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Black Hill via Hey Edge, Pennine Way & Laddow Moss Trig Point from Crowden

Black Hill via Hey Edge, Pennine Way & Laddow Moss Trig Point

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

16 km    About 5 – 6 hours depending on ground conditions

Peaks

Hey Edge Trig Point, 418 m, SE 079 002.

White Low, 530 m, SE 086 021.

Tooleyshaw Moss, 576 m, SE 080 041.

Black Hill, 582 m, SE 078 046.

Featherbed/Laddow Moss Trig Point, 541 m, SE 046 012.

This is not really a peak just a point on a fairly level moorland plateau.

OS 110: Sheffield & Huddersfield. OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak.

Introduction

This is a fine, but tough, ridge walk in the Dark Peak which, in good weather has good views of the surrounding Pennine Moors including Bleaklow to the S. Some of the going is boggy, even in a dry spell, and gaiters are strongly recommended. The return, using the Pennine Way, is much drier but rough and stony in places with some stream crossings which may be awkward after rain. Much of the Pennine Way on this route is slabbed which makes for easier navigation and drier walking. The section over Laddow/Featherbed Moss is rough moorland but not too boggy.

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. Go straight across then fork right on the first track which goes slightly uphill. A stile and gate should now be visible ahead. Cross the stile on to a more grassy track which goes right then left heading straight up the nose of the ridge going N. After about 100 m is another stile and then one is in open country with an obvious path climbing fairly steeply with a wall to the left. When the gradient eases, the path goes past some loose rocky slopes which lies to the right. Soon after passing some conifers, fork right on to a path which heads for the crest above. Gain the crest as soon as possible which has a path along it that soon leads to the trig point which is Hey Edge Trig Point, 418 m. It is not a summit, merely a high point on a shoulder. Some maps do not show the trig point. Follow the path on the broad crest which can be wet and boggy. When the ground steepens, ascend easily, passing some cairns, to Westend Moss and continue to White Low on the fairly distinct path although detours may be needed to avoid boggy sections. Be wary of some old fence posts which are initially helpful but then go off the ridge to the E. In clear weather, Holme Moss TV mast will be a useful guide but it actually lies off the ridge to the E and will be passed well before Black Hill. The path continues with frequent detours needed to avoid the bogs. Further on, in a shallow dip, is a fence with a stile. Cross this and ascend easy, but boggy, ground. When the ground levels off, the going improves on a good grassy path with the odd cairn and reaches a large pointed cairn. In clear weather, the trig point is visible from here, about 500 m away, on a bearing of 328 degrees, roughly NNW. Continue but the ground soon becomes very wet and boggy necessitating substantial detours before reaching the leaning trig point on a circular stone wall “plinth”. The paved Pennine Way comes in from the SW to the trig point which marks the summit of Black Hill, 582 m.

(2) The area around the trig point is extensive featureless plateau and, even in good weather, there are few reference points. Unless there is deep snow, the paved Pennine Way should be obvious as it comes in from the SW to the trig point. Follow the slabbed path SW, over Dun Hill, Grains Moss and along the upper section of Crowden Great Brook where it starts to curve around to a more southerly direction. The slabs end just before a boggy section but the continuation is obvious albeit quite stony. The path soon climbs above the brook and splits with one route passing above Laddow Rocks and the other below. Take the higher path and follow it to its highest point. Continue, descending slightly. A little further, there is a cairn above the path which seems to have no significance but one can leave the Pennine Way here and head roughly SW over rough ground until the obvious path towards Chew Reservoir is found in a wide but shallow clough. Follow this NW to a stile in a fence. To avoid this rough ground, stay on the Pennine Way until the end of Laddow Rocks and take the reverse right fork which is the path, very distinctive, towards Chew Reservoir. Cross the fence then take a very faint path heading SW. The path soon becomes a little more obvious and, in clear weather, the Featherbed/Laddow Moss trig point will be visible. Follow the path, diverging from the fence. In a couple of places, it almost disappears so stay on the same line and soon pick it up again. Reach the trig point which is the “summit” of Featherbed/Laddow Moss Trig Point, 541 m.

(3) Walk SE for about 200 m then go S to intersect with an obvious gully which is the top of Hollins Clough. Follow this down to Lad's Leap on the S edge of the plateau. Once the main clough is located, there is a path down its W side. At Lad's Leap, turn left on to the edge path and follow it, roughly E, down to the Pennine Way, by a wood. Go straight across and follow a path down to Crowden Outdoor Centre. Walk through and follow the road back to the camp site and car park.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 18th April, 2016.

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