Black Hill and Crowden Little Brook Loop
Black Hill's peat-black plateau feels as remote as anywhere in the Peak, and the return along the edge above Laddow Rocks is some of the best moor-edge running in the north.
A 14.4km loop from Crowden up onto Black Hill at 582m, the boggy roof of the northern Dark Peak, returning on the Pennine Way past Laddow Rocks. Rough, wet moorland with a real summit and long Longdendale views.
Black Hill's peat-black plateau feels as remote as anywhere in the Peak, and the return along the edge above Laddow Rocks is some of the best moor-edge running in the north.
The route
From the free car park at Crowden, follow the clough up beside Crowden Little Brook, gaining height steadily onto the open moor. The climb is honest rather than brutal, gaining most of the route's 426m as you work up towards the plateau. The summit of Black Hill sits at 582m, marked by the Soldier's Lump trig standing proud of the peat that once made this one of the wettest, blackest tops in the country. From the top you pick up the Pennine Way and run the long moor edge back south, high above the deep trench of Crowden Great Brook, before the path drops you back to the valley and the reservoirs of Longdendale. It is 14.4km round.
The ground
This is proper Dark Peak peat moor. The paving slabs laid along the Pennine Way keep you out of the worst of the bog, but step off them and the ground is soft, wet and slow. Laddow Rocks, the gritstone edge above Crowden Great Brook, gives the route its drama and a genuine sense of exposure on the descent line.
Why it works
It is a compact way to bag a real northern summit without a full day out. Save it for a clear spell - the plateau is featureless in cloud and navigation off the paved line needs care. In good conditions it is a fast, wild loop with a proper top in the middle.
Good to know
Crowden is one of the few Dark Peak starts reachable by bus, the 351 from Glossop, and the free car park and campsite toilets make it an easy base. Save the loop for a clear, dry spell: the plateau is featureless in cloud and the peat is at its worst after rain, so navigation off the paved Pennine Way is a real skill, not a formality. Carry a windproof and warm layer whatever the forecast, since the top catches the full Pennine weather, and check for grouse shooting between August and December before you set off.
Black Hill's plateau is featureless peat bog and disorientating in cloud, so navigation off the paved Pennine Way needs care. The ground is persistently wet and slow, and the moor is exposed to weather with no shelter. Grouse shooting affects parts of the moor from August to December.
Summits on this route
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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