Get Lost Mountaineering

Bleaklow Head via Wildboar Clough & Pennine Way

from Torside Car Park

Start/Finish

Torside Pay and Display car park on B6105 on S side of Torside Reservoir at SK 068 983. This can be reached from Glossop by going N at the main traffic lights on the B6105. Alternatively, from the A628 Woodhead Pass road, take the B6105 between Woodhead and Torside Resrvoirs about 0.5 miles E of Crowden. The car park is obvious on the B6105 and has toilets.

Distance/Time

10 km      About 5 hours

Peaks

Bleaklow Head, 633 m, SK 092 958.

OS Outdoor Leisure 1: Dark Peak.

Introduction

This is a pleasant walk which goes up a wild and rocky clough before a walk across the plateau on the south side of Bleaklow. The plateau can be very difficult to navigate in mist so save this walk for a clear day. Even then, navigation is not obvious. The return is via the Pennine Way down Torside Clough. The going underfoot is reasonable, even after heavy rain. The worst sections are when Wildboar Clough levels out until the stream splits and sections of the Pennine Way on the return. The Bleaklow plateau is quite grassy and a pleasure to walk across as one meanders up the shallow grassy gullies. Across the plateau, paths can be hard to find but the rest of the route has very distinctive paths. There are good views across to Black Hill, Higher Shelf Stones and Kinder. The Wain Stones, close to Bleaklow Head are worth the slight detour. This is one the best routes up Bleaklow from the north.

Route

(1) From the car park, walk up the track (with benches) in the top left corner. Reach a “crossroads” with a sign post. Turn left and within a few minutes reach the signed path for Wildboar Clough on the right. Follow this lovely little path as it traverses the hillside, passing through a delightful wood of scattered Birch trees, before reaching the clough. The path continues on the W side of the stream before crossing over. Continue up. If the path seems too faint, ascend higher up the bank where you will almost certainly find a more distinctive path. The bank is very steep so be careful in wet and windy conditions. When the ground levels out, continue, with a fence, which has a few stiles, on the other side of the stream. Keep following the stream. On its E side. When it splits, follow the main branch which will trend E before curving around to the S. The path will now be quite faint but you may come across an ATV track. As the stream keeps splitting, choose the major branch. If in doubt go S and follow gentle, shallow, grassy gullies which are a delight to walk in. There is not much, in the way of landmarks, to aim for apart from a distant crest. There is an intermittent faint path in some of the grassy gullies but the nature of the terrain makes it difficult to describe the route on this section of the walk. A fence is likely to be crossed where there are some peaty mounds. There is no stile but it is easy to step over. By now, if it is clear, you should be able to see a distant solitary stake on the furthest crest. Aim for this. As you get closer, it is seen to be sticking out of a triangular shaped cairn. Walk to this. If it has a small stone direction marker by it then it marks the summit of Bleaklow Head, 633 m.

(2) Walk roughly W for about 200 m, to find another, slightly smaller cairn, near to some distinctive boulders known as the Wain Stones. The two closest ones are also known as The Kissing Stones and from the right viewpoint (and a little imagination!) one can see why. Retrace to the summit then follow the direction indicated by the marker which is the Pennine Way. Unless under deep snow, this is a very obvious path. It goes roughly N then curves around to the W. It goes to, but does not cross, the fence crossed on the ascent. Before too long, a stream appears on the left and the path, slabbed in places, leads down to Torside Clough where its two main feeder streams meet. Cross over. After heavy rain, the streams may have to be crossed separately. Follow the path up on to the edge above the W side of Torside Clough. Pass a rock feature known as, and also labelled as, The Pulpit. Continue on the Pennine Way path which follows the undulating edge with a steep bank below. The path follows the edge of the Clough all the way down to an access road near to a farm passing above some interesting rocky and vegetated ribs. Turn left on the road. Just before it joins the main road, there is a stile on the right which leads to the old railway. Follow this E back to the car park.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 5^th February, 2014.