Wildboar Clough

A guide to scrambling Wildboar Clough in Longdendale in the northern Peak District. Summary verdict: a grade 2 dry scramble that is engaging and demanding but achievable for the grade 1 scrambler

Route in: park at Torside CP. Walk east along the Longdendale Trail for about 200 metres, and take steps south into woodland just past an interpretation board and bench. Follow the path steeply up over heath and through more woods

Start point: there’s a small path down into the clough by some rowan trees around OS ref SK 07696 98244; this leads to a run of boulder clambering with the actual scramble beginning about 250 metres further on around SK 07906 98102

Grading: a solid grade 2 based on four separate grade 2 pitches by small waterfalls plus a fair bit of grade 1 scrambling; for most of the pitches there is the possibility of a workaround through the heather to the left, sometimes requiring a bit of back-tracking, though these themselves are not totally straightforward

End point: once the clough levels off a bit around SK 08055 97891 there’s not much more scrambling but it makes sense to continue on to the OS map-marked “waterfall” (actually a rather small cascade) at SK 08283 97635 because you can easily access the exit route(s)

Route out: you have three choices: a) the direct route follows the rusty fence line to the south-west of the clough all the way down to the start point and then retracing your steps to the CP; b) there’s a path running north and then east along Lawrence Edge and past Shining Clough that then leads down Stable Clough to the Longdendale Trail; c) if you keep heading south along the clough you’ll eventually hit the Pennine Way and can go west and then north to hit the Trail. You can also try heading directly west cross-country and down Torside Clough but this is not fun.

Time: around 20 mins from CP to the boulder-clamber start point; then another 20 mins to the scrambling start point; c.45 mins of scrambling; and 45 mins back down to the CP if you take the direct route

Combine with: Torside Clough, Shining Clough, Deer Knowl, Lawrence Edge gullies, bouldering the Rollick Stones

Gear: this is a dry scramble but wear a waterproof top; maybe overtrousers and a drybag outside of sunny and dry weather; you can also ghyll scramble with a wetsuit through the brook, pools and cascades though climbing up the waterfalls themselves is above grade 2

Verdict: an ambitious and exciting scramble for the grade 1 scrambler; it’s all over a little quickly but the walks in and out are relatively short and the pitches are excellent challenges that extend but do not overwhelm grade 1 capabilities

Category: Top-rated

Score: 8/10

Video guide: