Kinder Scout via a scramble up Crowden Clough (6 miles/9.5 km)

This is a wonderful way to gain access to the Peak District’s highest hill: Kinder Scout. On this walk you will enjoy a great little adventure by scrambling up Crowden Clough from Upper Booth. Once up at the top of Crowden Clough you can take any number of options. Head right and look for the aircraft wrecks above Edale, head straight on (good navigation skills required) to find Kinder Gates and then Kinder Downfall or most simply turn left and complete a circular route back down Jacob’s Ladder (as given here).  Best done on a scorching hot summer’s day when the water-falls of Crowden Clough have dried to a trickle. (Or just get a right soaking!)

General Information

Start / Finish LocationBarber Booth Car Park Hope Valley, S33 7ZL

Distance: 6 miles / 9.5 Km

Height gain: 1350 ft / 409 m

How tough? Anyone with reasonable fitness can manage this wonderful adventure – a great one to get your kids out too! Be aware, a reasonable head for heights is needed!

Recommended kit list for UK hill walking

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Hill Skills (Navigation) Courses

FREE Guided Walks in the Peak District

Guided Walks

Guided scrambling weekends in Snowdonia and the Lake District

Map for Crowden Clough Walk & Scramble

Map for Crowden Clough Walk & Scramble

Personal experiences

Back in the day (many years ago) when I was a single man surfing the pages of online dating sites, I decided that if I ever got as far as a third date, going on this walk would be it. It was a winter’s day in 2005, the weather wasn’t great, and I led this young lady up to the heights of Kinder Scout. She didn’t complain about the cold and wet, and she coped marvelously with the ascent of Crowden Clough. At the top we stopped to have a picnic and supped our hot chocolate from the flask. As we looked over the view of the Hope Valley in front of us – she said to me “this is GREAT”. And that was the first moment that I thought, this girl is a keeper! As it turned out, I only got to a third date once because I married her!