Kinder Scout is a
moorland plateau in the
Dark Peak of the
Derbyshire Peak District in England. Part of the moor, at 636 metres (2,087 ft) above
sea level, is the highest point in the Peak District, the highest point in Derbyshire, and the highest point in the
East Midlands. It is accessible from the villages of
Hayfield and
Edale in the
High Peak of Derbyshire.
It is a popular
hiking location and the
Pennine Way crosses Kinder Scout and the moors to the north. This has resulted in the erosion of the underlying
peat, prompting work by
Derbyshire County Council and the
Peak District National Park to repair it, in conjunction with the landowner, the
National Trust.
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Historically, the plateau was the target of the
mass trespass
in 1932, which resulted in a UK-wide rethink of access to the
countryside. From the National Park's inception, a large area of the
high moorland north of Edale was designated as '
Open Country'. In 2003, the "
right to roam" on uncultivated land was enshrined into law, and this area of open country has been significantly extended.
In excellent weather conditions the city of
Manchester and the
Greater Manchester conurbation can be seen, as well as
Winter Hill near
Bolton, and the mountains of
Snowdonia in
North Wales.
It featured on the 2005 BBC TV programme
Seven Natural Wonders as one of the wonders of the
Midlands, though Kinder Scout is considered by many to be in
Northern England, lying between the cities of
Manchester and
Sheffield.
Kinder Downfall is the tallest
waterfall in the Peak District, with a 30 metre fall. It lies on the
River Kinder, where it flows west over the edge of Kinder Scout. The waterfall was formerly known as
Kinder Scut,
and it is from this that the plateau derives its name. Although usually
little more than a trickle in summer, in spate conditions it is
impressive. In certain wind conditions (notably when there is a strong
westerly wind), the water is blown back on itself, and the resulting
cloud of spray can be seen from several miles away. Below the Downfall
the River Kinder flows into Kinder Reservoir. In cold winters the
waterfall freezes providing local mountaineers an icy challenge that can
be climbed with
ice axes, ropes and
crampons.
