Coombes Clough Scramble to Featherbed Moss | 6 Miles

May 28, 2024 CIRCULAR WALKS, MEDIUM WALKS 4-9 MILES, PEAK DISTRICT SCRAMBLES, PEAK DISTRICT WALKS

This 6 mile scramble walk explores some of the quieter parts of the Peak District. Starting from Crowden we headed up Coombes Clough, a Grade 1-2 scramble, to Lads Leap and then to the Featherbed Moss trig point before descending via the beautiful Laddow Rocks into Crowden. This is a challenging adventure hike away from the crowds, with stunning views and waterfalls galore.

Coombes Clough is a south-facing clough leading to Lad’s Leap and Millstone Rocks, near Tintwistle Knarr. This is classed as a Grade 1-2 scramble as there is a very steep descent to get into the stream bed, greasy rocks in places and there are a few waterfalls to negotiate along the route. It’s not ideal for a first scramble – we’ve done a fair few now so have a bit of experience under our belts, which we were very grateful for when we tackled this one.

Featherbed Moss is a flat topped hill with the summit marked by a trig point at 541m above sea level. It’s a lonely piece of rugged wilderness, with nothing around for company apart from bogs and moorland ponds. It’s one of the Accessible Peak District trig points and a Peak District Ethel.

A view of Lad's Leap, the top of a waterfall

View of Lad’s Leap, Coombes Clough

Our walk started in the free car park at Crowden, where there are free public toilets. We walked past Crowden camp site and over the bridge over Crowden Brook. Passing the wooden signpost for the Pennine Way we continued along the track for another 80m to pick up a stile on the right. The footpath heads across the fields (which are very boggy in places, look out for the soft rushes growing in clumps) to some barns at Highstones.

To reach the Open Access Land we walked through the yard in front of the barn, taking care to shut the gate properly, and up what was once a small track – the farmer has put a wooden gate structure over the entrance now, presumably to keep his sheep in.

Once on the Open Access Land we followed the wall east/north-east through the bracken to reach a small woodland plantation. Here we walked around the northern edge of the plantation, following the fence, and then dropped down a VERY steep and slippery slope into the Coombes Clough streambed. The banks of the Clough are very high, so take care!

A woman descending a very steep hillside, holding onto a fence!

The photos don’t do justice to how steep this was!

A view of a river bed, with very high shaley river bank sides

The banks of Coombes Clough – very high and very shaley!

Once in the stream bed we started scrambling over the rocks and boulders, over fallen trees and stepping stones, passing waterfalls along the way. At some points it’s safer to come out of the streambed and use the grassy banks on either side, especially near the waterfalls. Some of the rocks are greasy and slippery in places.

Nearing the top of Coombes Clough

The nearer you get to the top, the easier the scrambling becomes! We emerged at Lad’s Leap and admired the view back down Coombes Clough before setting off to follow a path alongside Hollins Clough, leading north-west over the moors for about 1.5km to Featherbed Moss. The path was better than we expected, but is very wet in places thanks to ongoing moorland regeneration work.

Featherbed Moss trig point surrounded by heather (and boggy pools)

We soon reached Featherbed Moss trig point and (after removing some rubbish someone had left there!) we set off to join the Pennine Way at Laddow Moss to the north-east. You could add on a little trip up to Black Chew Head if you’re bagging Ethels or county tops – it’s only 500m along the fence line from here.

There is a very wet stile to get over before continuing on the Pennine Way to Laddow Rocks and what is probably the best view in the Peak District, looking down into the Crowden valley over towards Bleaklow, with Crowden Great Brook snaking it’s way through the valley bottom.

We followed the Pennine Way south-east, passing Oakenclough Brook and its lovely waterfall. The path runs down the hillside and is quite steep in places (it’s worse climbing up it though!).

The Open Access Land ends at the memorial cairn to Harry Philips and there are a few stiles to get over to rejoin the track we walked on earlier. The route then heads back to the car, and we headed to The Fleece in Holme for a well-earned late lunch.