Peak District Walks
An Edale Horseshoe
Date: 17th April 2010
Distance: 13.1 miles
Ascent: 2548 feet
Time: 5 hours 45 mins
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SK123852
Walk Summary:
A great ascent of Kinder Scout via Ringing Roger was the prelude to a fantastic expedition around the Edale valley.
Route Summary: Edale - Ringing Roger - Upper Tor - Grindslow Knoll - Crowden Tower - Woolpacks - Kinder Scout - Kinder Low - Brown Knoll - Rushup Edge - Mam Tor - Edale
Pictures:
1. Upper Tor from the Nab
2. Ringing Roger
3. On Ringing Roger looking across to Grindslow Knoll
4. Looking down from Ringing Roger
5. On Upper Tor
6. Grindslow Knoll
7. Looking back to Upper Tor
8. The top of Grindslow Knoll
9. Crowden Tower
10. Looking down into Crowden Clough from Crowden Tower
11. Amongst the Woolpacks
12. The summit cairn of Kinder Scout
13. The Kinder Low trig point
14. Brown Knoll from the Pennine Way
15. The top of Rushup Edge looking along Edale
16. Looking back up to Rushup Edge
17. Mam Tor
18. The top of Mam Tor
Walk Detail: It is a fact that I've not been to the Peak District as much as I should or would have liked to have done. It has also been something of an embarrassment to myself that I had not made the effort to visit Kinder Scout.
This walk therefore put right at least one of these wrongs and what a superb walk it was to. My initial plan was to climb up on to the plateau via Ringing Roger and come back via Jacob's Ladder. If time permitted an optional extra would be to return via Brown Knoll and Rushup Edge, as it turned out I managed not only these but Mam Tor as well.
The route up to Ringing Roger was short and steep in places but from Ringing Roger's fine crest of rocks to the summit there was a fantastic succession of features including Nether Tor, Upper Tor, Grindsbrook Knoll, Crowden Tower and Woolpacks.
From the Woolpacks I struck across the plateau for the shy summit cairn. I had picked a good time to do this walk as there had been little rain over the previous couple of weeks which meant that this and later sections were much drier and easier than would normally be the case.
From the summit I cut across to Kinder Low where I stopped for my soup before heading south along the Pennine Way for a while before continuing up and over Brown Knoll. Somewhat surprisingly it was the area immediately around the trig point on Brown Knoll which provided the peatiest moment of the walk.
In truth the section over Brown Knoll was fairly dull but the walk livened up again on Rushup Edge the summit of which provides a sudden aerial view down into the valley of Edale. The narrowing ridge of descent was another fine section and when I reached the road I just couldn't resist the short pull up on to Mam Tor.
This walk had been a long time coming but it was definitely worth the wait. The south Kinder edges were fantastic however I know I have still only barely scratched the surface when it comes to exploring this fascinating mountain.
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