Laddow Rocks 13th September 2025

• 14.58km route
• Rucking with 20kg's
• Route difficulty - Moderate. We have rated this route moderate as the route takes you up and down paths which are pretty well laid out and not too steep. There is a small section near the end which is a bit steep but only for a short while. The thing to note is that after you turn off the Pennine way after the trig, the route takes you across peat bogs which at times are pretty wet, so be prepared. There are also a couple of stream crossings which might get your feet wet also
  

We started out today at Crowden car park, this is a great place to start out, as the parking is free and there a public toilets next to the campsite. The route takes you out past the Crowden Outdoor Education centre and along a path through the Crowden Great Brook valley which is stunning. This path soon meets up with the Pennine Way which guides you to one of the best views in the peak district at Laddow Rocks. Even if you don't want to follow the full route, its worth the walk to see the views from here.

Eve though the clouds were low today, we could still see for miles and there was hardly a sight of man made object at all which was amazing. The route continues to follow the Pennine Way along the banks of Crowden Great Brook taking you further and further into the wilds of the High Peak.

We found a lovely spot next to the brook for our usual coffee and breakfast stop and got to try out our new "Peanuts" mugs.

The route carries to along the Pennine Way out onto the peatlands, with most of the route having a stone paved path. Although the recent rain had turned it into a stream for the most part. then we came across a "real" stream which had also swollen from the recent weather, and what looked like the usual stones you would use to cross had been submerged, so it was time to test out the waterproofing on our boots some more.

After the stream crossing (and and few more for good measure) we started to head uphill towards the summit at Black hill where we stopped for another quick coffee and a snack to keep up our energy levels.

After the trig we turned round and took a path which across the peatlands where things started to get even wetter and at times the path was a little elusive, but we carefully kept an eye on the map and followed dour intended route. If you are going this way it is a good idea to either has a GPs device or be confident in your navigational skills to make sure you don't get lost. 

Once you are over the peatland, the route takes you down to the meet Crowden Little Brook where there is a little crossing to then join up with the path that will guide you along the side of the valley back down to Crowden. the final 2-3km's is another great part of this route with far reaching views down the valley which makes the trek across the peatlands worth while.

All in all, a really enjoyable ruck this week with some of the best views around. A few wet surprises along the way, bit nothing good comes for free.