Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill)
633m (2077ft)
The Dark Peak Area, The Peak District, Derbyshire, England
The summit of Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) is marked by a large cairn with a wooden pole stuck in it. The famous Wain Stones lie 250m SW of the summit.
You can find Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 5.25ml (8.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 630ft (192m) |
| Time: | 2½ hrs |
| Grade: |  (Easy) |
Route Summary:
Snake Pass - (A57) - The Pennine Way - Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) - The The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) - Higher Shelf Stones - A57 Snake Pass.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9ml (14.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,850ft (564m) |
| Time: | 5.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Old Glossop - Shittern Clough - Lightside - Yellow Slacks - Dog Rock - Dowstone Clough - Yellowslacks Brook - The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) - Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) - Higher Shelf Stones - Crooked Clough - The Pennine Way - Old Woman - Doctor's Gate Path - Shelf Brook - Moss Lea Farm - Old Glossop
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10.5ml (17km) |
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| Ascent: | 1,975ft (602m) |
| Time: | 5.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Woodhead Tunnel - Middle Black Clough - Bleaklow Stones (Bleaklow Hill) - Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) - The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) - The Pennine Way - Clough Edge - The Longdendale Trail - Crowden - Woodhead Reservoir - Woodhead Tunnel
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13.25mls (21km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,081ft (634m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Woodhead Tunnel - Far Black Clough - Swains Head - Swains Greave - Barrow Stones - Grinah Stones - Bleaklow Stones (Bleaklow Hill) - Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) - The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) - The Pennine Way - Joseph Patch - John Track Well - Torside Clough - Peaknaze Moor - Reaps Farm - The Longdendale Trail - Torside Reservoir - Woodhead Reservoir - Woodhead Tunnel
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill)
Tia Cain has walked up [from/via/route] Car park in the village [with] Daryn [weather] Very warm & clear day - Pub was lovely for a pint afterwards!
Alan Smith climbed it on June 16th, 2023 [from/via/route] With Kev from glossop. [with] kev [weather] overcast - great route. quiet vague path at the top for bleaklow. could easily get caught out up there in bad weather.
Tony Halliday bagged it on May 22nd, 2021 [from/via/route] Started from lay-by on snake pass & followed Pennines way to top [with] jimmy my boarder terrier [weather] Very dull & cold for time of year - Bit wet & boggy good views but bleak
Mark Hazelton hiked it on August 2nd, 2020 [from/via/route] snake pass, Roman Road, Bleaklow Head & Higher shelf [with] Family and Pepper [weather] Sunny
Mark Pritchard summited on October 1st, 2020 [from/via/route] Higher Shelf Stones trig point [with] Tim and Andrew walking colleagues [weather] Started off low cloud but cleared to a bright sunny but chilly day - Added in to a walk to see the plane wreckage at Higher Shelf
Nicky Kelly conquered it on July 25th, 2020 [from/via/route] D172 Bleaklow head & higher shelf stones from old glossop [with] Grace [weather] Overcast, Little windy but no rain
Angela Moroney scaled during 2020 [with] JL
Mike Walker walked up on April 4th, 2004 [from/via/route] Walk d266 Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill) from Woodhead Tunnel [with] Alone [weather] Bit crap - misty on the tops
Kevin Foster climbed it on April 5th, 2019 [from/via/route] Old Glossop [with] Henry. [weather] Sunny, high cloud, fresh breeze. - After spending the best part of a year bagging the mountain tops of the North Pennines & Northumberland it was a pleasant change to head south to The Peak District. I have done little walking in this area so I was excited & apprehensive at the same time. The apprehension, based on some negative reports I'd read about Bleaklow, was unfounded. Maybe it was because the top was a lot drier than I expected after a relatively dry winter & I was lucky with the weather but I have to say that the paths & route finding for the best part were fairly dry & easy walking. The views as I climbed over Cock Hill back towards the towering skyline of Manchester in the far distance were superb. Not so much the views from Bleaklow Head itself but it was fun to clamber over the Wain Stones & take photos from all angles.
Margaret Richards bagged it on August 15th, 2011 [from/via/route] Bleaklow head [with] Don - got a bit lost
Wayne Linley hiked it on September 10th, 2017 [from/via/route] From old Glossop [with] Simon Fleming [weather] bloody awful! high winds, rain ( horizontal) - worst conditions ever walked in, but great walking partner, some great re-entrant traversing in dicey conditions, good compass work saved the day
Bay Wan summited on August 29th, 2017 [from/via/route] Circular route from Glossop. Started via Yellow Stacks & Dog Rock, detoured on route to visit 'OverExposed' then back down the Penine Way & Roman Gate [with] Cocoa Pops (the dog) [weather] Cloudy but dry. No rain.
David Wand conquered it on June 7th, 1989 [with] Gayle (wife)
Chris Faulkner scaled on June 30th, 2016 [from/via/route] 1st day of Pennine Way [with] Michelle chandler [weather] Sunny morning bit of drizzle afternoon
Robert Shaw walked up on May 10th, 2013 [from/via/route] Bagged on the Pennine Way between the 10th & 24th May 2013. [weather] Various !! - 15 days of mainly fun.
Tony Rogerson climbed it on September 25th, 2016 [from/via/route] Birchen Clough Doctor's Gate Higher Shelf Stones Bleaklow Head Bleaklow Stones Grains in the Water Alport Moor Birchin Clough [with] Caz Floss [weather] Windy & mostly dry - NEVER AGAIN!!!
Ian Barker bagged it on August 13th, 2014 [with] Peter Godfrey [weather] Fine
Caroline Winter hiked it on May 6th, 2016 [from/via/route] Reaps Farm, SE along Pennine Way, Bleaklow Head cairn & then 250 metres to true summit! Higher shel stones & return [with] Solo [weather] Warm, dry - Easiest HEWITTS walk so far! No dirty boots due to very warm & dry last few days. Viewed "overexposed" wreak age & compared with my dad's model collection afterwards. Terrific views across Torside walking along Torside Clough
Darren Mortimer summited on April 2nd, 2016 [from/via/route] Glossop [with] Dermot Palmer [weather] Rain Rain & Rain
Martin Greenwood conquered it on November 9th, 2014 [from/via/route] Yellow Slacks from Old Glossop [weather] Autumn sun - Wazooooma!
Iain Cocks scaled on July 11th, 2015 [from/via/route] glossop [with] pete jones, dave slater [weather] misty, sunny, windy, raining
Christine Shepherd walked up on October 18th, 2014 [from/via/route] A57 using walk d122 [with] On my own [weather] Warm & windy with some moisture in the air but rain stayed away. - A short but enjoyable walk.
Matthew Chambers climbed it on September 27th, 2014 [from/via/route] Crowden to Snake Summit [with] Aileen
Mark Davidson bagged it on June 21st, 2003 [with] Theresa [weather] OK but a bit grey - Huge areas of moorland were burnt to a cinder
Trevor Williams hiked it on March 23rd, 2014 [with] John & Ruth
Kevin Bloor summited on December 29th, 2013 [from/via/route] Glossop [with] Maxine Latto [weather] Thick mist, cold & windy
Nicola Parkinson conquered it on December 22nd, 2013 [from/via/route] d122 from Snake Pass [with] Stu [weather] Windy & cold but fairly bright - Visited b-26 superfortress "overexposed" crash site near higher shelf stones. Number of times I fell down: 2
Jennifer Connolly scaled on December 29th, 2013 [from/via/route] From top of Snake Pass [with] Michael [weather] Bright but freezing - really bitter wind
Chris Lund walked up on December 14th, 2013 [from/via/route] From Torside Reservoir Car Park, headed West along road to Blackshaw Farm then approached Bleakhow Head from the West. Descended via Penine Way [with] Walked Alone [weather] Very strong SSW wind, clear day, but very cold, ok on descent - Lovely walk, now my all time favorite area to walk
Wyn Griffiths climbed it on September 13th, 2013 [from/via/route] Kinder Reservoir, Kinder point [with] Own [weather] Dry on way out. Drizzle & heavy rai on return - Saw the 1949 Plane wreckage -- very solem, humbling & moving. Should be included in all OS Maps
Jason Johnston bagged it on August 18th, 2013 [from/via/route] Snake Pass via Devils clough [with] Bec Fisher [weather] Drizzle & over cast
John Gehrke hiked it on July 29th, 2013 [from/via/route] Used walk d122. [weather] Sunny; scattered showers.
Steve Gilmore summited on May 25th, 2013 [from/via/route] Old Glossop round yellow slacks & dog rock, to the wain stones then bleaklow head. departed off the Pennine Way to visit the memorial for the 13 USAF men that died in the crashed flying fortress on Higher Shelf Stones [with] On my own [weather] beautiful & sunny, perfect walking weather
Robert Logan conquered it on June 4th, 2011 [from/via/route] Fairholmes, Howden Reservoir, Ridgewalk Moor, Round Hill, Barrow Stones, Grinah Stones, Bleaklow Stones, Bleaklow, The Rdge, Alport Castles, Rowlee Pasture [with] Judith Logan
Joanne Mcgawley scaled on August 2nd, 2010 [with] Rich [weather] Bitterly Cold - 10 miles
Andy Forrest walked up on April 20th, 2013 [from/via/route] d266 Bleaklow Head from The Woodhead Tunnel [with] Alone [weather] Warm & sunny - Smashed my shin on the initial climb up the valley from Woodhead Tunnel. First trip to see the Overexposed wreckage which was amazing
Vince Wetton climbed it on January 11th, 2011 [with] RTM
Andrew Joss bagged it on October 14th, 2012 [from/via/route] Woodhead Tunnel Car Park, Bleaklow Head then on to Higher Shelf Stones [with] Barbara [weather] Sunny
Mr Davison hiked it during October, 2010 [from/via/route] from A57 [with] jenny davison [weather] raining
Aileen Robinson summited on August 2nd, 2010 [from/via/route] Edale [with] Alison [weather] Changeable, cloudy, sunny
Philip Wilde, Patrick Rogozinski, Steve Lockett, Iain Ballard, Adam Maxwell, Tomasz B, Wendy Sockett, John Cuthbert, Ron Blundell, Andrew Else, Louis Smith, Victoria Bates, Louise Sandwith, Dave Milner, Alan Whatton, Wendy Sockett, Matthew Thomas, Ray O'hara, Ben George and Martin Jones have all walked, climbed & bagged Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill).To add (or remove) your name and experiences on this page - Log On and edit your Personal Mountain Bagging Record
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill)
Me, Bradders and my nephew David during a snow blizzard on Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill)
The Wain Stones (or Kissing Stones) on Bleaklow Head (Bleaklow Hill)
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