Black Hill and Crowden Little Brook Loop

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.