Kinder Downfall Circular from Bowden Bridge Car Park

Start: Bowden Bridge Car Park, 165 Kinder Road, High Peak, SK22 2LJ.

(S/E) Turn left out of the car park and follow the road north until you reach the gates to Kinder Reservoir. Go through the gates and follow the track until you reach the main reservoir access, then take the small gate to your left and follow the cobbled track uphill. This track then emerges at the start of the reservoir stretch.

(1) Follow the track along the edge of the reservoir. At the end of the reservoir, continue north until you reach the start of William Clough (sign-posted).

Alternative route: take the track over the small bridge and bear left. This will take you up onto the Pennine Way via Sandy Heys (this is quite steep and a tough climb up). At the y-junction with the Pennine Way, go right (east) to rejoin the route and follow it to Kinder Downfall.

(2) Take the William Clough route and follow the track onwards and upwards; some parts of the track are a bit indistinct, and some crossing of the stream is necessary in places. At the top of William Clough, you will see the route up to the plateau to your right.

(3) From here on in, the track is easy to follow and for the most part easy going, keep right and follow the Pennine Way south to Kinder Downfall (waterfall), a good place to take a break.

(4) Continue south (still on the Pennine Way) past a ford at the top of Red Brook.

(5) Shortly after the track splits, follow the left track, which takes you around the top of Cluther Rocks and once past, you will see Kinder Low Trig.

(6) Follow the path to Edale Rocks (good viewpoint here down the Valley).

(7) Just before you reach Edale Rocks, there is a track to your right which takes you to Kinderlow End.

(8) You will reach a steep but not too hard descent at the very end of the track. Take care here as in wet conditions the steps down can get slippy.
At the bottom of the track, there is a gate to your left. Pass through the gate, then another gateway after a short distance to the right. Pass through this gate to descend through the fields to Tunstead Clough Farm.

(9) Follow the path right around the Farm, and follow the road back to Bowden Bridge car park (S/E).

There are toilets and usually a coffee hut with a few picnic tables at Bowden Bridge.

(8) In wet conditions, the steps down can get slippy.

A slight detour over Swine's back will take you past Edale Cross. You can reach this by carrying on past Edale Rocks on the distinct track.