hiking | Kinder Downfall from Hayfield
What and where is Kinder Downfall?
Kinder Downfall is the tallest waterfall in the Peak District, with a 30-metre (98 ft) fall. The waterfall was formerly known as Kinder Scut, (how the plateau got its name). Although no more than a trickle in summer, after rainfall it does get quite impressive. In certain wind conditions (notably when there is a strong west wind), the water can even be blown back on itself, and the resulting cloud of spray can be seen from several miles away.
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Kinder Downfall sits very close to Kinder Scout, the highest point in the Peak District. Should you want to divert or extend the route slightly, you could take this in quite easily.
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Remember The Rules and have fun!
3-5 hours
8.4 miles
Peak District
Get this route
Download our route and follow this yourself from either OS Maps or ViewRanger. OS Maps requires a subscription, which luckily you can get 10% off with Northern Stroll on any 12 month subscription. Check out our blog post for the code.
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ViewRanger is free and much like OS Maps doesn't require any data to work. All you need is a GPS signal, especially if you have downloaded your maps beforehand. It also has OS Maps available as a layer inside the app.
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Don't have ViewRanger on your phone yet? See our guide, or download it in your app store.
Route overview
Starting at Hayfield information centre car park is one of the two main start points for climbing the Kinder plateau (the other being Edale). Leaving the car park and slowly ascending up the road towards the reservoir isn't too tricky, nor is rounding the reservoir itself (although the ground gets uneven). Once you cross the small footbridge and head straight on directly up towards Sandy Heys however the climb gets much harder! Remember to take a break.
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At the top however, it's all plain sailing from here as you skirt the edge of the Kinder plateau towards the downfall. Expect a slight scramble and broken ground around the rocks though, so be careful.
Key things to know:
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Time: About 3-5 hours depending on your speed
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Distance: 8.42 miles
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Elevation: 1,864 feet
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Calorie burning opportunity: Extensive - roughly 1,900+
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Photo opportunities rating: 8/10 if the weather is right
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Nearby pubs: The Sportsman Inn is great for beer and right next to the road on your way back down to Hayfield.
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How to get here:
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Postcode: SK22 2ES
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Parking at Hayfield information centre does cost roughly £5 for the time out but take plenty of change and you will be fine. Use the Google Maps marker here or just search for it in your favourite search engine.