Kinder Scout
Kinder Scout is a
moorland plateau (and
mountain) in the
Dark Peak of the
Derbyshire Peak District in the
United Kingdom. Part of the moor, at 636 metres above
sea level, is the highest point in the Peak District and the highest point in
Derbyshire. It is accessible from the villages of
Hayfield and
Edale in the
High Peak of
Derbyshire.
To the North across the Snake Pass (
A57), lie the high moors of
Bleaklow and
Black Hill, which are of similar elevation.
It is a popular
hiking location and the
Pennine Way crosses Kinder Scout and the moors to the North. This has resulted in the erosion of the underlying
peat, prompting work by Derbyshire County Council and the
Peak District National Park to repair it. The plateau was also the target of the
mass trespass of Kinder Scout in
1932, which resulted in a UK-wide rethink of access to public footpaths. From the National Park's inception, a large area of the high moorland north of
Edale was designated as '
Open Country'. Eventually, in
2003, the "right to roam" on uncultivated land was enshrined into law, and this area of open country has been significantly extended.
In excellent weather conditions, the Manchester conurbation can be seen as well as
Winter Hill and the Welsh mountains in North Wales.
It featured on the 2005 BBC TV programme
Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the
Midlands, though Kinder Scout could be considered to be in the north of England, lying between
Sheffield and
Manchester.
Kinder Downfall is the highest
waterfall in the Peak District, at thirty metres. It lies on the
River Kinder, where it flows west over the edge of Kinder Scout. The waterfall was formerly known as
Kinder Scut, and it is from this that the plateau derives its name. Although usually little more than a trickle in summer, in spate conditions it is impressive. In certain wind conditions (notably when there is a strong west wind), the water is blown back on itself, and the resulting cloud of spray can be seen from several miles away. Below the Downfall the River Kinder flows into Kinder Reservoir.
*Computer generated summit panoramas
Kinder Scout index. Note: the viewshed shown is not all visible from the summit. There is a large summit plateau, to see the entire viewshed shown it is necessary to walk around the summit but nearer the perimeter of the plateau.
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Kinder Downfall |
