Post Covid scramble - Crowden Clough, Kinder Scout

Ben Mellor
Dec 31, 2021
3 min read

And finally! the day arrived were I can finally get some fresh Peak District air into my lungs, albeit rather rationalised as of late with the pending ailments left behind from Covid-19. For whatever reason even some of the smallest tasks like; moving the mrs trailer around for her hoses, carrying small bales of hay were exhausting. Nevertheless, a struggle up some rock was much more appealing than spending another day sat in our flat watching never ending Peaky blinder episodes on repeat.

I had planned to take on an easier grade 1 scramble in Snowdonia on the lead up to my escape from the midlands. On 2nd thoughts and a quick chat with our Sam, I wasn't back to my old self at the moment and I was very much aware of my lung capacity. Therefore after some route finding through the trail mag cut outs, Crowden Clough on Kinder Scout was the destination with majority of the walk up being clambering over boulders by the side of a river. 2 crux sections near the top raised some questions with the route card showing them to be adjoining a waterfall. With the rain we had recently I contemplated taking a snorkel. More rational people would contemplate a back up plan I suppose.

The drive through Edale was slightly nostalgic and reminiscence of 2 trips taken to this area previously re-surfaced in my mind; once with a friend Mark Jones where we ambled our way through the peat gullies high up on kinder scout following some dodgy navigation by myself and also when I first visited the peaks back in primary school. not that i have many memories of the trip other than wondering why half of a hill was missing, to what i now know to be the side of Mam Tor.

Upon reaching the lay-by carpark near upper booth it was obvious i was in for classic peak district views...... of cloud.

Just a short 10 minute walk upto barber booth campsite was the gate for the start of the pathway upto Crowden clough. At this point navigation wasn't particularly needed as the path wound its way upto the clough. With the river in spate and much of the path continuously crossing the river it was clear I wouldn't be going home with dry feet that day!

40 mins into the ascent the crux of the route came into view around a small corner in the clough. Usually there are three routes up this section. Of course, the middle route seemed to be just..... river. the second on the right hand side adjoining wall to the river was impossible to get to without wading through the river. The boulders on the left hand side made for some easy going scrambling. This section wasn't sustained scrambling, as soon as you on, you've pretty much finished the wall section. Which considering my form was welcomed.

At this point my lungs were feeling "hot", so the rest of the route was a slow stroll with a small gulley climb thrown in at the top of the clough. An ideal bit of fun to finish off a fun acent.

Just as I topped out on the route. I'd noticed all of the low hanging cloud had lifted, offering up some brilliant views of the valley of Edal and beyond.

A further 3 hours around the plateau proceeded, taking in the backwards waterfall trick of Kinder downfall, the obscure rock formations dotted around the edges and practising navigation through the peat bogs.