Walk the Pennine Way with a Cicerone guidebook

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Updates
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Day 1
Edale to Crowden

Start                  Railway Station, Edale, SK 123 853
Finish                Youth Hostel, Crowden, SK 073 993
Distance            29km (18 miles)
Ascent               740m (2430ft)
Descent             780m (2560ft)
Maps                  OS Landranger 110, OS Explorer OL1, Harvey’s Pennine Way South
Terrain                Broad, high and exposed boggy moorlands, with several stretches of firm flagstone path. However, careful navigation is required in mist.
Refreshments    None between Edale and Crowden, and very limited at Crowden.

The Pennine Way originally left Edale in two directions. The ’main’ route made a direct ascent of Kinder Scout, crossing soft peat bogs that proved very confusing in mist, while the ’alternative’ route skirted round the edge of the plateau. The top of Kinder Scout got badly over-trodden, so the Pennine Way now follows only one route out of Edale, staying on firm ground. The moors between Kinder Scout and Bleaklow were once trodden into a filthy quagmire, but now boast fine, firm paths. However, bear in mind that this is a hard day’s walk, and some walkers realise only too late that they are not equal to the task!

Edale

This little village can be overwhelmed by visitors, especially on summer weekends. If arriving by train, simply follow the road a short way into the village. The Moorland Centre is worth visiting, packed with information about the Peak District National Park and local services. It is open daily throughout the year (free entry, tel: 01433 670207). There are a couple of pubs and cafés, as well as a post office and general store, which also has an ATM. If you are planning to stay overnight, there are campsites, a youth hostel nearby and B&Bs.

The Pennine Way starts in the centre of Edale at The Old Nags Head. The first signpost is across the road from the pub, pointing to a well-trodden path climbing gently beside a little streambed flanked by trees. Emerge and turn left to follow a flagstone path up through a few fields, with fine views back through the dale. Continue gently up an earth path through a couple more fields, then head downhill through more fields to pick up an enclosed path and track past Upper Booth Farm, which has a campsite and camping barn.

Turn right along a narrow road, crossing a bridge over a stream, then pass fields to reach Lee Farm. The Lee Barn Information Shelter is here, containing interesting notices and offering shelter from inclement weather, courtesy of the National Trust. Follow a track onwards, passing through gates from field to field to reach a narrow, stone packhorse bridge at the foot of Jacob’s Ladder.

Turn left or right – left being a long and stony loop once used by packhorses, right being a shorter, steeper, stone-pitched path. Both routes meet at a cairn and a stony path climbs onwards. Towards the top a short-cut to the right has recently been paved with flagstones. Either turn right along the flagstone path, or climb to a gate, then turn right. Both routes join and climb a short, steep slope of grass, with tufts of bilberry. When a sprawling cairn is reached in a slight dip, keep left to follow a clear path, passing big boulders and gritstone outcrops. Take care in mist while crossing broad, bare peat covered with areas of sand and grit. Pass a trig point on top of a gritstone outcrop on Kinder Low, at 633m (2077ft).

Walk across an area denuded of vegetation and peat, where the gritstone bedrock is often seen. Keep right to follow a path round the edge of the broad moorland plateau, heading roughly north above Cluther Rocks. The path is sometimes narrow and sometimes involves hopping from boulder to boulder and slab to slab to reach Kinder Downfall. Cross a stream above a waterfall, taking care on blustery days, as the wind can flip all the water back up into the streambed, soaking the unwary! This is a very popular lunch spot, but don’t linger too long as the day has barely started.

Keep following the gritstone edge, where a path gradually rises, crossing a fence and reaching rock outcrops on Sandy Heys.This point was gained during the famous 1932 mass trespass, when it was all private property. What a contrast today, when walkers have every right to be there – a right they exercise in great numbers! In mist, don’t be tempted to follow a path downhill, but stay on the broadest, clearest path, which turns right and climbs a little to reach a sprawling cairn. Keep left of the cairn to pick up a steep, stone-pitched path leading down to the grassy gap of Ashop Head, around 510m (1675ft).

A flagstone path heads left, but the Pennine Way keeps right along a broad and stony path. Pass a prominent marker post where another path crosses, and climb straight over a grassy hump to reach another gap. A flagstone path climbs straight uphill, giving way to a broad, stony path to a cairn at 544m (1785ft) on top of Mill Hill. Paths cross on the summit, so turn right to follow another flagstone path onwards.

This used to be one of the worst areas of bog on the Pennine Way, but the path now offers a firm, dry footing. The old path can often be seen on the left as a black, boggy line, though it is slowly re-vegetating. The moorland is predominantly grassy, with areas of bog cotton, sphagnum moss, rushes, bilberry and heather. Look out for cloudberries, a distinctive arctic remnant plant that positively thrives on the highest and bleakest boggy moorlands. The path undulates very gently and writhes to avoid awkward boggy areas on Moss Castle and Featherbed Moss. There is a strange sight ahead, where vehicles apparently speed straight across the moor since the surface of the A57 road on the Snake Pass isn’t seen until it is reached at a gate. Cross the road with care, as the traffic is very fast.

Snake Pass
There are no snakes hereabouts. Originally, there was a Snake Inn, whose sign bore a snake emblem that was part of the Cavendish crest, the family being related to the Duke of Devonshire, a major landowner in Derbyshire. Snake Pass took its name from the inn. However, the inn recently changed its name to the Snake Pass Inn, curiously taking its name from the road originally named after itself! There is a very limited Sunday bus service along the road. Time your arrival carefully if planning to use it. The road runs at an altitude of 512m (1680ft) and is one of the first to be blocked by snow each winter.

A track leaves the road and runs to a gate, where a broad and firm path crosses what was once desperately over-trodden moorland. There is a slight dip where the Pennine Way crosses Doctor’s Gate. Here, a path crosses at right angles, clearly cut across the moorland, featuring stone paving.This is thought to be an old Roman road linking Glossop with the Hope Valley. Its name comes from an association with the 15th-century Vicar of Glossop, Doctor John Talbot, who had the old road improved. Keep straight ahead to follow the path as it rises gently over largely grassy moorland, with heather and bilberry more noticeable while following a flagstone path. A few steps lead down into Devil’s Dike, a deep cutting in the peat where the stony ground beneath has been exposed. In wet weather it can carry a stream. A gradual ascent through the cutting links with more flagstones, then the path becomes a stony channel flanked by peat. Another stretch of flagstones leads to Hern Clough.

Turn left to follow this upstream, crossing and re-crossing as necessary. Later, there are more flagstones, as well as a series of helpful marker stones bearing carved directional arrows. The broad and peaty top of Bleaklow Head is worn to sand and grit in places, with the summit cairn bearing a wooden stake at 633m (2077ft). Views south are blocked by the plateau of Kinder Scout. Other prominent features include distant Winter Hill and Pendle Hill, with Black Hill closer to hand. In very clear conditions, Pen-y-Ghent can be seen far ahead, maybe as much as a week away via the Pennine Way.

To leave Bleaklow Head, make a slight left turn, confirming the correct path by looking for ’PW’ carved on a rock. A narrow and gentle path heads roughly north-west down a slope dominated by bilberry. The path becomes rather awkward, with stones and boulders underfoot on the way down a heathery slope. There are some stretches of flagstones, but the path is quite rugged as it leads down to a confluence of streams. Ford both streams then climb up a short, steep slope above Torside Clough.

The Pennine Way runs along a heathery edge, passing a few gritstone outcrops overlooking the stream. It can be rugged as it runs downhill, but a good stretch on flagstones crosses a fence. At a junction of paths, keep right downhill, later climbing to traverse Clough Edge. There is a view down to Torside Reservoir, with Black Hill beyond. A stone-pitched path descends steeply from the edge, passing through a gate in a fence. Turn left down a broader path, keeping left of the farmhouse at Reaps, following its access track to the B6105 road. Turn left here if staying nearby at The Old House B&B, otherwise cross the road as signposted for the Pennine Way.

Turn right to reach some cobbles then turn sharp left down a short tarmac road. This gives way to a track across the dam of Torside Reservoir, overlooking Rhodeswood Reservoir. Climb stone steps from the reservoir dam and cross a track to spot a Pennine Way signpost. Turn right to follow a path through a belt of pine trees between Torside Reservoir and a busy road. After passing through a gate, turn left up log steps. Cross the busy A628 road and turn right through a gate. A narrow tarmac road runs gently uphill through gates. When it runs downhill through a gate, the Pennine Way is signposted off to the left, for those who wish to continue. Otherwise, keep walking straight down the road and cross a river to reach Crowden.

Crowden
Facilties are extremely limited in the village – there is only a campsite and a youth hostel. The hostel operates as an outdoor education centre and if it is occupied by schoolchildren, you cannot stay. Check in advance, and if necessary, break your journey early at The Old House, which offers B&B and bunkrooms. Food supplies at Crowden are limited to whatever the campsite and hostel stock. The main road has a bus service linking Sheffield and Liverpool.