As I’ve mentioned we really enjoy walking and so wanted to try as many new walks while on our UK based honeymoon. The Peak District is full of options for great walks but we knew in advance we wanted to go up Kinder Scout.

We did our research and decided to follow a route we found online, so knew that it was a descent length hike of around 15km and would take up most of the day. We packed our bags with supplies and headed off from our hotel in Rowsley first thing in the morning. It took around 45 minutes to dive to our starting point at Edale and it was a lovely drive, especially going over the pass at Mam Tor which offers great views over the valley towards the Kinder Plateau.

The car park for walkers at Edale is next to the village hall and is pay and display (£6 for the day) – and important to note it does not take cards! In years gone by we would have always had some coins in the car but due to covid everything was moving to card payments. Luckily there is a very nice little cafe across the road next to the train station which offers cashback and we so it was a good excuse to buy some more cake for our trip (delicious treacle flapjacks!).

We set off up the road, under the railway, and followed the sign posts for Kinder Scout. Further up the road is the rest of Edale with a couple of nice pubs and a small shop, all looking very picturesque in the valley. It wasn’t long before we left the road onto a sturdy flagstone path which led us up through the woods, over a small bridge and out into more rugged moorland.

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The path climbs slowly up the valley (or clough as they are know locally), and after around a mile the path starts to turn progressively steeper and rockier. At some points it feels as though you are scrambling up through the river bed, over and around large boulders, before reaching the head of the valley with a very steep climb up to the plateau. This bit is hard going but short, and the views at the top are worth the hardwork.

Once you are up on the plateau it is much easier going. We followed another flagged footpath which leads you round the edge of the plateau towards Kinder Fall. The views from the edge are spectacular, with amazing rock formations dotting the landscape as you make your way round.

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You can continue around the edge of the plateau to reach Kinder Downfall, but the route we were following suggested cutting across the middle of the plateau which we thought was a good idea. In hindsight I would not recommend doing this and stick to the outside as it is a bleak trek across the peat otherwise. The route described this as an undulating peat desert, which I’m sure in summer may be the case, however in October after heavy rain this is more like a large peat swamp. The path quickly disappeared and so we were left trying to traverse peat trenches which were often 2m+ deep and wide with deep peat bogs at the bottom. We kept hoping we had just wondered off the path so spent quite some time trying to find it before realising there wasn’t one so we just trudge onwards, often sinking up to our knees with a misplaced step.

Eventually, after what felt like miles, we found the head of the River Kinder which we knew led to Kinder Downfall and so we followed its banks to find our way out again. We passed through Kinder Gates which are impressive rock formations before reaching Kinder Downfall at the edge of the plateau. Here there are impressive views out across Kinder Reservoir and beyond – and was a perfect pit stop for tea and flapjack.

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At Kinder Downfall the path intercepts the Pennine Way. After feeling a bit more refreshed we headed back along the edge of the plateau towards the Kinder Low Trig Point (about 3km from the Downfall), and then chose the path which lead down towards Edale. Once on the descent I was pleased we decided to do the walk that way round as it would have been a much longer steep ascent otherwise. The path descends by Jacob’s Ladder, a steel zigzagged series of steps parallel to the River Noe, and then onto farm tracks.

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First time we missed the sign to Edale at the farmyard in Upper Booth so had to double back, but from there it was an easy walk along more flagstone paths back to the car. I will say the walk back felt quite far so be wary of how far you venture on the plateau as it all feels easy when you’re up there – unless you are in the peat bogs!