Crowden Family Walk
Part of our series of Family Walks Guides available across the Peak District. Printed copies are available in our Visitor Centres.
Crowden Valley
Explore this beautiful valley on the route of the Pennine Way
Start from here
Crowden car park
The car park is signposted off the A628 (Woodhead Pass)
Driving directions
Postcode: SK13 1HZ
Grid reference: SK 072 992
What3Words: incisions.lucy.gearing
Nearby facilities
Your walk details
Distance: 1.2 miles/2km
Duration: 1 hour
Buggy Friendly? No
Dog Friendly? Yes, but please keeps dogs on a lead – sheep graze in the area around the river
Extra information The walk is on a mixture of tarmac lanes and rough tracks
Routemap and directions
Download Crowden Family Walk routemap leaflet (686.6 KB)
1 Take the tarmac path at the corner of the car park, next to the information board.
2 When you reach the public toilets, turn right on the path and pass the campsite.
3 By the entrance to the campsite, continue straight ahead to cross the lane and go through a gate, following the tarmac track which heads towards Crowden Outdoor Education Centre.
4 At a fork, leave the tarmac track to follow the grassy track heading uphill to reach a stile and a gate. Turn left in front of these, passing through a metal gate. Continue on this narrow path beside a water channel.
A On your walk you will pass through the edge of Brockholes Wood nature reserve. ‘Brock’ is an old name for a
badger. Can you see any badger holes?
5 At the end of the path, go through the gate and turn right on the rocky track, which crosses a stone bridge and bends to the left, passing Brockholes Wood nature reserve. Continue on the track to a gate.
6 Go through the gate and turn immediately left to cross the wooden bridge over the river (Crowden Little Brook) onto a flat, grassy area. This is a lovely spot for a picnic (please take your rubbish home), and the stream is great for paddling.
7 To reach a fantastic viewpoint, bear right after crossing the bridge and head for the metal gate. Cross the stile next to the gate and follow the track as it zigzags uphill to a flat, rocky spot.
B Two rivers meet in the Crowden Valley: Crowden Great Brook and Crowden Little Brook. Can you see both of them from the viewpoint on the hill?
8 Retrace your steps down the hill, across the bridge and through the gate to the right. Continue along the track, following as it curves to the right and heads downhill. Keep on the track to a junction with a tarmac lane
On your way back, once you have crossed the stone bridge and heading downhill, look out for a narrow path on your right, taking you to the bottom of the weir and a shady picnic spot.
9. Turn left along the lane, and retrace your steps back to the car park
The water in the rivers at Crowden flows out into Torside Reservoir, and eventually makes its way to the River Mersey and the Irish Sea. It also provides drinking water for Manchester.