Ram’s Clough

A scramble up Ram’s Clough above Butterley Reservoir, south of Marsden in West Yorkshire. Summary verdict: a simple but varied scramble with woods, rocks and cascades

Route in: park on Binn Road where the Kirklees Way splits off. Walk along the Kirklees Way to the bottom of Ram’s Clough

Start point: enter the brook where Ram’s Clough crosses the Kirkless Way at OS ref SE 05348 09963

Grading: overall, no more than grade 0.5 for the cascade scrambles in the woods and at the very end, and for the rocky scramble to the upper path

Warning: right of access to the bottom half of Ram’s Clough is unclear. It is possible to enter and exit and there are no notices forbidding access but the presence of brook-gates and barbed wire fencing around much of the woodland suggests there could be an issue

End point: above the cascades where the brook meets Binn Moor around SE 05796 10194

Route out: take the path down to meet the road under Binn Edge, then follow the road back to the CP

Time: 15 mins from CP to start point; then about 50 mins up to the Moor; then about 20 mins to walk back

Combine with: Butterly Clough; Blake Clough; brooks with waterfalls above Wessenden Reservoir

Gear: maybe a wetsuit on colder days; other gear not needed as scrambles are simple and pools no more than waist-deep

Verdict: a simple scramble with a bit of variety and only a short walk in and out. The first part is a pretty wooded clough followed by a dry rocky scramble and final short set of cascades

Score: 7/10

Video guide: