The Edale Skyline is a round of the whole rim of the Edale valley in the Peak District: about 20 miles (32 km) and roughly 1,100 metres of ascent, taking in Win Hill, the southern edges of Kinder Scout, Brown Knoll, Rushup Edge, Mam Tor and the Great Ridge to Lose Hill. Most route guides put it at 8 to 10 hours, and most start and finish at Hope station.
It’s a superb day out and a long one. What decides how it goes isn’t the line of the route, which is well known. It’s three things: knowing where you are on Kinder if the cloud comes in, knowing where you can drop down to Edale if you need to, and fitting the whole lot between the first train and the dark.
So rather than turn-by-turn directions, this guide goes stage by stage through the decisions that matter, the ways off, and how to plan the day around the train.
What is the Edale Skyline?
It’s the high ground that rings the Edale valley, walked as one continuous loop. The north side is Kinder Scout’s southern edge. The south side is the Great Ridge, from Mam Tor to Lose Hill. Win Hill and Brown Knoll close the two ends.
| Distance | About 20 miles / 32 km (guides vary slightly with the variant) |
| Ascent | Roughly 1,070 to 1,100 m, with some sources quoting more |
| Time | 8 to 10 hours in most route guides |
| Start and finish | Usually Hope station; Edale works too |
| Highest ground | Kinder Scout’s plateau, 636 m at its highest point |
| Best season | Long summer days, settled weather |
The figures vary a little between sources, depending on whether you visit Kinder’s true summit and where exactly you start. Treat them as a guide and plan on the long end.
Where does the Edale Skyline start?
Most people start at Hope station and walk it so that Win Hill comes first. That means the biggest climb of the day is done while your legs are fresh, and the Great Ridge, the easiest ground to follow, comes at the end when you’re tired.
Starting at Edale station works just as well. You can join the loop straight from the village and finish there, or go point to point and finish at Hope, one stop away. Both stations are on the Hope Valley line, and our Peak District by train guide covers how the line works.
The route in five stages, and the decision on each
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1. Win Hill and across to Kinder
From Hope, you climb Win Hill early, then head across via Crookstone Hill towards the eastern end of Kinder.
The decision: pace. It’s tempting to charge the first climb with fresh legs. Don’t. This is a long day, and the time you save here is time you’ll want on Kinder.
2. Kinder’s southern edges: Ringing Roger, Grindslow Knoll and the Woolpacks
This is the heart of the walk. You follow Kinder’s southern edge west, past Ringing Roger, Grindslow Knoll and the weathered gritstone of the Woolpacks, towards Kinder Low.
The decision: stay on the edge. In clear weather the plateau looks inviting. In cloud, its flat interior is some of the hardest ground in England to navigate, because the contours go quiet and some of the paths printed on the map have eroded away. The edge is the opposite: unmistakable on the map and on the ground. Use it as your handrail, and you’ll always know roughly where you are. Our guide to walking from Edale station explains why the plateau is so much harder than it looks.
Whether to visit Kinder Scout’s true summit is your call. Some versions of the Skyline do, plenty don’t. In poor visibility it’s a detour across exactly the ground you’d rather avoid.
3. Brown Knoll
From the Kinder Low end, the route heads south to Brown Knoll, wide open moorland and the most remote-feeling stretch of the day.
The decision: don’t relax. After Kinder it feels like the hard navigation is done, but broad moorland in cloud has few features to tick off. Before you set off across it, have your bearing, your distance and your rough timing worked out, so in cloud you can walk it by compass, pacing and the clock rather than by guesswork.
4. Rushup Edge to Mam Tor
Rushup Edge is a clear ridge leading east to Mam Tor, and from here on, the route is busy and obvious.
The decision: check the clock. By Mam Tor you’ve done most of the distance. This is the natural point to compare where you are with where your timings said you’d be, and with the train you’re aiming for.
5. The Great Ridge to Lose Hill, and down
The Great Ridge runs from Mam Tor past Hollins Cross and Back Tor to Lose Hill, then you drop down to Hope or Edale.
The decision: don’t rush the descent. Tired legs on steep ground at the end of a long day is where people slip. If the light or the train is getting tight, take a shorter way down rather than speeding up.
Where can you bail out of the Edale Skyline?
One of the best things about the Skyline is that it’s a ring round a valley with a station in the middle. Almost wherever you are, Edale is downhill.
- From Kinder’s southern edge, routes drop back down to Edale. Ringing Roger is one, and the cloughs, Grindsbrook among them, are clear lines down to the village. In heavy rain, though, a clough means wet rock and a rising stream, so a path down a spur can be the better way off.
- From the Great Ridge, Hollins Cross is the natural crossing point, with paths down towards Edale.
- From Mam Tor, you’re close to the end anyway. Carry on, or drop down.
Work out your bail-outs on the map before you go, not on the day. A way off you’ve already chosen is worth far more than one you’re trying to find in cloud. Our guide to planning an escape route covers how to pick ones that actually work.
Planning the Edale Skyline around the train
This is the part that decides whether the day is relaxed or rushed.
Look at the daylight first. On 27 October, at Edale, the sun rises at about 6.56am and sets at about 4.46pm. That’s under ten hours of daylight for a route most guides put at 8 to 10 hours. In midsummer you’d have about seventeen. In other words, this is a long-daylight walk. In late autumn and winter, it only fits if you’re fast, start at first light and accept there’s no margin, which isn’t how I’d plan it.
Then work backwards from the train. Find the second-to-last train home from the station you’ll finish at, take off a margin, and that’s when you need to be down. The method is in our guide to what time of day most mountain rescues happen.
Set checkpoints, not just a finish time. On a route this long, one turnaround time isn’t enough. Decide roughly when you want to be at the end of Kinder’s edge and at Mam Tor. If you’re well behind at either, take the bail-out below you.
And if the train goes without you, it’s a money problem, not a mountain one. What to do if you miss the last train off the hill covers the rest.
What do you need for the Edale Skyline?
Everything you’d carry on any long day on high moorland, with two things that matter more than usual here:
- A map and compass, and the confidence to use them on Kinder. The plateau is where a phone screen and a vague sense of direction stop being enough in cloud.
- A head torch, even in summer. It’s a long day, and a twisted ankle can make it a lot longer.
- A group shelter or survival bag, because if someone is hurt on Kinder, the wait can be long and exposed. And before you go, register your phone for 999 texts, because signal in the cloughs is patchy.
Add food for a full day, water, warm layers and waterproofs, because the edges are exposed and the weather on top can be very different from the valley.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Edale Skyline?
About 20 miles (32 km) with roughly 1,100 metres of ascent, though guides vary a little depending on the exact route and whether you visit Kinder Scout’s true summit. Most route guides allow 8 to 10 hours. Plan on the longer end, especially if any of it is in cloud.
Where does the Edale Skyline start?
Most walkers start at Hope station, so the climb up Win Hill comes first and the Great Ridge comes last. You can also start from Edale station. Both are on the Hope Valley line between Manchester and Sheffield.
Is the Edale Skyline hard?
It’s long rather than technical. The challenge is the distance, the ascent, and navigating Kinder Scout’s edge and Brown Knoll if the cloud comes down. In clear weather on a long summer day, it’s a long but straightforward outing for fit, experienced hill walkers. In cloud, or on a short autumn day, it’s a much more serious undertaking.
Can you shorten the Edale Skyline?
Yes. Because it’s a loop round the Edale valley, you can drop down to Edale from Kinder’s southern edge, for example from Ringing Roger or down one of the cloughs, or from Hollins Cross on the Great Ridge. Plan your bail-outs on the map before you set off.
Can you do the Edale Skyline by train?
Yes, and it’s one of the best ways to do it. Start and finish at Hope station, or start at Edale and finish at Hope, both on the Hope Valley line. Plan backwards from the second-to-last train home, and leave yourself a margin.
Get the navigation right before Kinder
The Edale Skyline is a great test of exactly the skills that keep a long day relaxed: holding an edge in cloud, timing a leg, and knowing your way off before you need it. If your phone is part of how you navigate, the free Digital Safety Net course sets it up properly for a day like this, and it costs nothing.
Pick a long, settled day next summer, mark your bail-outs on the map tonight, and find the second-to-last train home from Hope. Ask any questions in the comments below.
