Bleaklow Head 633m and Higher Shelf Stones 621m, Glossop, Peak District (Nuttalls).
Summary
Parking today was a hard shoulder on the A57 at Snake Pass. The Pennine Way cross over point from Kinder Scout to Bleaklow. Get there early on the weekends/bank holidays.
There is a gate at the start point and then it is a gentle undulating amble along the Pennine Way on a good wide open path for the first couple of kilometres north towards Bleaklow. After this the path gets a tad more constrictive through stream beds and peat bogs. After another couple of kilometres of this you come to the cairned summit of Bleaklow Head. Fine views on a clear day but otherwise an open windswept summit.
From here head South on a path that is tangent to your up path towards Hern Stones, which is a good rest point. From the stones it is another kilometre or so across open moorland along feint paths to the trig pointed summit of Higher Shelf Stones.
Higher Shelf Stones is a cool place with its quirky graffiti etched summit stones and rock mounted trig point. There are also good views of the Kinder plateau in the distance. Nearby is also the copious wreckage site of a crashed 1948 US Stratofortress with its memorial plaque and poppies dedicated to the fallen 13 aircrew. A sombre place where respects were paid and two minutes silence given. Rest in peace US brothers, never forgotten. From here head NE along feint paths once more until you hit the Pennine Way again turn right and head South back to the start point.
Parking: Hard shoulder on the A57.
Route: Good solid stone paths, boggy trails and feint moorland trails. Good views on a sunny day but no jagged skyline views just mountain plateaus and moorland.
Route Statistics: All in all a sunny 10km with a lung busting 182m of ascent done in an all in time of 2.5hours.
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