Ascent/Descent: 843m; Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ½ hours
Toughness: 10 out of 10
From London take either the xx.02 from St. Pancras (change Sheffield, 2 hours 45 mins), or the xx.20 from Euston (change Manchester Piccadilly, 3 hours 10 mins). You will of course be somewhat behind the group of people that have stayed in the area…
From the West , take the 08.49 Sheffield train from Manchester Piccadilly (…var. stations…, New Mills Central 09.17, Chinley 09.23), arriving Edale at 09.32.
From the East , take the 09.14 Manchester Piccadilly train from Sheffield (Dore & Totley 09.21, Grindleford 09.29, Hathersage 09.32, Bamford 09.36, Hope 09.40), arriving Edale at 09.47.
Return trains to London: 16.32, 16.47, 17.34, 17.47, 18.32, 18.47, 19.32, 19.47 (change at Sheffield or Manchester, from 3 hours). You may get better prices if searching for split tickets to Sheffield or Manchester and then Sheffield/Manchester – London!
Return trains if staying in the area: towards Manchester xx.47 until 19.47, then 21.45 and 23.21; towards Sheffield 16.32, 16.47 (via Chinley), 17.34, 17.47 (via Chinley), 18.32, 19.32, 19.47 (via Chinley), 21.30, 21.45 (via Chinley) and 23.01.
“A walk of many contrasts in the Dark Peak area of the Peak District, associated with rugged moorlands and dramatically sculpted gritstone outcrops (or ‘edges’), which also routes through the lush Vale of Edale, while in the afternoon affording grand views into the Hope Valley (including the notable dry gorge of Winnats Pass) from the Great Ridge, which separates the Dark Peak (sandstones) from the White Peak (limestones).
Follow the Pennine Way from its start at The Old Nag’s Head pub up along the fertile Vale of Edale, surrounded by towering hills, and up the Jacob’s Ladder path to Edale Head and to the edge of the Kinder Scout moorland plateau, a rugged, desolate peat bog. You then follow the edge past some magnificent rock formations and through an area of scattered wind-and-rain-sculpted gritstone boulders to choose one of three descent routes back to Edale village for lunch.
After lunch rise steeply onto the Great Ridge overlooking the Hope Valley and up to Mam Tor, whose summit is a great vantage point and a former late Bronze Age and early Iron Age hill fort. Its other name of “Shivering Mountain” is due to frequent – and still active – landslips.
An extension to Kinder Downfall, the highest waterfall in the Peak District, either as an out-and-back or combined with a crossing of the Kinder Plateau upland peat bog (only for confident navigators), as well as some shortcuts before and after lunch, are described.”
Walk Options:
An out-and-back Extension to Kinder Downfall, the highest waterfall in the Peak District: add 5.4 km/3.4 mi and 165m ascent/descent.
An Extension to Kinder Downfall, combined with a crossing of the Kinder Plateau upland peat bog: add 3.2 km/2.0 mi (but see the warning on page 9 of the pdf).
A Shortcut via Grindslow Knoll cuts 2.8 km/1.7 mi and about 200m ascent/descent.
A Shortcut down Grindsbrook Clough (this involves light but prolonged scrambling): cut 2.5 km/1.6 mi and about 200m ascent/descent.
Cut out the southerly loop up to Mam Tor: cut 5.4 km/3.1 mi and 220m ascent, rated 7/10.
Lunch: The Old Nag's Head (14.4 km/9.0 mi, food served all day), The Rambler Inn (350m off route, 15.1 km/9.4 mi, food served all day).
Tea: The Rambler Inn , The Old Nag's Head or Cooper’s Café/Cooper’s Chippy (open to 16.00 ) or The Penny Pot Café (open to 16.30).
For walk directions, map, height profile , photos and gpx/kml files click here . T=swc.303