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Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.


Postby PauloUK77 » Fri Jan 28, 2011 6:01 pm

Hewitts included on this walk: Kinder Scout

Date walked: 28/01/2011

Time taken: 4

Distance: 12 km

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Its a while now since I was last on Kinder Scout,this is the area of high ground that introduced me to high level walking.It was on school trips followed by trips with the Army Cadets then the Air Training Corps that I walked up to the plateau to practise map and compass skills.Then there was the time with my Uncle and a friend in a complete white out,how we navigated across perfectly using blades of grass and Grouse I will never know.The snow was so deep we often went into it waist deep.
Today's trip up there was nothing like what I'm used to, in fact the views were superb although it was freezing.All the moisture on the plateau was locked in as ice which did make it easier going.

I began this outing in the free car park just before Upper Booth next to the train line.A short walk along a lane brought me to Upper Booth and an entrance into open country next to the bridge spanning Crowden Brook.An impressive climb steadily headed up the valley with the rock formation of Crowden Tower standing overhead.On reaching Crowden Tower the views were superb,I took a bearing for the highest ground on the plateau and began the task of searching for the actual summit area.A lack of paths indicated that the summit is hardly ever visited.

I found the pile if stones at the summit and took a bearing for Kinder Low and the trig point there.On the way I found a second pile of stones on the high ground which led me to believe there is sometimes some confusion as to where the summit is.Due to a clear day I could see that the first pile of stones (more easterly) were the summit not the second pile.In mist it would be very easy to miss these or get the wrong summit area.From the trig point at Kinder Low I followed the Pennine Way to Kinder Downfall all the time having great views down to Kinder Reservoir and Manchester beyond.Kinder Downfall was frozen solid which proved just how cold it was up there.From the Downfall I followed the path back across the plateau to descend Crowden Brook valley and retraced my steps to the car park.On my way across the plateau a helicopter was busy shipping materials up to a group of people doing conservation work.They were creating dams on the plateau to retain water and stop it running off so quickly.This will make it even harder to get across the the plateau in warmer months.

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The free car park just before Upper Booth.

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Entrance to open country in Upper Booth.

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The path crosses Crowden Brook several times on the way up to the plateau.

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My first view of Crowden Tower.

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Crowden Tower.

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Crowden Tower.

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View down Crowden Brook from Crowden Tower.

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To Pym Chair from Crowden Tower.

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To Kinder Scouts higher ground from Crowden Tower.

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The walking is tough on the plateau.

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Summit area of Kinder Scout.

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Summit of Kinder Scout looking towards Pym Chair.

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The second (slightly lower) summit area.

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Conservation work on the plateau.

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Trig Point at Kinder Low.

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Kinder Reservoir.

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Frozen Kinder Downfall.

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Frozen Kinder Downfall.

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Path from Kinder Downfall across the plateau.

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Supplying the conservation work.

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Heading back down Crowden Brook.
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PauloUK77
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby tango » Fri Jan 28, 2011 6:18 pm

P great photos, good report..thanks :D
tango
 

Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby Paul Webster » Fri Jan 28, 2011 9:32 pm

Great stuff - nostalgia for me. Used to get a train to Edale and go camping there with pals. Grindsbrook must have been one of my first hillwalks - and oft repeated but not for years now.
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Paul Webster
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby PauloUK77 » Mon Feb 07, 2011 6:47 pm

Edale is a great place and very accessible I also like doing the Mam Tor ridge in that area.It has a the feeling of home to me for the fact I've spent so much time in the area.
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PauloUK77
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby ChrisW » Mon Feb 07, 2011 8:29 pm

Great report and pics, hard to believe there isn't a huge and well worn route up there, thanks for posting :D
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby PauloUK77 » Mon Feb 07, 2011 9:01 pm

Thanks ChrisW most people stick to the edge of the plateau for the views,there is one path across to Kinder Downfall.The actual summit is hardly visited because it can be hard going to get there.
The Pennine Way runs along the western edge of the Kinder Scout which is a very well trodden path.
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PauloUK77
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby susanmyatt » Tue Feb 08, 2011 4:30 pm

Great report and super pics, also nice to see Paul whiskerless lol
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby colgregg » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:26 pm

Good report. It looks to be very spongy up there. Very reminiscent of a few nightmare hills in the dales with interesting approaches, excellent panoramic views but summits like quagmires, one wrong step and you sink.
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Re: Kinder Scout via Crowden Brook.

Postby Derek T » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:38 pm

colgregg wrote:Good report. It looks to be very spongy up there. Very reminiscent of a few nightmare hills in the dales with interesting approaches, excellent panoramic views but summits like quagmires, one wrong step and you sink.
It certainly is. I ended up being straight down in a peat bog up to my chest and almost lost my boots getting out on Brown Knoll, just a mile or so from Kinder on the same plateau, last summer. The guy walking towards me walked straight over the same bog without any difficulty and I managed to find the mushy bit just a couple of feet from where he crossed :(

I got some funny looks on the way back to the car as I looked like I'd been dipped in tar :lol:
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