KingsShepherdMeetingRoundWoodheadNearBlackBleaklowHeadStonesBarrowWindyKings 17 th Oct 2008 True Delight for those that love High Moors |
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Parking: Park at Kings Tree. It's free but get there early as places are limited and you can't go past Fairholmes by car at weekends or on Bank Holidays. But who wants to go up there when there are 100's out. The Walk Leave the car at King's Trees walk up the road to the tree, through the pedestrian gate and onto a good track that takes you to the lovely bridge at Slippery Stones. Cross the Derwent and turn left, shortly cross Cranberry Clough by the footbridge and keep left heading up the right hand side of the Derwent valley on a good track that is only for walkers. You cross Broadhead and Stainery Clough, before the path heads down close to the river. As you walk up the moors enclose you and suddenly after crossing Lands and Coldwell Cloughs you turn a corner and the valley begins to open out as you approach its head. On your left is Barrow Clough and above it Barrow Stones – with the cloud just lifting off it – and above you on your right are unnamed rocks ending in the distinct Hoar Clough with Shepherd Meeting Stones on its left. Just before the Clough turn right and ascend up the right hand side of the Clough through bracken. As you reach the top of the edge a path crosses the Clough and goes up to the back of the Meeting Stones but keep straight following up the rhs of the Clough. There appears to be a path but it disappears as the Clough split into two. Both the Cloughs were reedy so cross to the left hand bank and then walk up the lhs of the left hand branch. There's no path but keep to the edge of the Clough as the heather is shorter. A couple of side Cloughs are crossed - they are deep and can be very wet in the bottom. At the top of the third side Clough there is a path that heads up towards the skyline. The gradient is shallow; then on the skyline you can make out a cairn. The path heads for it but suddenly at a grough the path disappears. Continue forward across water sodden moor to the cairn and the path from Howden Edge to Swain Head. You need to find the cairn as from here a good path heads north east to Round Hill. The route is easy but the moor is waterlogged. From Round Hill continue north east to Lady Cross. At Lady Cross turn left on the old Manchester to Doncaster pack horse track.The track is easy to follow, becomes the Trans Pennine trail (meeting a bridle way from Dunford Bridge) and crosses Salter Brook on a nice stone bridge. It's a pity that the ale house that stood by the bridge is a ruin. A pint would be welcome. The track crosses the Woodhead Road and lots of traffic – the drivers look at you gone out. Good progress is made on the trail as it heads west above the Woodhead road. On the opposite side Bleaklow looks imposing and the three Black Cloughs are clear. Just before Woodhead turn left on a track (FP) that heads back down to the road, which is crossed and then drop down to the River Etherow. Before the tunnel turn left and cross the river via a bridge and then head up the far side (right hand side) of the river heading south east towards Near Black Clough. The first Clough you meet joining the Etherow is Near Black Clough – the largest of the three Black Cloughs. Turn right and follow a good track up the rhs of the Clough. Soon take a path that climbs through a wood and away from the stream, up to a track that leads to a promontory above the wood overlooking the Etherow. Turn sharp left and take a path that tracks up the edge of the Clough and initially above the wooded area. The path is easy to follow and very muddy. It's a nice climb up for about 4/5 km to Bleaklow Head. You keep to the rhs of the Clough which heads mainly south west for most of the way to Bleaklow Head. Eventually the path drops down to the Clough, turns south and shortly you realise you are on the plateau and into the grassy groughs. The path runs out at the top of the Clough and you need now to head east keeping a close eye on the gradient and heading towards the highest point. Soon the gradient flattens and you see the stake and cairn of Bleaklow Head. It will not be easy to find your way to the top in mist because the good path up the Clough disappears, like many others on Bleaklow, near the top. The view, as always, are worth the climb and are even better if you go to Wain Stones. From the summit cairn head south of east towards a stake. This marks the start of the traverse of the southern edge of the Bleaklow plateau. It takes you through a wilderness of peat hags and groughs. In wet weather it is tough going in the sticky slime. Personally, it is one of my favourite places. Follow the stakes down to a group of 2 large stakes and a smaller stake. Here turn left and head north east, and then turn right and head due east following the lines of stakes along the southern side of the Bleaklow plateau. Ahead, on a good day, you soon see the distinctive shape of Bleaklow Stones in the distance. On a clear day the route finding is easy. It's not as easy in the mist as the stakes are not easy to see when visibility is limited. The eastern end of Bleaklow is marked by Bleaklow Stones. The views from here are worth the effort. Due east is Grinnah Stones and below you to the right is the basin of the Westend valley. On the far horizon you can make out the distinctive rocks of Back Tor. From Bleaklow Stones descend slightly right of straight and take the main path that heads off round the top of the Westend valley to Grinnah Stones. There are 2 paths heading towards Grinah which both meet up eventually, but take the left or higher path. The trek round to Grinnah is easy to follow and eventually you arrive at the top of the Stones. It always surprises me how unspectacular these Stones look when you arrive at them. From Bleaklow they are so grand. From the top take a path heading north east and contouring along the edge to Crown Stones. Head just to the right of the Stones as here a gate, through a fence, gives access to the path that drops down to Round Hill. The route is now easy to follow. From Round Hill it drops down heading south east onto the water sodden Ridgewalk Moor. After dropping down to the Moor you join a path from the right from Grinnah. For the next 4km you head straight for Back Tor on the far side of the Derwent Valley, first on Ridgewalk Moor then after hitting the shooting track above Lower Small Clough, you follow Black Dike. Always keep to the top of the ridge; a couple of times a side dike falls off to the left, but if you keep to the main dike heading down the spine of the moor you will eventually hit the remains of a wall that heads down to a wood – Nether Wood Plantation. Gain access through a gate onto a track which drops down to Windy Corner. Here turn left and walk up the valley road to Kings Tree. Watch out for the motorists who think they own the place.
Sumary A wonderful walk over magnificent moors. A walk for a clear day to take in the views and ensure that route finding is staightforward. The route can be wet and the ground water sodden and muddy (or sludgy on the peat moors) The route is mainly on high lonely moors with route finding reasonably easy, if you could see where you were going; if not you need to be careful to hit the cairn above Hoar Clough, at the top of Near Black CLough heading for Bleaklow Head and when you traverse the Bleaklow plateau. There are no paths from Hoar Clough to Round Hill and across Bleaklow, otherwise they tracks and paths are easy to follow.
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