Gareth Jones Walks: Black Hill

Route: Crowden Campsite Car Park - Pennine Way - Laddow Rocks - Dun Hill - Soldier's Lump - Tooleyshaw Moss - White Low - Hey Moss - Crowden Campsite Car Park

Distance: 9.5 miles

Classification: Marilyn, County Top

With: Caroline

Weather: Warm and dry

Trip report:
Black Hill, in the Peak District, is the highest point in West Yorkshire. It's a hill that I have climbed before doing the classic route from Crowden, over Laddow Rocks and back via Tooleyshaw Moss. As I was with the Mrs this time, I thought better of making her leap across the Tooleyshaw Moss bogs, so the plan was that we would come back the same way we had ascended.

An interesting fact according to Wikipedia is that up until quite recently Black Hill's summit had virtually no vegetation, and with it being so peaty, the hill had a very appropriate name. Check out the picture of the summit on Wikipedia and you'll see what I mean. These days though the grass and heather is flourishing and the black summit seems to be a thing of the past.

We parked up in the car park at the campsite in Crowden and made our way on to the Pennine Way and across pleasant fields before the hard work began. The climb of Oakenclough Brook up to Laddow Rocks is tough, but you'll be rewarded with great views once up there.

Laddow Rocks are a fantastic part of this walk, the gritstone cliffs at an altitude of around 520 metres provide great views back down towards Crowden, Bleaklow and the Crowden Great Brook valley. I'm not great with heights, and the path does get quite close to the edge, but I didn't feel uneasy at any point. There were hundreds of hangingflies (?) about again, at least I think that's what these things are, they had irritated and nearly made me abort my Diffwys walk. If anybody has any idea what these high altitude flies are please get in touch.

After leaving Laddow Rocks you descend slightly to meet Crowden Great Brook before ascending again over Dun Hill to the summit of Black Hill. It's easy walking, is paved in parts, although it does seem longer that it is in reality. I suppose that's because the ascent of Laddow Rocks has taken it out of you earlier on. The Mrs admitted she struggled on the final ascent of Black Hill, so upon reaching the summit we had a bite to eat and a hot drink before she said something I wasn't expecting.

"What's it like that other way back?" She was talking about Tooleyshaw Moss. I told her how notoriously boggy it was and how even after a week of solid sunshine earlier in the summer I had found it pretty difficult going over there. She told me she couldn't face ascending Laddow Rocks again on the way back and would rather we went back fighting the bogs over Tooleyshaw Moss!

"If you're sure..." I said. In truth it wasn't so bad this time and I think she may even have enjoyed the bog-hopping adventure. I explained that once we had made the large cairn on Tooleyshaw Moss the worst of it was over. We made it with no problems, just the usual couple of diversions and we were on our way.

There next follows a section through some peat groughs before a squelchy ascent of White Low and over West End Moss. It was wet but there was no real danger of ending up waist deep in bog, thank God!

We finished the walk by descending Hey Moss and being back in the car, both absolutely shattered, but having enjoyed what in my opinion is the best walk I personally have done in West Yorkshire.

So that's two accolades for Black Hill, the highest, and the best (in my humble opinion). The summit may not have the great views other places can offer, but the walk as a whole is a really enjoyable one. You're soon into the wilderness not long after leaving Crowden, and with great views along the way and highlights such as Laddow Rocks and Tooleyshaw Moss (!), this is easily my favorite in this county.