Mount Famine and Kinder Scout

DATE 09.03.2012 | DISTANCE 16.4KM | HIGHEST POINT 633M

Posted by Matt | Filed under peak district

 

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Today I finally managed to get my good friend, Colin out walking. He hadn't really done anything in the Peak District before so I figured a walk with the 'wow factor' was essential. I'm always up for climbing onto Kinder Scout but I wanted to change slightly from the route I have done in the past. I always find myself transfixed on Mount Famine during my regular descents back to Hayfield so today I decided that we would attack it first. It's a lot more gradual than it looks from a distance and it wasn't long before we were taking in great panoramic views for miles around.
Our next peak, South Head provided more of the same great views and so we pushed on following the wall towards Brown Knoll. Considering the recent rain, the route wasn't as boggy as expected. A few hops and long jumps and we were on neW, huge paving slabs which extend to Jacob's Ladder.
 
UP BEYOND SWINE'S BACK WE SHELTERED FROM THE WIND AT EDALE ROCKS. COLIN REVEALED THE CONTENTS OF HIS RUCKSACK. HE HAD RAIDED THE KITCHEN CUPBOARD AT HOME, MORE SPECIFICALLY, HIS KIDS TREAT STOCK! COLIN'S IDEA OF GOOD WALKING FOOD WAS PRETTY MUCH CHOCOLATE AND BISCUITS. I APPLAUDED HIM FOR HIS CHOICES AND RISKING A POTENTIAL EAR CHEWING AT HOME THAT EVENING.
 
WITH PLENTY OF CALORIES TO BURN WE PUSHED ON TO THE KINDER LOW TRIG POINT. ONE THING I WAS CERTAIN OF WAS HOW COLIN WOULD BE Impressed with the strange landscape around the kinder plateau. it has a very bleak lunar feel to it. mounds of black peat here and there with strange smooth rock formations littered across the area like the bottom of a goldfish bowl. it's certainly like no other place i know of. after passing the equally impressive and strange, kinder downfall, we followed our route across sandy heys and down into william clough.
the sky had cleared in all directions as we looked across kinder reservoir to our first peaks of the day. yet again mount famine was looking as deceptively prominent and grand as we continued on towards hayfield and back to the car.
colin had a huge smile across his face as he assured me that he would be coming along for more days in the hills.

 

 

A pOTENTIALLY WET AND CLOUDY DAY AS WE HEADED OFF TOWARDS MOUNT FAMINE
MOUNT FAMINE POINTING UP TO THE SKY WITH SOUTH HEAD BEYOND CLUTCHING THE LAST OF THE CLOUD
LOOKING OVER TO KINDERLOW END IT SEEMED LIKE WE MAY BE LOSING VISIBILITY LATER
THE VIEW BACK NORTH FROM MOUNT FAMINE
KINDERLOW END AND SWINES BACK FROM MOUNT FAMINE. THE FIELDS BELOW LOOKING LIKE A GREAT PATCHWORK QUILT
THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT FAMINE AHEAD AND A CLOUD FREE SOUTH HEAD
WE GOT A GREAT PANORAMIC VIEW FROM MOUNT FAMINE TODAY. HERE WAS THE VIEW WEST OVER TO CHINLEY CHURN (RIGHT) AND BEYOND
Chinley Churn
south head summit
from south head summit
looking out from South Head we could see the wall we would follow which would lead onto a nice new paved section that continues to Swine's Back
the nice new paved section. I'm guessing it wont be long until some of this is submerged as it sinks into the boggy peat
from Swine's Back. The descent path of Jacob's Ladder leading down to upper booth and edale
we tucked into an alcove at edale rocks for some lunch. Colin had raided his kids treat box at home and revealed Kinder (huh!) bars and a packet of biscuits
one of the Kinder edges at edale head and Grindslow Knoll in the background
colin looking out from kinder low
kinder low trig point
the view out to sandy heys which was where we were heading
looking down red brook. we were wondering whether it would one day be a possible ascent route. some research needed first, i think.
kinder downfall blowing back over as usual. not many waterfalls go back up!
continuing along the pennine way after kinder downfall. the view back to the edge of the kinder plateau
zooming out to our first peaks today. South Head and Mount Famine. approx 5km away as the crow flies
same location at Sandy Heys, zoomed out. now showing kinder reservoir
descending to william clough
i usually go right down to the reservoir but today i tried this White Brow track
looking back to the kinder plateau. we were lucky with how the weather turned out today
across the reservoir to our first peaks of the day
great views from this path. much better than the path beside the reservoir
descending white brow