The walk starts at Chinley railway station on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Regular train services run from Manchester and Sheffield seven days a week, at the time of writing this walk up the train services are more or less every hour. Chinley is a pleasant and quiet old mill town on the edge of the national park. Chinley was original a small hamlet dominated by farming and quarrying as will be evident on the walk. The birth of the railways and the industrial revolution saw the building of several large textile mills in the 19th century. The railway has always been a big part of the town and brought its growth more than any other factor. The railway junction at Chinley was a major junction for decades though these days it is more of a single use junction and station used prominently for the Manchester to Sheffield trans pennine rail route which this walk takes full advantage of.
Chinley Park Nature Reserve |
Cracken Edge |
From the station exit do not turn left and instead go straight on for about forty metres then turn right down Lower Lane. Head down Lower Lane for about two hundred and fifty metres then turn right and head to the bridge over the railway. This reaches the recently created Chinley Park Nature Reserve. This fantastic little paradise has been created through the hard work of local people and is now officially declared a nature reserve. Follow the path through the lovely park and head uphill or north to the top end of the park where a gate goes through the top wall onto the minor road. Turn left up the road following it round a right bend uphill. The road passes a track and footpath to the right and reaches Dryclough Farm. Shortly after the farm the road bends left and then after about fifty metres you need to cross the stile on the right and head along the path to Cracken Edge.
This path to Cracken Edge on Chinley Churn seems to follow some sort of old man made ditch and bank which is probably an old quarry level. The path heads in a north east direction and is a bit muddy in places, it follows a contour round the hill, ignore the paths that head downhill towards Cracken Edge farm and continue on the higher paths. Eventually the path will pass above Cracken Edge farm and head over a stile and fence and start rounding the cliffs on Chinley Churn above the old quarries and heading in a northerly direction.
Mount Famine & South Head |
Cracken Edge Quarries |
The quarries up here are fascinating and you could easily be mistaken for thinking you were in North Wales, even some of the old old buildings exist in rubble. You could spend some time here exploring the many ditches and cliffs. The path now heads north for a kilometre, however there are two paths in a way as one goes straight along the top of the ridge and above the quarries and another goes along under the cliffs and through the quarries. There are a few up and down paths so you can pick and choose. I'd recommend going up to the higher path and looking own on the quarries to get an idea of there size and for better views of course. The trig point on the actual summit of Chinley Churn is on private farm land so best avoided.
Poetry Bench |
South Head |
If you chose the higher route then after a kilometre along the ridge you reach the bridleway, turn right and head downhill and pass quietly through Hills Farm. If you took the lower route by the quarries then that path actually starts a slow descent after the quarries and passes behind Whiterakes before joining up with with the bridleway and road to the east of Hills Farm. Follow the road from Hills Farm east and it will eventually reach the A624 Chapel-en-le-Frith to Glossop trunk road at Peep-O-Day. Look out for the bench with the poem on it just after Hills Farm on the left. Cross the busy main road to the other side, taking care as this is a fast major road.
Head north up the east side of the road for about one hundred metres and then head right up the road behind the house that heads up past the quarry on the right before coming to a crossroads of bridleways. At the cross roads turn right heading in a south east direction towards Mount Famine. The bridleway then heads uphill south east and passes through some seriously well made gateways. The bridleway reaches a pond at the foot of Mount Famine. Here a clear path heads uphill in a northerly direction and quickly gains height and reaches the summit of Mount Famine. Seen from the north this shapely peak is a unique view for those heading up the popular Kinder walks from Bowden Bridge. After taking in the magnificent views to the neighbouring Kinder Plateau and the long reaching vistas across the Cheshire plains to Greater Manchster and Merseyside, descend the same route back down to the bridleway.
Mount Famine from South Head
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Turn left after the small pond and then take a direct route to the right to ascend the short ascent to the top of South Head. South Head and Mount Famine are two perfectly formed peaks seen from certain angles and real gems in a region famous for its round boggy peaks, these two grassy pyramid shaped beauties are great peaks. Similar views are had from South Head and also views south over Chapel, Whaley Bridge and also most of the route you have done so far from Chinley over Chinley Churn. Descend from South Head in a an easterly direction and avoid and cross the bridleway which makes its way off south east, instead head east to north east along the now boggy path hand railing the stone wall to the right at all times. This now turns into what you would expect from the Dark Peak area. After a kilometre the path crosses a wooden stile and fence to the north of an unnamed bump the other side of the wall. To the left or north here the shapely outcrop of Swines Back sticks up out of the edge of Kinder. As you are now in Dark Peak land you are likely to see the usual wildlife, Mountain Hares running off at the noise of your feet, Skylarks doing there usual crazy song high up above you and of course when you disturb them the grouse will no doubt leap up and scare the hell out of you.
South Head from the east |
Carry on along this path keeping the wall to the right. The path steepens and a kilometre later there is a stile through the fence on the right that needs to be crossed, head now in a south east direction towards Brown Knoll along one of the worst paths in the Peak District. This boggy quagmire is a nightmare in wet months. I would say avoid the main path unless you have decent footwear. As I walked across this path the only way I can explain the horrid sinking feeling is that it felt like there were people in the bog putting there hands though and trying to pull me down! Don't be put off though as the summit is reached quicker than you might think. The summit is a boggy mess with a white OS trig point pillar in the centre. The Brown Knoll top is so wide that there aren't really much in the way of views and it isn't a place worth hanging around at.
Boggy path to Brown Knoll |
Brown Knoll |
From Brown Knoll head of in a south east direction for just over half a kilometre then near Horsehill Tor turn on a south to south east direction heading to Colborne reached a kilometre on. On Colborne you will see a huge building that looks particularly out of place. This building is actually an air shaft of the Cowburn Tunnel beneath the hill that carries the railway we are taking advantage of. The Cowburn Tunnel built in 1891 is over three and a half kilometres long and was a marvel of engineering.
Edale Valley from Colborne
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It is hard to tell but there are two paths on the ridge here, the main path which is the widest and boggier of the two and a slightly lower path to the north east, if you can move across to the smaller path. The smaller path passes an old sheepfold then heads downhill slightly before reaching the Chapel Gate bridleway. The views north east into the Edale Valley now start to open up. From the crossing of the paths and bridleway follow the path which clearly heads east to south east up Rushup Edge. This is quite a lengthy ascent but eventually after a sharp right turn at a fence after half a kilometre of ascent turn right or south and then you'll reach the two wide bridleways that traverse the Rushup Edge ridge. Head left or east along the bridleway or path, one on each side of the wall here. The top of Rushup Edge known as Lord's Seat will be reached after half a kilometre. From here continue east along the ridge on the obvious and eroded path for another kilometre until you reach the road pass below the huge Mam Tor now in front of you.
Mam Tor from Rushup Edge |
Edale from Greenlands |
When you reach the minor road cross it with care and turn left then after twenty metres go through the gate into the bridleways and take the one that heads downhill, ignoring the one that goes round Mam Tor. This bridleway is rough and heads downhill eventually reaching a lovely little stream to the right side then passing through Greenlands. After Greenlands follow the road as it crosses Harden Clough then passes Harden Farm and into Edale Village. After crossing the River Noe, cross main road and turn right then left following the signs to the railway station. Train timetables can be found on the platforms. If you have an hour or so to waste while waiting you could take the short stroll into the village or take advantage of the tea rooms at the station.
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Duration
: 6 Hrs
