Mount Famine And South Head

We wouldn't be following the same route as the 1932 protest. Instead we would be heading up to the twin peaks of Mount Famine and South Head. It is a gradual walk up to their ridge line and we soon left the trees and this opened up a fine view up the valley to our objective. Across the valley we could see the western flank of Kinder Scout.

In a corner where stone walls met, we had to cross a wooden stile. Eight cows had taken up residence in the long grass around it. A dark cloud crossed Calse's face; she wasn't happy. The cows were laid down and looked at us curiously. I made my way to the stile and my troops followed behind me. The cows just stared at us and chewed their cud. I was about to turn around and tell Calse, that there was nothing to worry about, when she dashed past me and was up and over that stile, faster than an Olympic high jumper. Mo and myself followed at a more sedate pace.

Mount Famine and South Head are both Ethels. They were both very windy too and, despite the sun being out, we didn't linger because it was very chilly.

Kinder Scout

A walk around the head of the valley brought us to the top of Jacob's Ladder and the Pennine Way. Jacob's Ladder is the first climb of Pennine Wayers an hour or so after they've left Edale. At this point we picked up day walkers that were coming or going down this stone staircase. A further short climb took us up to the Kinder Low trig. It is positioned on a large rock and a simple scramble is required to get to the top. It was too busy today though and I set a bearing to take us to Kinder's highest point. Kinder Scout is a large plateau and it's difficult to determine its highest point when traversing it. A vague path from Kinder Low does lead to a small cairn that celebrates its summit. Another group of walkers were also celebrating a hundred yards away and so maybe they'd found another cairn and another summit. Our position looked higher than theirs and so we stuck with our summit. Kinder Scout - the highest Ethel.

I set a bearing northwards so that we could pick up a grough in the watershed that would lead to Kinder Gates. After some rough grough walking we reached the rock guardians at Kinder Gate. It was midday and I suddenly realised that I'd not stopped for our normal mid-morning break. I could sense some unease in the ranks and so I pressed quickly on for a break at Kinder Downfall, at the edge of Kinder Scount plateau. As we settled down, Mo enquired whether this was our morning break, or lunch break. I told him that I'd brought two tomato sandwiches for myself and so it didn't really much matter much to me. Mo and Calse discussed it between themseleves and decided it would be their lunch break.

Sheep Trespass

After my brunch and Mo and Calse's lunch, we followed the Pennine Way along the edge of the Kinder Scout plateau. Mill Hill is also on the Pennine Way. It is also an Ethel and we performed a quick 20 minute out-and-back to its top. Our descent was down the narrow path of William Clough. It is an interesting path with views opening up to Kinder Reservoir, Mount Famine and South Head. Since we'd not had our morning break I suggested that we might have an afternoon one near Kinder Reservoir. Mo and Calse agreed with a look that said they'd have preferred to have had the break mid-morning. Once we settled down, a scraggy looking sheep started wandering up to us. 'Aye, aye', I thought. After some canny approaching hoof steps she lunged right over me in an attempt to snatch my tomato sandwich. I wasn't really sure whether she had actually nibbled anything and so she ended up getting half of the bap. She then took interest in Mo and Calse's snap and so we decided it would be best to move on.

Just after Kinder Reservoir, an outbreak of rain forced us to put our anoraks on but within a quarter of an hour they were back off again. We reached the road leading back to the car park and the tarmac was now steaming in the sunshine. Along the road, there is a stone enclosure next to the River Kinder, that was used as a bath for washing sheep. Farmers used to create their own sheep dip using soap and creosote and then wash the sheep to kill the lice and keds (a wingless louse fly). Presumably, Hayfield's inhabitants, further downstream, got their drinking water from a different source.

Four Ethels (including the highest), wonderful views and a sheep trespass. What more could you ask from a walk?