Seal Edge, Kinder Scout via Fair Brook

Leaving the car parked in a small layby near the Snake Inn in the Woodlands Valley, we walked across the road and then over a stile onto a path leading through the woods.
In a short distance, we crossed the River Ashop on a wooden footbridge and then followed a narrow path along the Fair Brook valley.
Unlike most of the other access routes to the plateau of Kinder Scout, especially those on the other side, in the Edale Valley, this route is very pleasant and practically empty.
It was quite a windy day and as we scrambled over the large boulders at the head of the valley, we were exposed to the full force of the wind so we found a sheltered spot in the lee of a gritstone tor to have a short break and a drink.
We continued on the route following the path skirting the edge of the valley we had just ascended along Seal Edge and passed our intended descent route after a while. As we continued, we saw ahead of us a group of walkers, two of who were moving along with a stretcher with what seemed to be two beer barrels – I wasn't sure because they were quite far ahead. God knows what they had in mind!
Anyway, after a wander around another outcropping of gritstone boulders looking at the various eroded hemispheres all caused by wind and time, we retraced our steps back along the edge until we arrived above Gate Side Clough.
We followed down the path which was quite steep, passing yet more rocky outcropping and then a track on the side of the Clough which was obviously used by off-road vehicles to reach the nearby line of shooting butts (for the grouse shooting). It was surprisingly narrow though with not much space to spare either side so the vehicles must have to go very slowly.
The path down Gate Side Clough led around to a sloping continuation which brought us to small sheep enclosure and then back to the footbridge Karen and I had crossed earlier and soon back to where we had started.
Not a very long walk, but quite a good one.