Middle Black Clough Waterfall Walk + Map | 2-Mile Route

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Here’s a fantastic waterfall walk you can do in the Peak District. Middle Black Clough waterfall is a short but challenging walk but if you enjoy an adventure then this is the walk for you.

The waterfall is located on a clough hidden away from the road, not too far from Crowden, on the way you explore the beautiful woodlands whilst following the clough into this remote part of the Peak District.

You’ll need to be prepared for this walk, there’s water crossing, so either get wet feet or bring your welly boots and there’s also a small amount of scrambling. See other information for more details.

Here you will find details on how to get to the start of the walk, map and GPX file, route information, plus a detailed step by step guide of the walk.

Have you done any waterfall walks in the Peak District? Let me know in the comments.

Jump to walk instructions

Middle Black Clough near Crowden

gpx file

Middle Black Clough waterfall walk map

Click for online map

Walk start point

Start grid reference: SK 11141 99937

Car parking address: Woodhead Road, near Woodhead Reservoir, Glossop, SK13 1JE

Please note this is not the exact postcode for the location, but will get you to near the location on the A628 road. Here’s the pinned location for the parking.

There are three small laybys just off the A628 where you can park for free for this walk.

*Please note the A628 is currently closed so if you want to do this walk you may need to wait until it reopens or to park further away. I parked on Goddard Road a few miles further up the road – location here and followed the Trans Pennine Trail to the start of the walk (3.5 km).

Public transport

There are no public transport options for this walk

Facilities on the walk

There are no public toilets available at the start of the walk. The nearest pub after or before your walk is the Bull’s Head at Glossop.

Other useful information

If you’re visiting a waterfall in the Peak District they are always more impressive after we’ve had some rain; however, this does mean the water crossing can be higher and trickier.

The day I did the walk, it had been raining in the days prior so the water crossing was deep. I also met a family with small children (in wellies) who walked across the ford. Wearing hiking boots I opted to hike further up and cross at a shallower point, using rocks as stepping stones, but this then means you have a second crossing, further along, to get on the right side of the clough.

After you’ve crossed the water there’s then a short section which you need to scramble alongside the clough, it’s not too challenging.

Check the weather for your walk location and hills

It’s worth checking the weather for rain prior to your walk, if it’s been raining too much it might not be safe to cross.

• BBC Weather for Crowden
• Met Office weather for the Peak District
• Met Office weather for Crowden in Longdendale

Ordnance Survey Walk Map

The map for this walk is OL1 – Peak District (Dark Peak Area). Check prices here with Ordnance Survey or Amazon

And don’t forget your compass, I recommend the Silva Expedition compass

For online maps, you can get via OS Online App or Viewranger App.

Check prices here for the one month or yearly option with OS Online App. 

 

Want to read later? Save the walk to Pinterest

Middle Black Clough waterfall walk route

Stage 1 – A628 parking layby to Middle Black Clough waterfall

Distance: 1 miles/1.6 km

Grid reference SK 11132 99948

From the parking layby, on the far side of the road, head east up the road, away from Woodhead Reservoir, where you can see it bend round to the right.

Cross over the road and down a track, fingerpost sign for TPT West (Trans Pennine Trail), at the bottom turn right then follow the path around and over the River Etherow. Now follow this path with the river on your left, you’ll go past a small waterfall on the walk.

After 500 metres, you’ll reach a ford across the clough, ignore this and keep heading up the rocky path into the woods. After the first crossing, it’s another 400 metres until the next point to cross.

It’s a wide crossing and depending on the water level you’ll need to pick the best route across (wellies advisable).

Once safely across, you then follow the clough all the way up the rocky path until you reach the waterfall – you can’t miss it!

Note – at the crossing, there is a narrow path heading uphill, this is really steep and exposed in places but you can follow this and find a narrower place to cross (if you didn’t bring wellies). You’ll then need to navigate through the terrain on the other side and do a second water crossing.

Stage 2 – Middle Black Clough waterfall to A628

Distance: 1 mile/1.6 km

Grid reference SK 11619 99010

Once you’ve had fun exploring the waterfall, from below and above, the best way back down is via the same route along the clough.

There are not many options to extend this loop other than doing a much longer walk up to Bleaklow. See details below.

Let me know if you have any questions about this waterfall walk

Other options for this walk

Extend the walk

If you continue heading uphill from this waterfall you end up on Bleaklow, but this section is very hard to navigate and it’s easy to get lost and spend hours up there as there are not many features.

I’d recommend if you want to do a longer walk to head back down from the waterfall then go back up via Near Black Clough, you can follow this path up to Bleaklow, pick up the Pennine Way to Torside Reservoir. And then take the Longendale Trail alongside Torside Reservoir and Woodhead Reservoir back to the start.

This walk is 11 miles/18 km, plus the extra section up to the waterfall and back down.

Bleaklow longer walk – route map here

More walks in the Peak District

Do you love waterfalls? You might like these waterfall walks in the Peak District.

• Three Shires Head Walk from Gradbach (Waterfall Walk) | 8-Mile Route
• Edale to Crowden (via the Pennine Way) | 17-Mile Route – (Kinder Downfall)

More waterfall walks coming soon – sign up below to get all our new routes.

Or check out all our Peak District walking routes here

View walks directory here

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Please note 'Peak District Walks' accepts no liability through any injuries or accidents that may result from walking this route. We always recommend you take a paper map and compass on your walk. Read more here.

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