A scramble up Torside Clough in Longdendale, that lies between Bleaklow and Torside Reservoir. A long, engaging Grade 1 dry scramble with plenty of hands-on boulder clambering
Route in: park at Torside CP. Walk SE from the car park through a gate, up the hillside and then SW along the shoulder of the hillside under Long Gutter Edge and round into Torside Clough, following a path marked on the standard OS map. Easier but longer alternative is to walk west along the Trans-Pennine Trail until you reach the Pennine Way, then double back past Reaps farmhouse, and branch left off the Pennine Way, following the path into Torside Clough.
Start point: there are a few rocks to engage with just after a little waterfall and footbridge/dam (OS map ref: SK 06775 97226).
Grading: rated grade 1 in the “Scrambles in the Dark Peak” book, there are no defined pitches but a lot of hands-on clambering over large boulders
End point: just after the corner near SK 07394 96993
Route out: just opposite the corner is a grade 2 gully, or go a bit further up the clough to a short grade 1 gully around SK 07525 96955, or walk all the way up to the fence line at SK 07793 96835 for a short, boggy walk – all three lead up onto the Pennine Way. Walk back (west then north) along the Pennine Way until you reach the Trans-Pennine Trail and take that back east to the car park. A shorter but tougher option is to descend Clough Edge via the first of the Torside gullies to the start point and then return along the shoulder path to the car park; this is very steep, rough and pathless.
Map link: https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/torside-clough-84990da
Time: shoulder approach route takes c.25 mins while Trans-Pennine route takes c.45 mins; about one hour for the scramble; about an hour or so to walk back down
Combine with: Torside gullies; Wildboar Clough
Gear: normal hiking/scrambling gear
Verdict: a long, engaging grade 1 scramble with plenty of hands-on . . . but not as good as wet scrambling up Torside brook in the water (video guide to the wet scramble is here: https://youtu.be/m77-W21b8EI)
Category: Standard scramble
Score: 6.5/10
Video guide:
Map:

Map image/data from OpenStreetMap via AllTrails

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