A 2-day linear trek to the Black Hill massif with a long eastern approach via the Don valley and Winscar reservoir.
The outward line follows the westernmost section of the Upper Don Trail (UDT), coincident here with the Transpennine Trail, to Winscar reservoir and ascends to follow Snailsden Edge to the group of deeply incised ravines around Ramsden Clough. The ascent to Black Hill from the Holme Moss mast is via Heyden Head. This approach is new territory for us, one of the very few pockets of the Dark Peak unexplored in our many years of walking here.
The return initially follows the Pennine Way towards Laddow Rocks and diverges to Black Chew Head. This time we continued on another new line to its sister top Featherbed Moss, sporting a trig point just 1m lower, and descended another new route via Millstone Rocks to Tintwistle Knarr and its impressive rock faces, finally joining the Longdendale Trail to Hadfield.
On one of the strangest weather forecasts we’ve seen for ages, containing a varying mix of dense mist down to valley level and warm sunshine depending on location and timing, the Peak District gave the most favourable odds overall. The conditions were quite good: sunny periods, a lot of cloud but no clag and very humid.