Kinder Downfall loop from Edale (up along Jacob’s Ladder and down through Grindsbrook Clough)

I am dividing this route into the following segments:

1. Edale train station to the base of Jacob’s Ladder.
2. Up through Jacob’s Ladder to Kinder Low.
3. Kinder Low to Kinder Downfall.
4. Kinder Downfall to the top of Gridsbrook Clough through the moorlands.
5. Down through Grindsbrook Clough and back to Edale.


1. Edale train station to the base of Jacob’s Ladder
The route begins at Edale train station and heads west through farmland, passing through a mix of paved paths and grassy fields. I found this section the most monotonous part of the walk. The path leads through Upper Booth, where there is a car park, before reaching the base of Jacob’s Ladder.

2. Jacob’s Ladder ascent to Kinder Low.
Jacob’s Ladder is a well known, and well maintained, steep and rocky path towards Kinder Low. At the base of Jacob’s Ladder there is a Grade II listed packhorse bridge over a stream. Surprisingly, the climb feels less hard than expected—I found it more difficult descending this way, due to the uneven stone steps (done another day). The route leads up through a mix of flagstones and natural gritstone paths to Kinder Low, where the views over the Hope valley open up.

3. Kinder Low to Kinder Downfall.
From Kinder Low, the trail follows the Pennine Way along the dramatic edge of the Kinder Scout plateau and with the Kinder Reservoir below (Manchester is also visible in the distance). The path is lined with large gritstone boulders, making it more technically challenging than a flat track—but also more engaging. Eventually, you arrive at Kinder Downfall, the Peak District’s highest waterfall. We didn’t get to see much of the waterfall from our perspective and there was not much water this spring.

4. Kinder Downfall across the Moorlands, to the top of Grindsbrook Clough.
After leaving the waterfall, the path continues eastward across a peat-covered moorland. I found this landscape distinctive and interesting, with thick peatland carved by streams. I enjoyed the contrast of the bright green vegetation against the dark ground. Beware that the trail fades and can be hard to follow. We ended up following the bed of a stream, deeply cut into the peat, but streams merge and divide. I strongly recommend using a GPS to cross this section.

5. Descent via Grindsbrook Clough to Edale
The loop finishes with a scenic and challenging descent through Grindsbrook Clough. The path follows a rocky stream bed, which, during this particularly dry spring (2025), was almost completely dry in its upper sections. Large stones and boulders make it a tricky but fun descent. The route eventually levels out, rejoining the fields near Edale and leading back to the village.

Wildlife

Some of what we saw:

Oak eggar caterpillar. Brown, big, and hairy. We encountered several during the walk—often crossing the trail—so step carefully.

Common cottongrss (Eriophorum angustifolium). It creates a beautiful visual with its tufts of white, fluffy seed heads. Though called a grass, it’s actually a sedge (Cyperaceae).

Heather (Calluna vulgaris). It started to show early purple flowers around the Grindsbrook Clough.

Juniper haircup moss across the moorland. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytrichum_juniperinum