Kinder is a largely flat plateau at a height of around 600m, some bits higher, some lower. The aim of this route is to walk to some of the key places around Kinder Scout. The route takes us up to the Kinder Plateau via Crowden Brook. From here we strike over the main Kinder moor through Kinder Gates, to find Kinder Downfall. Then back to Kinder Low, and the summit of Kinder at .636. and back to Edale via Grindsbrook Knoll. Parts of this walk can be busy area and best visited off season or mid week.

edale

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From the car park there is a walk up the road to the village and the Old Nags Head Pub. In the village is a sign point indicating the start of the Pennine Way, and this is our way, to walk over the fields to Upper Booth. This is a well marked path with flagstones in place for some of the route. Once at Upper Booth, rather than following the busy Pennine Way via Jacobs Ladder, the route goes north alongside Crowden Brook as it climbs up to Kinder Plateau. Towards the top the impressive rocks of Crowden Tower come into view. There is a clear path that climbs away from Crowden Brook that reaches Crowden Tower on the plateau edge. From here walk east to get to the top of vCrowden Brook. This avoids the scrambling directly up Crowden Brook which can be tricky and potentially wet but good fun. Now the path goes north across Kinder itself. Follow this path as it makes it's way over the plateau. At the high point the walker moves from the groughs that feed Crowden Brook to those that feed into the Kinder River. Continuing you will notice the cutting that is Kinder Gates. As the western edge approaches the views down to Glossop opens out and then a big drop. This is Kinder Downfall. It is an impressive waterfall in the wet season but in dry summers it can be no more than a trickle. In winter the frozen Downfall provides one of the few locations in the Peaks that ice climbing can take place. (7.0kms. 50m. 2hrs. 10min.)

The Pennine Way follows the western edge of Kinder, and the significant path passes Kinder Downfall. Follow the path south, with views over to Manchester on your right to reach Kinder Low. Now is time to reach the true summit of Kinder at .636. There is a small path over to the summit of Kinder, but not a very clear path indicating not many people go over to this summit. It is best to take a bearing from Kinder Low over to .636 and follow the small path to reach a small pile of stones. Here a GPS will tell you that you are exactly at the summit (or not!). The route leaves the summit south to get back to the edge at Pym Chair. Again there is a lack of a path so a bearing is a good idea. Once on the edge at Pym Chair, the path around Kinder is obvious. Follow the path around the south of the Kinder plateau from Pym Chair, passed Wool Packs and then Crowden Tower. Rather than descending via Crowden Brook, continue around the edge of Kinder to reach the top of Grindsbrook Knoll, just short of GriensBrook itself. It is a more open and interesting descent by following the ridge down to Grindsbrook Knoll and then follow the path down to Edale. (7.5kms. 100m. 2hrs. 30min.)