Get Lost Mountaineering

Kinder NW, Downfall, Crowden Head, Pym Chair, Kinder Scout & Low from Hayfield campsite or Bowden Bridge car park

Start/Finish

Hayfield campsite or Bowden Bridge car park. If coming from the south or east, take the A619 from Chesterfield to Baslow before picking up the A623 signed for Manchester. Those approaching from Buxton, on the A6, will meet this route at a roundabout just before Chapel-en-leFrith. Soon after, take the A624 signed for Glossop. Continue on this road until the right turn into Hayfield village is reached. Turn in then go left and pass the church before crossing the river then follow the road on the N side of the river until past the Sportsman pub. Soon after there is a right turn, over a bridge, for the camp site. There are public toilets just across this bridge. The Bowden Bridge car park is a little further along the road after this turning. Those approaching from Glossop should fork left on the one way street into the village until the above route is joined. There are a few signs in the village for the camp site which may help.

Distance/Time

15 km      About 5 - 6 hours

Peaks

Kinder NW Trig Point, 624 m, SK 077 894.

Crowden Head, 631 m, SK 095 881,

Kinder Scout 1, 636 m, SK 084(62) 875(37)

Kinder Scout 2, 636 m, SK 086(22) 875(49)

Kinder Low, 633 m, SK 079 870. OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak. OS 110 (1:50 000).

Introduction

This is a lovely walk which takes in many of the features of Kinder Scout. It goes up one ridge to reach the edge of the Kinder plateau at Sandy Heys, goes along the west edge of Kinder to Kinder Downfall before following the River Kinder and old Pennine Way to Crowden Head. The route then goes S across the worst of the Kinder plateau to Crowden Tower before following the south edge to the Woolpacks, where one of the rock formations resembles Winnie the Pooh, then continues to the well known land mark of Pym Chair. We then go back into the plateau to the two cairns which seem to mark the highest points on Kinder Scout before crossing to Kinder Low trig point and a descent down Kinderlow End which some will consider the highlight of the walk as the path down the steep section of Kinder Low End has been well constructed and is one of the finest paths in the Peak District. It knocks spots off the over romanticised Jacob's Ladder. The Kinder plateau is no place for the inexperienced navigator, especially in mist when it seems so featureless, so save this walk for a clear day and it will be that much more enjoyable. The camp site at Hayfield is very pleasant and well equipped. It is owned by the Camping and Caravanning Club. The rates for members, about £7 less per night, are very much below those for non-members. It may be worth joining as it only takes about six nights to break even. The path up the mainly grassy ridge to Sandy Heys is very easy to follow and only moderately steep.

Route

(1) From Bowden Bridge car park, continue up the road (do not cross the bridge by the car park). Soon the private road going up to Kinder Reservoir is reached. Turn right, cross the bridge then follow the footpath on the right of the river. This leads up to a footbridge which is crossed to gain the top of the private road by another gate. A small footpath gate is on the left of the large gate with a sign saying White Brow. Take this footpath, which is quite steep and cobbled. When it levels out, follow it along the wall on the W side of the reservoir and up the side of the N spur of the reservoir to reach a footbridge. Just beyond the bridge is a sign saying William Clough which is not part of this route. Cross the footbridge and follow the obvious path upwards. It is mainly grassy, not too boggy, very easy to follow and no more than moderately steep in places. Higher up, the path detours slightly left to avoid boulders on the ridge. Higher up, there are outcrops which are easily walked through. The ridge ends on the W edge of Kinder plateau where the edge path turns through a right angle. Follow the very obvious edge path to the right. Kinder NW Trig Point lies off this edge path and is on the Kinder Plateau. Follow the edge path to a “summit” by an outcrop after which the path descends. A fence, visible much of the way from the edge path should be seen to the left. In clear weather, the trig point itself may be seen. If not walk to the fence and follow it shadowing the edge. There are a few stiles but one is about 40 m from the trig point which is slightly to the right. This is actually labelled as Stile 8 and has its grid reference on it. Note that Kinder NW Trig Point, 624 m is not the highest point in this area. In thick weather, the fence may not be seen from the path “summit” so, if you are sure you are in the right place (!), walk at 1 o'clock from the “summit” to meet the fence then follow it to Stile 8. If you cannot see the Trig Point – it is white and does not stand out in mist – from Stile 8 then also walk at about 1 o' clock for about 40 m. An even surer way to reach Stile 8, although slightly longer, is to stay on the edge path until a fence crosses it then follow this fence back to Stile 8.

(2) From the trig point return to the stile then follow the fence the other way. It turns at right angles then meets the edge path soon after and this can be followed to the downfall. In just over 2 km from the NW corner, the edge path cuts into the plateau to reach Kinder Downfall with cliffs either side. Cross the River Kinder easily. Walk upstream following the River Kinder. In a dry spell, the river almost dries up and one can easily walk along the river bed. The river passes between two large outcrops known as Kinder Gates. A little further, there is a large cairn where the river splits. Take the left fork, roughly SE, which is the old Pennine Way. It is probably wise to set a compass bearing here for Crowden Head as the Pennine Way passes to its W. From the cairn, one can see two trees. The Pennine Way soon enters some cloughs from which there is little view of the surrounding plateau. Try to stay on a bank above the cloughs so you can survey the surrounding area. Remember that Crowden Head is only about 500 m from the cairn on the River Kinder. Two different trees, close together, are passed not far before Crowden Head which lies on a fairly obvious slightly raised mound where the small cairn marks Crowden Head, 631 m.

(3) In clear weather, the Pym Chair outcrop will be seen to the SSW. The Pennine Way “path” passes to the W. Walk slightly W of S and soon reach a deep and peaty clough. Either follow this S or cross it (not easy!) and follow the next deep clough S. Both cloughs meet further S and the Pennine Way is also crossed. By now, Crowden Tower should be close. Continue following the stony, shallow clough to reach the edge path at the top of Crowden Clough. Turn right and ascend (steps) to Crowden Tower where the highest point, a loose rock, is easily reached. Continue along the edge path, roughly heading W. Descend into a hollow where a rounded pinnacle looks like Winnie the Pooh if viewed from the N. Continue W and easily ascend to a significant outcrop. Pym Chair is at the N (right) end of this outcrop. It is unmistakeable. From here, take a bearing for spot height 636 m, roughly 500 m N. There is an outcrop en route before the small stone cairn is reached, in a boggy area which marks the W summit of Kinder Scout, 636 m, SK 086(22) 875(49). From here, walk almost due W, for about 300 m, to reach the cairn which marks the W “summit” of Kinder Scout W, 636 m, SK 084(62) 875(37). This cairn is in a more grassy area. On 22/4/15, there was a short pole in the small cairn. Nearby was a “peat cairn” with a stick in it.

(4) From the W cairn, walk roughly SW for almost 1 km to reach the trig point which is the summit of Kinder Low, 633 m, SK 079 870. In clear weather, this will be visible from the Kinder Scout W cairn.

(5) From the trig point, walk, roughly W, to the obvious very large cairn (may not be visible in thick weather) and follow the edge path S then SW heading for the Kinder Low End spur. The path has well spaced smaller cairns, easily seen in clear weather but too far apart in mist. The path leads to a slabbed path. When on this slabbed path, ignore the turn off left on to another slabbed path and stay on the Kinder Low End path. Follow this, descending gently until Kinder Low End is reached. This is steep and rocky but there is a very good stepped path which makes the descent very straightforward. At the bottom, continue ahead to reach a major path and go left through a gate. Drift right towards the wall and soon reach another gate where there is a notice. Go through the gate then the boggy gate less hole in the wall just beyond and diagonally to the right. Continue down, shadowing the wall on your left, passing through some gates. There is no obvious path at first. Continue down to reach a stile which is above Tunstead House. From the house, follow the road down. Go straight on at a crossroads and soon reach Bowden Bridge.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 23^rd April, 2015.