Kinder Scout from Hayfield
You get onto the highest ground in the Peak District on a route steeped in access history, with the plateau edges giving fast, airy running once you are up.
Effort: Good distance, solid climb
Underfoot: Technical, navigation required
E3·T4 — how we grade routesYou get onto the highest ground in the Peak District on a route steeped in access history, with the plateau edges giving fast, airy running once you are up.
A 13.9km loop onto the Kinder Scout plateau from Hayfield, climbing William Clough beside Kinder Reservoir before traversing the northern and eastern edges over Kinder Low. 469m of climbing to the roof of the Peak District.
The route
This is a proper mountain loop from Hayfield onto Kinder Scout, the highest and wildest ground in the Peak District. From Bowden Bridge you follow the reservoir road to Kinder Reservoir, then climb William Clough, a steep, rocky little valley that carries you up to the northwestern corner of the plateau near Ashop Head. That is where the real running begins.
On the plateau
Once you gain the edge you traverse the northern and eastern rim of Kinder, running the gritstone edge with the moor falling away on one side and the peat plateau stretching out on the other. The high point is 634m and the route crosses Kinder Low, marked by its trig point, before the ground steepens and drops back toward the reservoir. Total climbing is 469m, most of it in the William Clough pull. Note that this loop stays on the northern and eastern edges and does not reach Kinder Downfall on the western rim, so treat the Downfall as a separate outing.
History underfoot
Hayfield and Kinder are where the 1932 Mass Trespass began, the protest that helped win the right to roam you are using on this run. The reservoir approach is the same ground the trespassers covered, which gives the route a weight beyond the running.
Why it works
At under 14km it is short, but the terrain makes it feel bigger: this is genuine exposed plateau running that demands respect. It is a brilliant introduction to Kinder for anyone stepping up from valley trails to the high moor, provided you pick your day and come prepared.
Good to know
The William Clough climb is more clamber than run in places, so do not expect to keep a steady pace on the way up; the running comes once you are on the edge. Save energy and grip for the steep drop back to the reservoir, carry full waterproofs and a warm layer whatever the forecast, and turn back if the cloud comes down rather than committing to the plateau in poor visibility.
The Kinder plateau is featureless and disorienting in cloud, with peat groughs and steep edges - carry map, compass and the skills to use them. William Clough is rocky and slow, the plateau holds water and bog year round, and grouse shooting runs on the surrounding moors from August to December.
Safety on this route
- No signal? Text 999 — pre-register first: text register to 999
- Tell someone your route and expected return time before you head out
Leave No Trace
- Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but memories.
- Please respect the countryside and all its inhabitants.
- Dogs on leads near livestock, and around ground-nesting birds from March to July.
- Gates as you find them — open or closed, leave it that way for the farmer and the next runner.
- Take it all home — wrappers, peel, tissue, the lot. It doesn't count as biodegradable if you can still see it.
- Stick to the path where the ground either side is wet, planted, or nesting habitat.
Common questions
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