Kinder Scout

Karen was taking a party in Water Icicle Close Cavern and I again was planning on a return to Kinder Scout.

It was a cool but dry day and mostly cloudy as I parked in the public car park at Edale and set off following the original start of the Pennine Way along Grindsbrook Clough.

This is the most popular route up Kinder Scout as it is easy to follow and mostly has a well-worn route.

As I reached the head of the valley, instead of following the usual route which carries on steeply up the westerly of the two branches, I turned right to follow the northerly branch.

This seemed to cause a bit of confusion in others following Grindsbrook Clough as some stopped and got their maps out to check the route they were following.

There is a small stream which flows down a bouldery bed in a ravine but for the first section of this branch of the valley, there is an obvious narrow path along the right-hand bank (as you head uphill).

This was quite a pleasant way to reach the Kinder plateau but it got better.

Soon I reached the first of several small rock steps forming a series of small waterfalls. It was easy to clamber up these steps without getting wet and was very enjoyable as well.

All too soon the ravine petered out as I reached the path which wends its way along the plateau edge.

I sat for a while to cool off a bit and let the sweaty patches on my shirt dry and then moved on following the edge path towards the usual route up Grindsbrook Clough and at a small rocky pedestal, I sat in the shelter from the wind and had a snack.

I looked at the map to decide where to go next and decided on dropping back down to Edale via Crowden Clough.

So, I continued along the edge path and made my way down the initial rocky top of Crowden Brook as it began its journey down the Clough and when I arrived at the short rocky step, I down-climbed the short rocky scramble and then followed the path along the brook and then joined the current start of the Pennine Way back to Grindsbrook Booth (usually known as the village of Edale).

Back at the car park, the car park was over-full with cars parked wherever they found space. Unfortunately, there was a parking warden going round putting parking tickets on them.

Afterwards, I drove to Monyash and to the end of Derby Lane to meet Karen who was already on the surface waiting for the others to appear at the top of the shaft.

Afterwards we had a snack in the café and then went home. A couple of hours later Keith arrived with Pete Collins who was not long back from Thailand. We all had a meal in The Miners Standard.