A Walking Guide to Kinder Scout
Every year, employees working at Regatta basecamp volunteer to lead their colleagues on a walking route they're familiar with.
This time, the destination was Kinder Scout; a popular place to wander in the North West of England situated in the Peak District.
We thought we'd share our experience along with some useful info about the local area for those that plan on walking up Kinder Scout themselves.
Difficulty wise, it's around medium level. The route itself is fine, it's just the weather conditions that can make things a bit more taxing on the hike.
We went with a reasonably large group of varying fitness levels, so we made sure to take plenty of breaks to take in the views and not overdo it.
Read on for your essential guide to walking up Kinder Scout, including how to get there, where to park, and what to bring for the journey ahead
Kinder Scout Walk: Your Essential Guide
Where is Kinder Scout?
Kinder Scout is in the Peak District National Park, near Glossop. It's easily accessed from the nearby village of Edale, but on our visit we went via Hayfield.
Where to Park When Walking Kinder Scout
As our route started via Hayfield, we decided to park at Bowden Bridge carpark, which is conveniently by a public toilet. Parking costs roughly £4 for the day, but the machine is cash only.
You can pay online using RingGo (which some of us did) just be wary that you may not get phone signal directly in the car park, we had to walk towards the main road in order to pay.
Alternatively, you can actually park on one side of the road leading up to Bowden Bridge carpark, but it's first come first serve.
How High is Kinder Scout?
It's the highest summit in the Peak District, coming in at 636 metres above sea level.
If you're lucky with the weather and are visiting on a clear day, you'll get a glimpse of some of the major landmarks around Greater Manchester, including Winter Hill (right by Rivington Pike, which we went on our last company walk) and a view of the city itself.
How Long Does It Take to Walk Kinder Scout?
The length of your walk will largely depend on which route you take, your fitness and whether you want to stop for photos. There are plenty of photo-worthy views, we spotted natural streams, a big expanse of purple wildflowers and cute sheep along the way, not to mention the landscape itself.
We went with a reasonably large group of varying fitness levels, so we made sure to take plenty of breaks to take in the views and not overdo it.
Following the route below, we were there for just over 4 hours in total, but 3 hours of it was actually spent walking.
What Equipment to Bring On Your Walk up Kinder Scout
The Kinder Scout walk is medium to moderately challenging, so you won't need to bring a whole lot with you.
As always, it's worth bringing a good pair of walking shoes and a packable waterproof jacket in case of any unexpected rain. We found areas of the walk to be quite boggy, so definitely don't bring your favourite trainers. The later part of the journey does get more exposed, so if you're heading out on a particularly cold day you'll want to make use of the layering system.
It's also worth bringing a backpack just to store your packaway gear, water bottles and snacks.
