Square chimney Exit

part of the Peak District scrambling collection.

For the more adventurous scrambler, the Square Chimney Exit scramble offers exciting moves on the edge of the Kinder Downfall ravine.

The approach is often boggy, and can feel like a long slog, but the amazing view of the downfall is worth the wait alone.

Grade: 3

Time: 3-4hrs

Distance: 5 miles

Start: Bowden bridge car park (Google Maps Link)

The Route

After parking up, turn left out of the car park and follow the road until you see signs for the footpath to the reservoir.

Follow the let hand edge of the reservoir to the top left corner.

From here don’t follow the obvious paths, instead turn almost back on yourself, and follow the path that continues to run next to the reservoir.

This will take you to the River Kinder, where you will need to make your way carefully along it’s banks, until you reach the Kinder Downfall Amphitheater.

Then you take the Square chimney exit, and follow the Penine way back to the reservoir to complete the route.

The Approach

As you work your way along the River Kinder, you will have to cross multiple times, avoiding boggy patches where you can help it.

The ground is prone to falling away from you, so tread carefully on the edge, as you could end up with a wet leg (or worse!).

The Start of the Scramble

You are looking for a supposedly “obvious line” on the left after you’ve gone past arpeggio’s gully (second picture above), however I found it difficult to find an accurate line, so basically anything goes!

Make your way up, choosing a route that you find interesting, and once in the upper reaches aim for the inside left corner of the above massif, is the Square Chimney of which this route is named after.

The Square Chimney

This involves a large step up, inside the gap between the rocks (image left), at which point you will find yourself inside the chimney.

So close to freedom, you may find it very frustrating to try and worm your way up and out of this slime filled box above the ravine.

There’s no shame in turning back and descending from here, in wet conditions it can be virtually impossible to get a purchase on the slick rock.

If you manage to get up and out of the chimney, then follow the penine way left and rejoin the path next to the reservoir to return. Alternatively, descend and go back the way you came, alternatively ascending Arpeggio Gully or Red Brook.

Extensions

You could definitely circle back around, and descend to then ascend Arpeggio Gully, which would give you one of the most exciting scrambling days in the Peak District.

For a more pleasant approach, you could also ascend the penine way, and descend just before the kinder ravine steepens, to avoid the boggy approach on the side of the river kinder.