Grindslow Knoll via Ringing Roger

Difficulty : ModerateDuration : 3.5 HrsDistance : 8 Km

A popular walk and rightly so. This walk starts at the popular Peak District destination of Edale, takes you up to a rare Peak District scramble over the Ringing Roger, before skirting the unique Kinder Plateau and completing the horseshoe walk by heading back over Grindslow Knoll. The walk is fairly easy and as with most scrambles i the Peak District they are not necessary but lots of fun. This is a great walk or those who want to experience some hands on scrambling in the Peak District. The scrambling is short but good and like most Peak District scrambles you make what you want out of it by finding the most exciting route possible. For the adventurous plenty more fun can be had searching for wildlife like Mountain Hare and Grouse on the Kinder Plateau. For those who don't want the fun of scrambling the Ringing Roger is easily passed by on the same route and the walk skirting the remote plateau is very wide and easy to follow. There is usually ample parking space at Edale with large car parks just outside the village by the train station. Despite this being a Dark Peak walk most of the paths are not as boggy as they can be on walks in the Dark Peak area.

Full route description for this walk

The walk starts at the beautiful village of Edale. There is a few parking options though I recommend the huge car park outside the village on the right before you go under the railway bridge and opposite the station. The other way to get to the walk clearly being by the useful train links. Regular trains from Manchester and Sheffield stop at Edale and make it an excellent choice of transport to and from this walk. From the car park head north along the road under the railway bridge towards the village. You will pass a pub on the left, and a camp site on the right, after the road bends you will pass the church on the left before entering the village itself. Take care on this road as cars and motor cycles tend to go quite fast round the corners especially on summer months when they could be on either side of the road avoiding walkers further up.

Edale is the start of the Pennine Way long distance path as is clearly indicated by the plaque on the Old Nags Head Inn which claims to be the official start of the walk. Go through the village still heading north and passing with the Old Nags Head Inn on your right. After passing the centre of the village after only approximately fifty metres take the path to the right that is sign posted to Grinds Brook. This path leads down to a small wooden foot bridge that crosses lovely Grinds Brook and heads up the bank on the other side to a wide open field. The path heads left now and The Nab looms high above to the right. After approximately forty metres head up the ascending path to the right that leads up to a gate in the stone wall on The Nab.

Pass through the gate through the stone wall then follow the path as it continues to ascend up The Nab as it heads first right then left again before turning back right again and heading in the opposite direction. Near the summit of The Nab you need to switch back again on the main path which heads in a northerly direction towards Ringing Roger. The views open up to the left now across Grinds Brook down Grindsbrook Clough and across to Grindslow Knoll. You can see virtually the entire horseshoe walk you are about to do. After just over half a kilometre you will reach the bottom of Ringing Roger and as you approach it you will get a fantastic perspective of its rocky crest.