The Grade 1 Scrambler

Scrambling Crowden Great Brook from Crowden itself to an exit point a little way beyond Castles.  Summary verdict: enjoyable but other nearby cloughs are somewhat more appealing

Route in: park at Crowden car park above Torside Reservoir.  The brook’s weir is a few hundred feet from the car park, but for the main entry point either walk along the vague path by the brook, or you can climb up and then down Bareholme Moss

Start point: just before or after the first main corner with rock walls on the East side (around OS Grid Ref: SE 06125 01407)

Grading: not a listed scramble in “Scrambles in the Dark Peak” book so ungraded but 0.75 overall

End point: anywhere once the brook gradient becomes shallower about a quarter of a mile beyond Castles

Route out: up onto the Pennine Way and return to Crowden

Time: about 60 mins from car park to the entry point; 90 mins in the brook itself; 75 mins back to the car park

Verdict: quite enjoyable with continuous challenge of clambering over rocks, finding your footing on slippery surfaces or in pools of unknown depth, and the odd cascades.  Constantly slippery in the higher reaches.  A pleasant diversion on a sunny day or if you’re headed up to Black Hill and want something more engaging for the first half than plodding along the Pennine Way but nearby Oaken Clough is much more of a challenge, as are other grade 1 cloughs

Video Guide:

Map:

Map image/data from OpenStreetMap