The Sett Valley & edge of Kinder without a car

Description

(D)The walk starts at New Mills Central station (Grid ref. SJ996853). Turn left out of the station entrance and after 50m, descend a steep path down into the valley. This takes you into the Torrs Country Park, a spectacular gorge at the confluence of the Goyt and Sett rivers and surely one of Derbyshire's best kept secrets. Turn left along the modern walkway constructed for the millennium which soars high above the Goyt offering a fine bird's eye view of the falls below.

(1)Follow the path to the confluence of the Goyt and Sett but do not cross the river. Keep left below the rocky walls along the bank of the Sett going under the railway bridge and where the river disappears into a tunnel, climb up to join the route of the former Hayfield branch railway which emerges from a blocked tunnel to your left (Grid ref. 001855).

(2)From here, it's an easy walk along the old railway trackbed to Hayfield, now designated as the Sett Valley trail. The suburbs of New Mills are quickly left behind and Lantern Pike comes into view to the left. As Hayfield is approached, Kinder looms up ahead giving a promise of the pleasures to come.

(3)The trail ends at Hayfield car park. Cross the A624 and turn right up Church Street past the George Hotel. After a further 50m bear left down Valley Road, following it to the end where it becomes a track. It continues along the bank of Kinder Brook past the camp site to emerge at the junction of Kinder Road at Bowden Bridge (Grid ref. 049870). We are now of course on hallowed ground, as the adjacent car park is on the site of the quarry where in 1932 Benny Rothman and the other participants in the Kinder Trespass assembled prior to their historic walk. Also worthy of note is the old Pack Horse bridge which spans Kinder brook just before it joins the river Sett.

(4)For those who have become complacent about the relative ease of the route so far, more serious work begins at this point. Bear right along the lane and after 400m reach a path junction where you take the bridleway which climbs to Tunstead Clough Farm. Continue up past the front of the house crossing a number of stiles to reach a path junction at Grid ref. 058867.

(5)At this point go half right towards a stile visible in the far wall. Keep ahead on the clear path which gently rises up the hill. As you climb, superb views open out to the right over Mount Famine and South Head, while behind Hayfield village and the more distant Greater Manchester conurbation can be seen. Ahead, Kinder Low End towers over you but worry not, you're not going over it!

(6)Keep straight on ignoring paths to left and right to reach the stony track up Oaken Clough at a Peak and Northern Footpaths Society sign at Grid ref. 073862. Continue up the track to reach the summit at Edale Cross. The Pennine Way can be seen descending from Swine's Back to your left and after a further 350m we join it for the remainder of the walk to Edale. The route down Jacob's Ladder and on to Edale is familiar to all; suffice to say that it offers a fine end to a splendid walk.

(A)The excellent local train service between Sheffield and Manchester along the Hope Valley connects the start and finish points at two hourly intervals (including Sunday). On Saturday, the frequency is doubled to hourly. Full timetable details can be found on the Derbyshire Journey Planner.