Saturday Ramble: Kinder Scout
Tackling Kinder Scout is like a rite of passage to those who visit the Peak District regularly. Despite visiting near enough every weekend for four years, this was one place Sam and I hadn’t tackled. We had been so close one summer but the heat had made us turn back half way up Jacobs Ladder.
One crisp, sunny Saturday in January we decided to change this and headed off to Edale with Luna in tow. It just felt like it was going to be an epic day as we were rewarded with an epic cloud inversion on the snaking Edale road.
Once we had parked, we set off past the church and onto the Pennine Way; this offered us views of the entire Edale valley and beyond. Behind us were Mam Tor and the ridge and in front the Cloughs and Kinder Scout. The first part of the walk is relatively easy and flat, which is great as Jacobs Ladder can be a bit of a slog. Following the path across farm land we kept Luna on her lead as to not upset the livestock. The views along this path are beautiful though, you are surrounded by towering hills and valleys that make the perfect photo stops.
With the air feeling crisp and the sun beating down, it really was the perfect day to hike this route. I had heard so many stories of Kinder being dull, desolate and miserable, but as it came back into view I couldn’t wait to get up there. A quick it stop at the packhorse bridge at the bottom of Jacobs Ladder gave us a chance to have a quick snack and drink before tackling the rocky accent. I really would take a minute here, as it is breath-taking and is so peaceful with the babbling stream.
I really enjoyed my hike up Jacobs Ladder this time around, the temperature and weather were perfect and we were rewarded with some spectacular views, I didn’t put my camera away for a minute. I absolutely love the moorland feel of Kinder and the light and shadow dancing across the plateau. Once we got to the cairn, we had another break and then set off up the rocky path again. It is tough, but so worth it, with stunning views in all directions, it fast became one of my favourite days in the Peaks.
Despite the comments I had heard about it being a dull walk, I absolutely adored it. I loved the wild feel of the Kinder plateau. It was the little things I appreciated whilst up there, the sunlight dancing across the golden bracken, the grit stone formations towering over us and the wild winds that whipped up our hair and added the colour back into our cheeks.
As the sun started to dip, we meandered back down the way we came taking in the views as the sun started to set, it had been a beautiful day and I didn’t want to leave. Arriving back in Edale feeling weary and achy we stopped off at the Penny pot Café for a cuppa and cake before the journey home.
This is one walk I would love to do again by myself and plan to do so once we get good weather window, there really is nothing more beautiful than the untamed wilds of the Peaks.