Kinder Downfall from Hayfield, Peak District, Derbyshire - Route Card.
Distance: 9.5 miles (15.1 kilometers)
Time: 5 hours 40 minutes
Grade: Moderate
Map: OS Explorer OL1 - South Pennines
Start point: Bowden Bridge 1 mile east of Hayfield
Grid Reference: SK 048 869
Nearest Post Code: SK22 2LH
| Serial | Distance | Grid Reference | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 00.00 miles | SK 048 869 | Starting about 1 mile east of Hayfield at Bowden Bridge, which is accessed via a minor road - Kinder Road. Follow signs for the camp site from the village. There is free parking on Kinder Road and a pay and display car park in the old quarry at Bowden Bridge if there are no spaces on the road. |
| 02 | 00.00 miles | SK 052 877 | From Bowden Bridge head north east along Kinder Road with the River Kinder to the right and Marepiece Wood to the left. |
| 03 | 00.00 miles | SK 054 882 | Continue along the path following the north shore of the Kinder Reservoir to the bottom of William Clough. |
| 04 | 00.00 miles | SK 059 888 | Continue heading north, following the stream in William Clough. The path climbs fairly steeply and can be a little tricky when wet. |
| 05 | 00.00 miles | SK 063 902 | At the top William Clough path with Mill Hill on the left and Kinder on the right. Turn right at the crossing of paths to head south east along the well defined path of the Pennine Way, after a short steady climb the path levels out on the edge of the plateau, passing some spectacular weather carved bowls in the gritstone rock formations. |
| 06 | 00.00 miles | SK 071 897 | The path bends left and heads towards and eventually reaches Kinder Downfall. The highest waterfall in the Peak District with a drop of 30 metres, a great place for a bite to eat or a picnic. It is most spectacular after recent rainfall, and its renowned blow back can be encountered during high prevailing winds, during the dry summer months it is less impressive and can dry up, in contrast during very cold winters it can freeze. |
| 07 | 00.00 miles | SK 082 889 | At the top of Kinder Downfall, cross over the river where the bed rock is flat, an ideal alternative place for lunch as the top of Kinder Downfall can sometimes become crowded. From here turn right to head south, south west along the plateau path. |
| 08 | 00.00 miles | SK 080 880 | After about 0.75 miles, the path crosses Red Brook and splits in two. Take the left hand path, to continue along the Penine Way. |
| 09 | 00.00 miles | SK 079 870 | After another 0.75 miles or so, the path heads slightly in land and ascends over the peat towards the summit of Kinder Low where a white trig pillar sits on top of a large rock at 633 meters. |
| 10 | 00.00 miles | SK 079 870 | From the Kinder Low trig point head over to its huge cairn of stones and then head off the summit area in a south westerly direction eventually picking up a path made of huge slabs. |
| 11 | 00.00 miles | SK 077 866 | Bear right along the slabbed path heading west towards the rise on the ridge of Kinder Barrow, which is a bronze age burial mound, the path skirts around the mound and descends steadily to Kinderlow End. |
| 12 | 00.00 miles | SK 068 865 | Follow the flag stoned path, then down a steep stepped descent at Kinderlow End. Great care needs to be taken when wet or icy. |
| 13 | 00.00 miles | SK 055 878 | From the bottom of Kinder low a right of way path crosses a few fields and stiles then picks up the track passing Tunstead Clough Farm. Navigating this part of the route can be tricky and muddy after rainfall. The path crosses moorland grazing fields and passes through Tunstead Clough Farm. |
| 14 | 00.00 miles | SK 049 869 | Continue to follow the path aong the River Sett back to the village of Hayfield. |