Get Lost Mountaineering

Jacob's Ladder, Brown Knoll & Chapel Gate Track

from near Barber Booth

Start/Finish

Upper Booth parking spot (holds about 15 cars) which is about a mile west of Edale village car park which, coming from Hope, is on the Edale road just before the turn off to Edale village. The turn off for Edale from Hope, from The Hathersage to Castleton road, A625, is not that obvious and easy to miss. It is a right turn opposite a chuch on the left on the eastern end of Hope. Upper Booth is a signed right turn just before the Edale valley road starts climbing towards Mam Tor. The road is narrow with few passing places. There is also some parking further back from the main parking spot under the obvious viaduct. Both spots are free to park at. There are toilets in the Edale village car park.

Distance/Time

9 km.    About 3 – 4 hours.

Peaks

Brown Knoll, 569 m, SK 083 851.

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

Introduction

This is a very pleasant walk around part of the head of the Edale Valley. There are good views across the valley and beyond. The very boggy path over Brown Knoll has now been slabbed. Navigation is almost foolproof even in mist.

Route

(1) Continue up the road from the car park and follow it past Upper Booth (telephone box) then continue past Lee Farm, now on a track, to reach the old stone bridge at the foot of Jacob's Ladder. The old Jacob's ladder path is on the left, the new one is directly ahead. The older one is preferred although it is more stony. They meet at a large cairn higher up when the continuation is more like the old path. Continue to wher ethe apth splits with a slabbed path forking right. Take the left fork though and follow it to a gate by a sign for the Pennine Way which is left here. Go through the gate and follow the slabbed path going left. This actaully goes all the way to South Head so has to be left near its highest point at a stile which, after a short unslabbed section, gives access to the newly slabbed path up Brown Knoll and this soon leads to the trig point (now no longer in a bog!) which is Brown Knoll, 569 m.

(2) Continue on the slabbed path. If it is clear, the castle like air shaft will be seen to the S. Follow the slabbed path to its end, just after a high post, where it meets an obvious track. Turn left and follow the track a long way down to meet the Mam Tor road. Turn left and soon after reach the left turn for the minor road back to the car park.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 20^th March, 2017.