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Black Hill & Laddow Rocks from Crowden

Peak District Walk

Nat Park - Peak District - Black Hill Dovestone

County/Area - Derbyshire

Author - Peter Schofield

Length - 9.0 miles / 14.6 km    Ascent - 1650 feet / 500 metres

Time - 6 hours 10 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Ordnance Survey Explorer OL1Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL1Digital Map1:25kBUY
Ordnance Survey Landranger 110Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 110Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Black Hill & Laddow Rocks
Click image to visit gallery of 2 images.

The most northerly sector of the Peak District National Park is dominated by Black Hill, which rises to 582 metres above sea level with Holme Moss transmitter mast just over a kilometre east of the summit. Sadly Black Hill has a reputation for being a morass of wet peat and is thus avoided by many walkers. Despite this negative aspect the hill does have many redeeming characters and offers good walking under a big sky. Like many parts of upland Britain route finding is fine in good weather. However the moors around Black Hill see some severe snow storms and are often shrouded in low cloud so good map reading and compass skills are essential.

This Peak District walk is a variation of walk 3022 and includes the wrecks of two Meteor Jets that crashed in 1951on Sliddens Moss. Like all aircraft wrecks there is a wide scatter of debris and location may take some patience. You are also reminded not to take mementoes home.

The walk starts from the small carpark (Grid ref. SK072992) located just north of the A628 at Crowden. Leave the car park by the northern exit and follow the wide track that heads north to the ford marked on the OS 1:25000 map (Grid ref. SK 070998). There is no path on this next section and the route follows Crowden Little Brook upstream. Except after heavy rain it is easy to cross the stream and it is suggested you follow whichever side you find easiest towards the sheepfolds (Grid ref. SE 075013).

Continue as far as the bottom of Meadow Clough (Grid ref. SE 075023). Cross over the brook and go up the right side of Meadow Clough. It is probably best to climb up above the stream, rather than try to follow the bank. At the top, a faint path can be found which crosses over a tributary and at that point, take a bearing of 308 degrees.

The route parallels the course of Meadow Clough and after about 700m, the aircraft wreckage can be seen spread over a wide area of the moor, much of it being located around Grid ref SE 069029. From there, follow a fairly obvious path across Sliddens Moss towards Black Hill. Where the path crosses the boundary fence to the south of Black Hill, cross over the stile and follow the fence for about 300m until it intercepts the path coming from Tooleyshaw Moor.

Recent improvements including paved paths have made the often inaccessible OS trig point on Black Hill much easier to reach! It used to be in the middle of a large area of black liquid peat and finding a dry route was a great challenge!

The summit of Black Hill is too broad to provide great views and is included as a convenient intermediate point on this walk. Leave the summit in a south-westerly direction using the substantial sections of paved path that form the Pennine Way to speed onward progress back to Crowden.

The route is pleasant with Laddow Rocks soon appearing ahead. Just before reaching these dramatic gritstone cliffs you have a choice. The easier but least interesting option is to take the left fork, which leads you along the base of the crags. The best option is to take the right hand fork and follow the upper edge with superb views down into the valley below. With Laddow Rocks behind you the path needs little description as it descends towards Crowden and the end of the walk.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2625 Torside Clough from Longdendalemoderate4.5 miles
Walk 3027 Bleaklow Head from Longdendalemoderate8.0 miles
Walk 3174 Saltersbrook and Lady Cross from Woodheadeasy/mod6.0 miles
Walk 1756 Bleaklow & The Longendale Trail from Woodheadmod/hard10.0 miles
Walk 1168 Old Glossop & Bleaklowmoderate9.5 miles
Walk 3607 Reservoirs Walk from Tintwistleeasy/mod5.5 miles
Walk 1759 Torside Clough & Longendale from Old Glossopmoderate7.4 miles
Walk 1703 Longdendale from Hadfield Stationeasy/mod9.0 miles
Walk 2517 Chew Reservoir & Fox Stone from Dovestonesmoderate7.5 miles
Walk 2553 Greenfield Reservoir & Raven Stones from Dovestonemoderate8.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Walking in Derbyshire

Walking in DerbyshireWalking guidebook to 60 circular day walks in Derbyshire and the Peak District. Includes the Derwent, Wye and Trent river valleys, near Derby, Matlock, Glossop, Bakewell and Ripley. Routes range from easy to moderate and are between 4 and 14km (2 to 10 miles). Walks focus on places of interest, from Stone Age forts to castles to grand estates.
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The Pennine Way

The Pennine WayGuidebook to the Pennine Way National Trail with OS map booklet. The 265 mile route from Edale to Kirk Yetholm takes three weeks to walk and is suitable for fit and experienced long distance walkers. The route crosses the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and North Pennines National Parks. Includes separate OS 1:25,000 map booklet of the route.
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