Guide to scrambling Coombes Clough in Longdendale in the north-west Peak District. Summary: a fun, compact scramble with standout grade 2 falls plus decent grade 1 scrambling in the upper sections
Route in: park at Crowden car park in Longdendale and head roughly west to the start point (see map)
Start point: enter the clough just above the fence line that encloses a large wood around OS ref SK 05324 99233
Grading: there are two grade 2 waterfalls along with a fair bit of grade 1 scrambling through knee-deep pools, up mossy waterfalls and up boulder-strewn cascades; most of it in the top third of the clough
End point: where a path crosses the clough just above Lad’s Leap rock at SK 05228 99862; having completed around 550 feet of ascent
Route out: follow the path east from Lad’s Leap, across the Pennine Way, past the old Crowden youth hostel, to the car park
Map link: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/map-march-9-2025-1be883e
Notes: for a full-length video of the scramble, see: https://youtu.be/xO09bHepZuk
Time: about 45 mins from CP to start point; around 30 mins to scramble the clough; then about 40 mins to walk back
Combine with: Oaken Clough
Gear: drybag and helmet, a wetsuit was helpful for crossing under the pouring water of the main waterfall
Verdict: a satisfying scramble especially in the final third with plenty of grade 1 sections (like Charnel Clough but with added water) and two challenging grade 2 waterfalls in a relatively compact package that takes less than two hours for the round trip
Category: Standard
Score: 7/10
Video Guide:
Map:
Map image/data from OpenStreetMap via AllTrails
The Grade 1 Scrambler 
Leave a comment