield Clough should be visible, running SW to NE. In clear weather, an edge will be seen further back with some rocky outcrops on it. Head roughly N. Cross the clough and keep going N. There is no path and the ground is rough but passable. Aim, with a bearing, for Chew Reservoir about 2.5 km away. It will be slow going but, eventually, the reservoir will be reached which is an ideal place for lunch as there is some shelter from cold winds.

(2) Walk E along the S side of the reservoir, initially on a good track but soon becoming a path which is boggy in places. The path follows a stream, frequently crossing it, and is boggy in places. The path is easy to follow until, near its source, the stream splits. The path goes between the two tributaries and continues up to a stile in a fence at its highest point. Continue on the obvious path which descends gently and soon joins the Pennine Way at a small cairn. Go S and follow the unpleasant stony path down towards Crowden. After a small wood is passed, look for a wide grassy path forking left towards the obvious building which is an Outdoor Education Centre. Follow the grassy path down to this building then follow the road/track back to the camp site and car park.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 3^rd November, 2014.