Hayfield to Kinder Downfall - July 2007

Walks with a Camera © Geoff’s Pages 2011

On our wander around Llandegley Rocks, we agreed we should try for another day out soon, if we could get another dry day - a couple of days later, my friend suggested "...something around Kinder?" describing a route he'd found in the AA's 1001 Walks in Britain. "Looks good - let's do it". 75 years ago - on 24 April 1932, to be precise - the now famous mass trespass on Kinder Scout took place, to highlight the injustice of exclusion from such areas. The action, and its aftermath, led in part to the formation of the National Parks, and more recently the "Right to Roam" on mapped areas of uncultivated, open countryside - mountain, moor, heath, down and registered common land. In the meantime, most of the land in question has passed from private ownership to the National Trust. Our walk started at Bowden Bridge car park - formed on the site of the quarry where the trespass began - and followed its route

beside Kinder reservoir, then up William Clough to Ashop Head, where we would join the route of the Pennine Way. We've climbed the best part of 1,000' here - all that remains is a short ascent to the edge of the summit plateau. Kinder Scout marks the highest point in the Peak District - but anything less like a peak is hard to imagine! The edge is very fine walking territory though, with interesting gritstone formations and extensive views to the west. On this clear afternoon, we could just make out the hills of the Clwydian range in north Wales, perhaps 60 miles distant (not to mention much of Greater Manchester...). The highlight of the edge is undoubtedly the "Downfall" - the point where the river Kinder, having made its sluggish way across the black porridge of the plateau, makes a sudden bid for freedom - an attempt which, today, was largely in vain - the strong westerly breeze taking the water straight back up onto the plateau in a streamer of smoke-like spray. We had started out heading north-east, then followed the edge south-easterly to Kinder Downfall. We would now take another 90° turn, continuing along the edge in a south-westerly direction as far as Red Brook (a mere trickle - there may be severe flooding in the southern midlands, but up here there was very little evidence of recent rainfall). Here a little-used path contours gently downwards to the edge of open country, below Kinderlow End, and continues through grassy fields to Tunstead Clough Farm. A surfaced road then leads the short distance back to the car park. Links: • Kinder Trespass website • Wikipedia -  Mass trespass of Kinder Scout • National Trust -  Dark Peak