As an alternative to walking up to the Kinder plateau from Edale, the route via William Clough and Oaken Clough is much quieter and offers quite different scenery. This walk follows in the footsteps of Benny Rothman and around 400 other walkers who famously stages the Kinder Scout Mass Trespass of 1932.
From Bowden Bridge just outside the town of Hayfield​, there is a gentle start to the day through pleasant woodland and beside Kinder Reservoir, before a more rugged climb onto the moor beside William Clough.
At higher altitude, the walk passes by Kinder Downfall and along the edges of the plateau to Kinder Low. There is a very gradual descent via the Pennine Way, Edale Cross and Oaken Clough back to Bowden Bridge.
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The overall distance is 15 kilometres, or just over 9 miles, and the walk is expected to take 6 to 7 hours at a steady pace. Previous hill walking experience and a good level of fitness is required to take part in this activity.
Part of the attraction of this particular walk is to envisage what the Mass Trespass may have been like for the 400 or so protesters who took part back on the 24th April 1932. Back in those times, wealthy landowners generally controlled access to moorland and other rural spaces, reserving use for themselves and their peers to shoot grouse.
Since the Enlightenment Period, influential figures with more of a social conscience began to speak up for the working class people of the country and this helped to empower a movement that challenged access restrictions across the country. We owe much of the freedoms we can enjoy today as lovers of the outdoors to such protests.
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The person who led the trespass, Benny Rothman, was supported by the British Workers' Sports Federation and the Communist Party. This was a turbulent time for politics across Britain and Europe and the establishment wanted to quash such an uprising. Upon returning to Hayfield, Benny and fiver others were arrested and paid heavy consequences for challenging wealthy land owners.
This subject something we will discuss in much greater detail as we follow the River Kinder away from Hayfield and out into the countryside. Before long, we will be able to enjoy views of the Kinder plateau dominating the horizon rom beside Kinder Reservoir.
William Clough is one of my personal favourite parts of the walk. In late summer, the moor is swathed in purple and pink heather that looks beautiful. After heavy rain, the clough will be gushing with peat coloured water and provides and exciting ascent up onto the moor.
Some steep ground lies ahead and the path leads up onto the Kinder plateau, where there is an abundance of very interesting millstone grit formations. This is a very course rock formed from sediments laid down at the bottom of an ancient river delta over 300 million years ago. Today, this type of rock is revered by climbers and bouldering enthusiasts because of its very grippy surface.
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From a hiker's point of view, millstone grit has become synonymous with the Dark Peak area of the Peak District. The different outcrops and formations have been weathered into fascinating features of all shapes and sizes. Many of my walk participants enjoy picking out different animals or items that the formations now resemble.
We will also find ourselves on a stretch of the Pennine Way, which is a long distance walking trail stretching from Edale to Kirk Yetholm.
Kinder Downfall is a popular site of the route. After heavy rain, participants can enjoy a splendid cascade down the hillside. In winter, the waterfall is used by ice climbers when conditions allow.
We will pass over the summit of Kinder Low, where the landscape is evocative of being on an extra-terrestrial landscape. Again, the millstone grit rocks are shaped in weird and wonderful ways.
The Pennine Way will lead us down past some more rock outcrops known as Edale Rocks and Swine's Back. We will then find ourselves on the descent back towards Hayfield, which passes by an ancient medieval monument known as "Edale Cross". In times gone by, the cross would have helped travellers in their navigation and also marks the boundary between Edale and Hayfield.
A gentle finish can be enjoyed beside Oaken Clough and the River Sett.
​Important details about this specific activity.
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The entire route accrues 15km, or just over 9 miles, with 600m ascent, and is expected to take 6 to 7 hours​. The activity is not for beginners and is physically challenging with lots of steep hillside slopes on both ascent and descent.
A steady, moderate pace is required to complete the activity in good time.
It is necessary to have previous hill walking experience and a good level of fitness to take part in this activity.
There are steep hillside slopes on grass and loose stone throughout the day. If an individual is for any reason unsure of their ability, please email me via moorstomountains@gmail.com and we can discuss things further before making a booking.
If the walk leader observes a concern with fitness levels of an individual participant,
it may be necessary for that person to return the start of the activity for their own safety, where it is safe to do so.
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This activity requires sturdy boots, waterproof trail shoes or waterproof hiking trainers with hard soles.
Please refer to the Moors to Mountains Footwear, Clothing and Equipment Requirements.
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Certain breeds of dog are welcome to attend by prior arrangement only.
Children and young people over the age of 14 are welcome to attend with a parent or guardian by prior arrangement.
Please bear in mind that the activity duration is calculated based on average walking speeds over the types of terrain encountered and previous occurrences of this specific route. The activity may be completed in a quicker or longer time than expected based on individual fitness levels within the group.
As mentioned, it is necessary to have previous hill walking experience and a good level of fitness to participate.
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It should be mentioned that weather in the Peak District can be unpredictable at all times of the year and so it isn't possible to guarantee excellent views on every walk. It may be necessary for the walk leader to change the itinerary of the route for safety or other reasons, meaning that is is not possible to included certain advertised objectives.
Unless there is a safety concern posed by the weather forecast, activities will go ahead regardless of conditions.
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Please see the Moors to Mountains Terms and Conditions before booking.
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Meeting point and transport information.
​The activity meeting point is Bowden Bridge Car Park, near Hayfield (SK22 2LJ), where there is pay and display parking available.
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Participants should meet at the time advertised on the booking page. You will be contacted if there are any changes.
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There are frequent, reliable buses from Stockport, New Mills and Glossop. Lots of various accommodation is available in the vicinity of Hayfield, New Mills and Chinley, including camping, hostels, B&B's. It is advisable to book accommodation well in advance to avoid disappointment. Please ask me if you need advice on where to stay or transport links.
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What to expect when booking a professionally
guided activity with Colin from Moors to Mountains.
A friendly and supportive group ethic is promoted on all activities.
It is normal for participants to feel anxious or nervous about joining a guided walk for the first time, meeting new people or just stepping out of their usual comfort zone. This is normal. Please try to remember that other people in the group will likely be feeling the same, and I can assure all participants that they will be making new friends and feeling comfortable in the surroundings in no time.
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Knowledge and enthusiasm is shared throughout the activity.
Not only am I here to keep you safe and lead the group, I like to engage all participants in interesting conversation. Whether we are visiting a site with interesting geology and natural features or perhaps somewhere of historic significance, I like to make sure participants go away having learned something new. And as an environmentalist and lover of the outdoors, it is my mission to try and pass on my passion and knowledge to all who sign up to a Moors to Mountains activity.
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Safety, motivation and attentiveness is guaranteed.
All Moors to Mountains activities are designed for smaller parties. The number of participants that is allowed will depend on the terrain of each specific activity. Suitable group sizes allow me to give each individual client the maximum attention throughout an activity, whether this is to answer questions, provide some guidance or physical assistance.
My promise is to deliver a high level of care and individual attentiveness to each member of the group.
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It is not a race, everybody is here to enjoy the activity!
The benefit of booking onto my activities for small groups for many participants is that the reasonable pricing makes joining a qualified, knowledgeable and experienced Mountain Leader to be more affordable. However, participants in each group are likely to be of mixed abilities. All participants will move together as a group and support each other throughout the activity. If you are a very fit and fast hill walker and would like to experience more of a physical challenge, I am available for private bookings that may be more enjoyable for you than my usual group activities that are at a moderate or even gentle pace.
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I am qualified, insured and experienced in the mountains and hills of the UK.
As your guide, I am a qualified and insured Mountain Leader registered with the British Mountaineering Council and Mountain Training Association. I will only ever operate in areas where I have experience of the terrain and local knowledge. I have also volunteered with my community walking group for since 2011, where I have organised and led innumerable walks and expeditions across the whole of northern England, many areas of Scotland and Eryri/Snowdonia in North Wales. I also have a lot of personal experience in walking, wild camping and completing solo expeditions in these areas.
In that time, I have been lucky enough to spend time out on the hills and mountains with many people of different backgrounds and abilities. This experience has enabled me to develop an extensive knowledge of particular outdoor areas, and a penchant for designing routes that are both scenic and interesting. There are often places of historical or geological interest along the way and I enjoy sharing my knowledge of the landscape, history, industry, wildlife and geology.
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​Once a place has been booked on any activity.
I will personally contact each participant by email with any relevant information to the specific activity. The booking system will email participants a ticket but there is no need to present this when attending an activity. Participants will be sent thorough information and a Participation Consent Form that should be completed in good time before any activity takes place. This will ask for important medical information, important contact details and also request consent for me to give first aid where necessary, take any photographs (or not) and anything else relevant.
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Thank you for reading and I hope to see you on the activity.
COLIN - MOORS TO MOUNTAINS.